Handling Money
Goal for It!
Being able to live independently without borrowing money is a financial goal that is important to many young people. Have you ever thought about setting financial goals? If you did, which of the following goals would be on your list? (Check the goals that apply to your financial situation.)
___ Start an emergency fund
___ Find a part-time job
___ Create a budget
___ Open a bank account
___ Save for college
___ Buy a car
___ Rent an apartment
___ Get necessary career training
___ Use my money to help my family
Mastering Money
"Money is a tool to help you achieve goals," explains Fernando Pareja, a reporter for Mundo Hispanico, a weekly newspaper in Atlanta, Georgia. "For the next 50 years, you're going to need to know how to make intelligent money decisions," he points out
And he's right — money is a tool. If you have money, you can get things you need like food, clothing, and shelter. If you don't have money, you have to depend on others to provide for your needs. Money doesn't make one person worth more than another, but no matter how
you feel about money, you can be certain of this —
money gives you options, it gives you independence, and it gives you opportunities. Just as it takes gas to run a car or seeds to plant a crop, it takes money to run your life.
In the activity that follows, you will start your journey
toward financial literacy by creating a Mastering Money
folder or notebook where you will track your progress
through the activities on this Website. Then you'll take
a financial literacy survey and read about well-known
people who have worked hard to improve the financial future
of teens.
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