Managing Your Personal Finances: Make Your Money Grow!

The only financial “advice” many kids get from their parents is the scientifically accurate observation that “money doesn't grow on trees.” Money will, however, thrive in other environments--such as interest-bearing bank accounts, bonds, and stocks--the subjects of this short, swift overview of saving and investing. Reminding young adults that “personal finance isn't just for your parents,” bankers and CPAs explain how discipline and a budget can help teens save enough to open their own savings accounts. Unfortunately, while there are a lot of sensible beginner tips here, the program attempts to cover too much ground: leaping from savings to investments with only a short “factoid” on eliminating credit card debt (the biggest money-related issue facing an ever-growing number of teens today--covered in a separate program), the content rapidly devolves into little more than a vocabulary exercise touching far too briefly on mutual funds, stocks, bonds, risk tolerance, diversification, blue chips, dividends, and retirement planning. The teacher's leaflet is of little help, with unimaginative “matching” activities and commercial investment firms' websites given as resources. Optional. Other titles in the six-part series (series price: $499) include: Like Money in the Bank: An Introduction to Banking, All About Cars: A Car Buying Guide, and Extra Credit: Recognizing the Do's and Don'ts of Using Credit. Aud: H, P. (R. Reagan)