Monday, January 28, 2008

Personal Finance Advice for Teens

Learning to manage your personal finances should start when you are a teen. This is importance because parents can help their teen learn about personal finance and learn how to treat it with respect so it works for them not against them.

Many teens have a job and therefore, have personal finances. Some parents make their teens pay for things, like recreation or even bills like auto insurance. When a teen has money coming in they should be guided into the world of personal finance. By starting early in the teen years, parents can help to teach their child about the importance of managing your finances and about what can happen when you fail to do so.

It all starts with making a budget. Teens should understand what money they have coming in and where it is being spent. They should learn to keep it balanced and not live beyond their means.

Teens should also be taught the importance of saving. They should have some type of savings set up. This should be controlled by them so they can see what happens when they save and what happens when they do not.

One of the best things a parent can do is avoid bailing their child out of financial problems. Teens need to learn that personal finance is important. They must learn this before they are setout on their own and have to rely on themselves to keep their personal finances in check.

With the problems with consumer debt in this country, teaching teens to be smart with their personal finances is one of the best lessons a parent can teach them. Avoiding problems with credit and debt is something every parent wishes for their child and something that can be done with teaching personal finance at an early age.

Personal finance for teens is something many parents simply do not think about. It is, however, something parents should think about. Teens can learn so much and avoid so many problems if their parents just sit down and teach them abut personal finance.

When they turn 18 and become responsible for their personal finances they will be ready and they will be armed with the knowledge needed to make it on their own.Learning to be financially responsible is a gift. It doesn't take a lot of time and once you get your teen started, they can be in control. It will help them to learn about managing money and being responsible with it.