Many people who know me and my husband know we have worked very hard and lived within our means in order to be debt-free (except for our home). We try to introduce the same saving and spending habits to our son. Today’s society is one in which credit is marketed to youth at a very early age.
College and high school students are taught little to nothing about handling money and the basic elements of budgeting and finance. This is a skill needed as students leave home and enter adulthood, making money of their own. Talk show host and financial experts answers questions about finance from people every day who are at a loss as to what to do. They are willing to air their financial situation in front of millions of listeners to receive guidance. They offer classes to youth and adults about basic finance issues.
How can students be taught this information when it is not in the middle or high school curriculum? How can we help parents discuss money with their children? In a lifetime, it is not unreasonable to understand an individual will earn over a million dollars in their working life. How can we teach them what to do with that money?
Santa RosaCounty 4-H is currently planning on working with students in our county to help them understand how to handle their money as they enter the work force. Last February, Santa RosaCounty 4-H held a Friday night finance class each through the month of February. The class taught writing checks, balancing a checkbook, creating a budget, how to shop and even how to buy a home. The class had an amazing group of 36 students. I have even been asked when we will be holding the class again. To my surprise, it was a young teenager who asked, not her parents.
I am proud to announce we will be putting together another finance class to be held early next year. In hopes of reaching other students, the class will be held Thursday evenings. We are still in the planning stages of our Thrifty Thursday class, however you can check out Santa Rosa 4-H on Facebook for updates. Another option would be to call Prudence Caskey at the Santa Rosa County Extension Office at 623-3868.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Teaching students financial principals is vital