Hey there! It's Talk About Money Tuesday, my favorite day of the week!🤑

April starts tomorrow and so does National Financial Literacy Month. For people like me, who love talking about how money works, April is like the Super Bowl, March Madness, the World Cup, and the Olympics all crammed into a 30-day stretch.🏆🎉

As always, I'll be focused on teaching young people money skills to prepare them for long-term success — and giving the adults in their lives tips on how to talk to them about money management. It's also a great time for me to make the case for youth financial literacy.

Kids and teens can't afford not to learn how to handle money. Recent research shows that members of Generation Z could answer only 38% of basic financial literacy questions correctly.

But their knowledge gap isn't about ability. It's merely a reflection of limited exposure and a lack of guidance.

With the right support, parents, mentors, and caregivers like you can equip young people to navigate real-world financial challenges. Let's get into why money knowledge matters and how adults can support young people on the journey.

Money Stat

82%

A recent survey by the National Endowment for Financial Education found strong support among adults for teaching personal finance in high school. Of the respondents who attended high school, 82% of them said they wish they were required to take a personal finance class.

Opinions varied widely on the most important topic for students to learn in a required personal finance course, with the largest share of adults (65%) prioritizing spending and budgeting. Saving was the second most popular topic (49%), followed by earning income (41%).

Get in the Zone

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Money skill: How to ask smart questions about money

Why it matters: Being financially literate isn't just about knowing the math behind money. It's also about curiosity. When young people learn to ask smart questions about money, it helps them slow down and avoid impulsive decisions. They can also learn from adults' experiences.

Try this: When shopping or paying bills, pause and ask things like, "What do you think this costs over time?" or "Is there a better option?" This shows your kids that questions are a part of everyday decisions.

Let your child know that any money question is welcome. When you respond with openness (not judgment) they learn that asking is more important than already knowing the answer.

Explore answers to money questions together. For instance, if Tax Day brings a bunch of questions about the cut the federal government takes from people's income, look the answers up side by side. They'll learn how to find and evaluate information, not just rely on others.

Smart Money Quiz

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Which of the following is a benefit of being financially literate?

A. You never make mistakes

B. You understand how to make informed financial decisions

C. You always have more money than other people

D. You can avoid thinking about money altogether

(The answer is at the end of this newsletter.)

Money Talks

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Kids start forming beliefs about money early, usually by watching the adults around them. Talking openly to them about saving, spending, and financial goals shows them everyday choices are connected to future outcomes:

➡️ Ask your child what "saving for happiness" means for them. This helps them see money is for spending and for supporting goals or experiences they care about. Listen for what motivates them — a toy, a trip, or technology — and build the conversation from there.

➡️ Share your age-appropriate stories about your own experiences with saving and spending. Being honest about your good and not-so-good choices shows that managing money is a process, not about being perfect.

To keep the conversation going, ​​download a free sample set of my Money Talks cards. They let young people turn the tables and ask adults about their real-life money experiences.

Loose Change

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🤔 The famous YouTuber, Mr. Beast, now owns an app that provides financial services to children. A U.S. Senator has some questions about the deal.

🏈 With name, image, likeness (NIL) money streaming in for some student athletes, financial literacy skills are more critical than ever.

😜 Not everyone is a fan of April Fools' pranks, especially when they miss the mark. Check out these good-natured jokes in the spirit of fun, not frustration.

Thanks for reading! If you want to read past newsletters, click here. If this newsletter was forwarded to you, please subscribe ​here​.

'Til next time,

Audrey
​Founder &
Certified Financial Education Instructor​
The FinLit Zone

ANSWER​
​B. You understand how to make informed financial decisions. Financial literacy builds confidence and helps people build better financial choices over time. It also helps them to avoid common money pitfalls.

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