Financial Literacy Training

We teach kids geography, history, algebra. But we don't teach them how money works. That's crazy. I'm at FIBE Berlin. Yesterday I met two teams tackling this from opposite ends. Bling lets kids as young as 7 invest in sustainable funds — real money, parents in the loop. I spoke with Elena Eden from the team about how it works. Your kid wants a bicycle. Grandma gives them €50 for Christmas. Instead of burning it right away, they drop it into a "saving pot" and watch it grow. They see what waiting does. They learn what money is. No worksheets. Just reps. Then there's BeAFox. Alexandru Tapelea was 16 when he got his first paycheck during an apprenticeship. He didn't know what to do with it. Neither did his friends. Some ended up in debt. So he built an app. Short lessons, quizzes, real-world missions. He's 21 now. His co-founder Selina Fuchs is 21 too. They've reached almost 10,000 downloads, won national awards, and partnered with schools across Germany. They were clueless at 16. Now they're teaching thousands. Research backs this up: young adults who got three years of financial education in high school were 40% less likely to fall behind on credit payments. Their credit scores were roughly 25 points higher. And the benefits were still measurable over a decade later. We let 16-year-olds drive cars. We let 18-year-olds sign student loans. But we don't teach compound interest. Or how credit cards work. Or why saving €10 a week at 15 can matter more than saving €100 a week at 35. Then we act surprised when debt spirals happen. Financial literacy is a life skill — like reading and basic math. And right now, hardly anyone teaches it. Bling starts at 7. BeAFox meets teens where they are. By 18, these kids have already made real choices with money. They've watched it grow. They've learned that delayed gratification isn't punishment — it's control. That's not "just an app." That's a head start. If you have kids, nieces, or nephews, ask yourself: Do they know the difference between a debit card and a credit card? If not, that's on us. Source: Urban et al. (2018), Economics of Education Review; Bling; BeAFox.

Let’s talk about the invisible leak in your company’s balance sheet: 𝗙𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗜𝗹𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆. I’ve seen it across industries. Talented employees, stressed out over money.  • They show up tired.   • They avoid long-term planning.   • They jump jobs at the first salary hike. Why? Because most of them are silently struggling to manage their paychecks. One team I worked with had almost 40% of employees living paycheck-to-paycheck. That’s 40% constantly distracted by EMIs, credit card bills, and financial anxiety. It showed up as missed deadlines, low productivity, and even sick leaves. And here’s the kicker— Companies were spending millions on benefits and engagement programs. But ignoring the 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗿𝘆 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗺 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿𝘆 𝘀𝗶𝗻𝗴𝗹𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝘆: 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗲𝘀𝘀. Here’s what I did:     • Ran personalized coaching sessions   • Covered basics like budgeting, debt, credit scores, savings, and goal-setting   • Created safe spaces for money conversations What changed? 𝗥𝗲𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗯𝘀𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗲𝗶𝘀𝗺 – Fewer stress-related sick days. More present minds at work. 𝗛𝗶𝗴𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗲𝗻𝗴𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 – Focus shifted from money worries to meaningful work. 𝗟𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗿𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 – Employees stopped jumping ship for minor pay hikes. 𝗠𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗳𝗶𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁, 𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗼𝘆𝗲𝗲𝘀 – They felt in control. And they stayed. The 𝗥𝗢𝗜 𝗼𝗳 𝗳𝗶𝗻𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗮𝗰𝘆 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗼𝗿𝗲𝘁𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 — 𝗶𝘁’𝘀 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝘀𝘂𝗿𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗲. You don’t need a bigger salary budget. You need better money habits across your workforce. And that’s where I come in. I don’t fix your company’s finances. I help your employees fix theirs — so your business runs better. 

About a half dozen friends shared an article with me this week to get my take on it. A columnist at a major financial outlet was asking why Americans are so financially illiterate. She noted that Gen Z scored lowest on a national survey "despite" the recent push to guarantee personal finance courses in high schools. She also described financial literacy programs as basic and out of date. On the first point, a gentle correction. The adults in that survey mostly graduated before the state #personalfinance guarantees took effect. The first fully covered graduating classes for about 1 in 3 high school students are just now walking across the stage. We're grading a course most of the students never got to take. On the second point, I'd love to give her a tour of a personal finance classroom in 2026. Here's what she'd actually see: Students working through a case study on buy now, pay later and what those four easy payments really cost. Playing STAX, Next Gen Personal Finance's award winning investing simulation where they learn the difference between long-term investing and gambling on hot stocks. Analyzing sports betting apps. Spotting the tricks in a predatory loan through our arcade game Shady Sam. Pressure testing advice from finfluencers and AI chatbots. And starting class with a current event quiz and explainer video every Friday delivered by Yanely Espinal. Out of date is the one thing this course isn't. We update it constantly because the financial world our students walk into changes constantly. That's also why we just partnered with Dow Jones to bring WSJ, Barron's, and MarketWatch content directly into classrooms. And the teachers? In just the past few years, some 25,000 of them have invested in their own training through NGPF's professional development, more than 650,000 hours of it. On nights, weekends, and summers. Nobody makes them. They show up anyway. The columnist's conclusion was that financial education should be more rigorous and more current. Completely agree. Come see it. Teachers would love to welcome you in their classroom this fall.

To adequately prepare youth for the financial realities of life, 4 years of comprehensive financial education in high school are essential. Currently, states with the most comprehensive financial literacy standards only require a single semester—equivalent to roughly 50 teachable hours after admin time. In the adult world, this translates to just one week of work. Our kids deserve more. That’s why we’re advocating for a 4-year (8-semester) financial education mandate to prepare students for lifelong financial success. Let’s give them the time and tools they need to thrive. #UnitedForFinancialLiteracy Video Notes: In today’s world, equipping youth with financial skills is essential. Financial education prepares high school students for adulthood and helps them avoid costly mistakes. However, most students receive little or no financial education. States that mandate it often offer only a single-semester course, about 50 hours, which is insufficient to make a lasting impact. Without adequate preparation, students are left vulnerable to poor financial decisions that can have long-term consequences. Time and rigor are crucial for meaningful financial education. A four-year program is necessary to build confidence and competencies, ensuring students are prepared to face financial challenges head-on. Financial literacy is not about passing tests but creating life-ready individuals who can make thoughtful, informed choices. Structure of a Four-Year Financial Literacy Program 1–1.5 Years of Education in Income Education Focus on career exploration, job preparation, and building soft skills like teamwork and communication. Students will also learn how to maintain a professional online presence and navigate job applications, interviews, and resume creation. Understanding income is fundamental to financial success and is the cornerstone for managing finances effectively. 1.5–2 Years of Education on Near-Term Life Events Prepare for milestones like moving out, buying a car, and managing credit. Project-based learning helps students practice real-world financial decision-making so students are prepared to avoid financial pitfalls such as overspending, taking on excessive debt, and missing payment deadlines, which can lead to long-term financial harm. .5 Years of Education in Long-Term Financial Planning Introduce retirement planning, compounding interest, and investment exploration. The objective of this phase is to foster curiosity and instill the habit of lifelong learning. While students won't graduate as proficient investors, they will gain foundational knowledge to explore and develop their financial skills over time. The Urgent Need for Change A one-semester course doesn’t provide the depth of knowledge students need. Treating financial literacy as a core subject ensures students can build lasting financial stability and confidence. Let’s work together to make financial literacy a fundamental part of education nationwide.

Reflecting Back to Brazil’s Landmark Financial Literacy Experiment Back in 2010-11, we launched what was then the largest experiment in financial education ever conducted—across hundreds of high schools in Brazil, with thousands of students, their teachers, and even their families involved. Twelve partners from the financial sector came together over four years to design a world-class curriculum: interactive, fun, and rooted in real life. Students learned by doing—preparing a household budget, organizing a school party, or planning how to buy a computer. The aim was simple but powerful: help young people make better intertemporal choices—plan now to do better later. The results were striking. Students changed their saving and planning behaviors, their families picked up healthier financial habits, and even teachers reported changes in their own lives. https://lnkd.in/eEhMMD2d Years later, the Central Bank of Brazil followed up on those same students as they entered adulthood. The impacts persisted. Former students were less likely to rely on costly forms of credit, less likely to fall behind on repayments, and more likely to start their own businesses. The early lessons of planning and saving stuck with them. https://lnkd.in/eCbF6vPa This was possible thanks to the extraordinary leadership of so many—principals, teachers, financial sector partners, and especially José A. C. VASCO #CVM, who spearheaded the effort from the regulatory side. For me, this project remains a testament to what’s possible when public and private sectors invest in the long run. Teaching financial literacy in schools doesn’t just change knowledge—it can shift behaviors, strengthen households, and shape futures.

Financial Literacy Month is a reminder that building financial knowledge does not have to be overwhelming. It can start with two minutes. I am sharing a series of short videos covering the personal finance topics that matter most, from compound interest to debt management, from budgeting basics to understanding risk. Each one is designed to make these concepts accessible, practical, and easy to act on. Because those who know better, do better. And it is never too late to start. Give them a watch: https://lnkd.in/gjUqFEbY 

Understanding Financial Literacy: The Key to Financial Wellness In today’s complex financial landscape, being well-informed is more than just a good idea—it's essential for achieving financial wellness. Last year, I had the pleasure of gifting the insightful book “Get Good with Money” by Tiffany "The Budgetnista" Aliche. This fantastic resource not only lays the foundation for mastering personal finance but also empowers individuals to take control of their financial futures. I am thrilled to share that Tiffany has taken her passion for financial education to the next level with her new PBS show, also titled “Get Good with Money.” This show brings her tried-and-true strategies to a wider audience, making financial literacy accessible and engaging. Inspired by Tiffany’s work and my love for food, I’ve started hosting monthly family meetings that combine delicious meals with discussions about financial wellness. These gatherings have become a platform for sharing knowledge, encouraging open conversations about money, and ensuring that each family member feels empowered to take charge of their financial journey. Here are some tools and habits that you might consider to stay educated about finances: 1. Reading Financial Literature: Books like “Get Good with Money” are invaluable, but there are numerous other titles out there that cater to different aspects of finance—budgeting, investing, saving for retirement, and more. 2. Podcasts and Online Courses: Platforms like Khan Academy, Coursera, and various finance-focused podcasts can provide valuable insights into personal finance topics at your own pace. 3. Regular Financial Check-ins: Much like my family meetings, schedule regular discussions about finances with a trusted friend or family member. Sharing experiences and tips can help keep everyone accountable. 4. Utilizing Budgeting Apps: Tools like Credit Karma (formerly Mint), YNAB (You Need A Budget), and Personal Capital are excellent for tracking spending, budgeting, and managing investments. 5. Following Financial Influencers: Social media is a treasure trove of financial advice. Follow reputable accounts that resonate with your financial goals. 6. Staying Updated on Economic News: Regularly read financial news articles or subscribe to newsletters that provide updates about the economic climate and trends. 7. Workshops and Community Programs: Local communities often host workshops or seminars on financial literacy. These are great avenues for in-person learning and networking. Being informed about finances equips you to make better decisions, prepares you for unexpected challenges, and empowers you to build a secure financial future. What tools or habits are you using to stay educated on finances? I’d love to hear your thoughts and learn from your experiences! Let’s continue this journey toward financial wellness together. 🏦💡💰

Being financially literate has become a must today. You might be just starting in your career or planning for retirement, but understanding and managing your finances is important for long-term stability and growth. When you are financially aware, it makes decision-making easy, leading to a secure and confident future. This is what you should do for your financial foundation: → Keep track of your income and expenses to ensure that you're living within your means. Categorize spending and identify areas for savings to avoid debt. This provides clarity on how to allocate resources wisely. → An emergency fund covers expenses like medical emergencies or job loss. Aim to save 3-6 months' worth of living expenses in an accessible account. This reserve can help you deal with unforeseen situations without stress. → Pay credit card balances and loans as soon as possible to free up resources for savings and investments, to accelerate your financial growth. Clearing debt isn’t just a relief but helps you stay financially free. → Insurance is essential yet often overlooked. Life, health and disability insurance protects against unexpected events that could drain your savings. Adequate coverage will reduce the risk of major setbacks. → SIPs are a practical entry point for new investors. With SIPs, you make regular, smaller investments in mutual funds, helping deal with market fluctuations and benefit from compounding over time. Each of these strategies has its benefits but ensures your peace of mind and long-term stability. So do you think you are financially literate? #financialliteracy #moneymanagement

Big shift just announced. By September 30, 2025, all government payments — to and from the federal government — must go fully digital. Yesterday, Trump signed an Executive Order that modernizes how America’s “bank account” operates. That means: ▪️No more paper checks ▪️No more paper-based receipts ▪️All payments will happen electronically This may sound like a win for efficiency (and it is), but here’s the truth: Millions of Americans, especially entrepreneurs in historically excluded communities, are not yet ready for this shift. This isn’t just a financial literacy issue. This is a #fintechliteracy issue. At Blaze Group, we’re already helping entrepreneurs + collegiate talent pipelines gain fluency in both. Whether it’s navigating digital wallets, alternative capital sources, fintech tools for budgeting, minimizing processing fees, or understanding how digital infrastructure impacts cash flow — we’re here to close the literacy gap before this new federal mandate goes into effect. If you’re building in fintech, this is your moment to create with inclusion in mind. If you’re an entrepreneur, now is the time to get your systems up to speed. Let’s build together — for the future. 📰 Read the White House’s Fact Sheet Here: https://lnkd.in/ezp6RMmk 🎓 Check out Blaze Group’s Fintech Workforce Development Program: https://lnkd.in/eMMZUFKh 🧑🏽💻 Check out Blaze Group’s Financial Literacy Programming: https://lnkd.in/eSPAxAg2 📲 Check out the Blaze Group App for Entrepreneur Finance Education: https://lnkd.in/eU7xnAgX #FintechLiteracy #FinancialInclusion #SmallBusiness #BlackEntrepreneurs #DigitalPayments #Entrepreneurship #BlazeGroup #EquitableFinance #FinancialLiteracy #FintechForGood

Schools are finally teaching financial literacy in New Zealand. It’s a step forward — but is it enough? Here's what I wish I learned at school: 1. NOT ALL DEBT IS BAD We’re told to avoid debt. But there’s a difference between bad debt - like credit cards. And good debt - like leveraging the banks money buy an income-generating property. Financial literacy is knowing how to use debt, not being scared of it. 2. MONEY SHOUDN'T BE A TABOO TOPIC My parents didn’t talk about money with “the kids.” I grew up thinking it was rude to discuss it — even with friends. (Truth be told, I still struggle with this today.) Money management is one of the most valuable life skills we can teach to our peers and children. It starts with being comfortable talking about it like any other topic. 3. COMPOUND INTEREST REWARDS THE EARLY - NOT THE WEALTHY Start investing $100/week at 20, and you could retire with half a million. Wait until 40? You’ll need to contribute twice as much for less than half the result. It’s not about how much you earn — it’s how early you start. 4. WHAT AN ASSET ACTUALLY IS These are "Rich Dad, Poor Dad" basics. If it puts money in your pocket, it’s an asset. If it takes money out, it’s a liability — even if it feels like an “asset”. People think their car is an asset. But it loses value every day and costs you to run. Put your money into assets that give you a return from day one. 5. INFLATION EATS YOUR SAVINGS That $10K in the bank at 3% inflation is worth $300 less in one year. Your bank account isn't growing, it's shrinking every day. Investing is how you protect your money from losing value. 6. YOU CAN'T RETIRE ON A SALARY A job pays you while you work. But the moment you stop showing up, the money stops too. If you want time freedom later, you need to build assets now that will pay later. Did I miss any? Comment below for any lessons you wish were taught in schools?