Practical Money Skills At School

Money is a universal need that cuts across cultural lines. And as Tiffany Kirk sees firsthand at her job, the need for money management skills is as equally vital for people of all backgrounds. Kirk is a financial educator at a Minneapolis–based credit union. Her students range from affluent high school students to homeless individuals. She says what binds her diverse students together is their common need to learn more about money to enrich their lives. Read more.

Practical Money Skills At Home

Come summer, nothing stops Americans from hitting the road and sky. Rising fuel costs and skyrocketing airfare won’t keep vacationers at home. More than 25 million Americans, says AAA, will go international this summer and spend $30.7 billion. And according to the Travel Industry Association, six out of 10 Americans won’t change summer travel plans despite increasing gas prices. So if your plans are set, make sure your budget is, too. Use our interactive Travel Calculator.

Give your kids more than money. Offer them skills to manage their finances for life. Use allowances to make them savvy spenders and savers. Here Jean Chatzky answers all the questions – How much money should kids get? How often should parents pay an allowance? What strings, if any, should be tied to the allowance? Take time this summer, and give the kids a lesson in Money 101 at home. Read more.

June kicks off a celebratory season of weddings. You have the dress and the DJ, but have you had a candid conversation about finances with your future spouse? You may be thinking of growing your love and not your finances right now. But there's no better time than the present to address money management issues as a couple – assess where you are, pitfalls you may face and how you'll handle them. Make love and money go together in your marriage. Read more.