Business, economics, and finances for students
One of the most basic and important life skills you'll need when you're grown up is knowing how to handle the money in your pocket. You'll need to learn about basic things like money math, and you'll also need to know about things like how to manage your finances, how businesses work, and how the economy works. These might sound like boring topics, but actually, there are lots of fun ways to learn about money and business. By studying these things now, you'll be better prepared to manage your spending or even run your own business as an adult.
Business
Running your own business means you have to be smart and focused. You also have to understand how to balance the cost of making a product with the amount that someone will pay to buy that product from you. A good business owner knows how to market their products so people want to buy them. When customers pay for the products, the business owner should invest some of this money back into the business so the business can grow. The rest of the money is split between profits and savings.
- Getting Down to Business Web Quest: Can you handle managing a small virtual business with your friends?
- Watching a Business Grow: Follow Jay the eagle as he launches his own business.
- Ice Cream Profits: Master the art of selling ice cream to move on to new cities in this game.
- Supply, Demand, and Pricing: Learn about how the amount of something for sale and how much people want it will affect its cost.
- Town Manager for a Day: Understanding Taxes: Balance taxes and spending as the mayor of a small town.
- Steps to Get Started in Business: Learn how you can start your own business with this simple guide.
- How to Earn Money as a Kid: You don't have to wait until you grow up to make money. You could actually start your own business now!
- Ten Famous Entrepreneurs: Here are some role models who dreamed big and became famous and successful.
Economics
Economists study how people make, get, and manage products and resources. Everyone plays a part in the economy, including you. When you spend money, you're a consumer. If you own a business, you'll work to earn money, and you might also sell shares of your business on the stock market. When your parents pay taxes, they're helping the government to pay for things that benefit the public. Knowing the basics of economics will help you to better understand the world around you and where you fit into the big picture.
- Economics Book List: Widen your economic knowledge with the books on this reading list.
- Economics Terms for Kids: Some of the words used in economics can be confusing, but they don't have to be.
- Economics Web Quest: Econo-Town: See how the economy works on a small scale in this town.
- Building Wealth: How do people become wealthy? Start by thinking about what being wealthy would look like to you.
- Tradecraft: Grow and trade your resources to earn gold!
- Where Money Comes From: The dollar bill in your hand goes through a long process to be printed and protected from counterfeiting.
- Look Who's Footing the Bill: National Debt Web Quest: Explore the factors that contribute to the national debt.
Finance and money
You can't live without money because everything you need has a cost, from the place where you live to the food you eat to the clothes you wear. To learn about how to use money wisely, start by making a budget for your allowance. When you have a job and make more money, you'll know how to save it and spend carefully.
- How to Avoid Being Dependent on Your Credit Card: When you get your first credit card, pay your bills on time to avoid sinking into debt.
- Live "Stock" Market Card Game: This activity can help you learn basics about the stock market.
- Equal Amounts of Money: Dollars to Quarters to Dimes: Learn how to make change quickly by seeing equal amounts in different coins.
- Giving Vicki Credit: Read this story to learn more about how credit works.
- Can You Afford Your Dream Life? Fill in your choices to see how much it will cost you to live the adult life you want.
- Financial Literacy: Elmo Makes a Choice: Learn more about finances with Sesame Street.
- Spent: Can you support a two-person household on only $1,000 a month? Play this game to take on the challenge and you might learn something about how expensive the things we need can be.
- How to Fill Out a Check: You can write a check for larger amounts of money instead of carrying cash.
- Money Denominations: Learn about how each bill is designed.
- Money Bingo: Become a pro at counting money with this fun game!
- Learning About Money Management: Show your parents this guide and they can use it to help you learn more about earning and using money.