Financial Literacy for Teens

The One Class You Can't Afford to Skip

An engaging 7-week course that gives teens the real-world money skills they need before student loans, credit cards, and rent come due.

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Real-World Money Skills

Teens learn by doing: budgets, scenarios, and dilemmas they'll actually face.

7

Weeks

6

Core Modules

What We Teach

A step-by-step curriculum that turns abstract money concepts into practical skills teens can use right away.

1

Foundations of Money, Currency & Microeconomics

What money is, why currencies exist, and how supply and demand shape the prices teens see every day, from sneakers to streaming.

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  • Money vs. value: what's actually being traded
  • Currencies, inflation, and why a dollar changes over time
  • Real examples of supply, demand, and price changes
2

Earning Money & Planning for the Future

From first jobs and side gigs to long-term goals, students learn to think in trade-offs and make smarter choices.

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  • Hourly pay, salaries, and gig work
  • Creating a simple, realistic budget
  • Decision-making and opportunity cost
3

Saving & Growing Money

How small, consistent choices add up over time through savings, compound interest, and the basics of investing.

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  • Bank accounts, interest, and safety
  • How compound growth really works
  • Intro to investing: risk, reward, and timelines
4

Spending Money & Financial Tools

How payment tools from debit cards to apps actually move money, and what to watch out for with each.

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  • Credit vs. debit vs. prepaid cards
  • Payment apps, subscriptions, and hidden fees
  • Building healthy spending habits early
5

Civic Finance & Public Welfare Systems

Connecting personal finance to the bigger picture: taxes, public services, and safety nets that shape everyone's options.

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  • Why we pay taxes and what they fund
  • Government programs and public goods
  • The role of insurance and shared risk
6

Financial Safety & Fraud Prevention

How to protect yourself, from online scams and phishing to keeping identity and information safe.

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  • Common scams targeted at teens and families
  • How to spot phishing and fake offers
  • Practical steps to protect accounts and identity

What Families Are Saying

Parents and students share how Dollars & Dilemmas changed the way they talk about money.

“

I was looking for a way to get my daughter interested in personal finance. Jared's excellent instruction has created that spark in her.

Vivek I.

Parent of 14 Year Old

“

Dollars and Decisions was one of the most unexpected offerings I'd come across in our community, and I'm so grateful for it. Jared led a highly engaging, well-tailored course that really opened a door on my child's financial literacy and enthusiasm, and has been blossoming ever since. Highly recommended!

Brian B.

Parent of a 12 Year Old

“

This course was exactly what I have been searching for, and I am so grateful to have found it. My son has been talking about interest rates at the dinner table and actually asked to get his own debit card.

Henry B.

Parent of a 14 Year Old

Give Your Teen a Head Start with Money

Enrollment is open for our upcoming sessions at the Tompkins County Public Library. Join a small, discussion-driven class where students learn by tackling real dilemmas, not memorizing definitions.

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