As teenagers, we’ve all heard adults around us talking about the ‘crash in the stock market due to Covid’ or words that appear foreign to us like ‘mutual funds’, ‘debt’ or ‘investing’. But are these concepts indeed that complex and hard to understand? No! no, they are not. In fact, in my opinion, we teenagers need to be familiar with these words and financially literate by the age of 16. I could say that the sooner you start, the better as personal finance; like most other skills, it is simpler to learn and internalize the earlier you understand it.
We must also perceive why it is so consequential for us to be coherent and involved with the financial world.
To begin with, it gives us an insight into the value of money and the vast difference between saving and spending judiciously. This awareness will go a long way in helping us in the years to come. For example, we will handle our finances more efficiently, avoiding most financial problems that may arise otherwise.
Secondly, it will prevent us from making poor financial decisions in the future. Studies show that often, young people involved in Ponzi schemes and gambling had no or minimal backgrounds in financial literacy. Hence, those with proper financial education will be less likely to be lured into similar schemes.
Financial literacy teaches you essential concepts like investing and creating wealth. Later on, this will help us to expand our capital base and have a diversified portfolio. It will also give us a sense of independence in managing our own money and other finances, allowing us to feel more secure and less dependent.
In conclusion, financial education will give us a head-start in life while allowing us to be more prepared for adulthood as finance plays a core role universally. Therefore, it is vital that we all get a basic understanding of financial education in our teenage years.
The Finance Box conducts workshops for students from Class VI to Class XII on Zoom Live. The following programmes are available: 1. Finance for Teens — Level 1 (Why Money Matters) 2. Finance for Teens — Level 2 (Learn to Read Financial Statements) 3. Stock Markets for Teens — Baby Steps to investing in Equity
We also have an investment club that meets once a month and talks about news, sectoral investments and themes. To join our Workshops > Check out our website or contact info@thefinancebox.in or call +91 9870425257.
Edited by: Minakshi Todi
Contributed by: Saisha Gupta Class X Dhirubhai Ambani International School
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