Fun and practical ways to teach personal finance for middle schoolers

Middle school is an exciting time for developing life skills. Kids start to think more about what they'll be like as adults, from their future careers to where they want to live. It's the perfect time to start teaching them about money, including how it works and how to manage it.

According to a report by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, kids who learn financial skills are more likely to be financially secure in young adulthood. To make it easier for busy parents, we've compiled key lessons from popular financial education programs you can use at home to kickstart personal finance for middle schoolers.

Teach age-appropriate money basics

Middle school is the time to build a solid financial foundation. These real-world financial concepts are the building blocks of everything kids need to know about money.

Budgeting

If you teach budgeting basics in middle school, before kids have expenses, they can see a budget as a tool, rather than a limitation. Talk about how budgets put you in control of your money and show them how budgets help you save more and afford what matters most.

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Wants vs. needs

Kids' emotional landscapes become more complex in middle school. They tend to reflect on their feelings and start to differentiate between "I want this" and "I need this." As a parent, you can use the "wants vs. needs" concept to initiate conversations about how to allocate their spending.

Saving and giving

Middle schoolers are just entering adolescence, which is a critical time for developing impulse control. So it's also the perfect time to emphasize the value of saving and giving to others. 

Investing basics and practice

Learning to save is essential, but learning to invest can lead to even greater gains. According to U.S. Bank, if you saved $100 a month starting at age 13, you'd have a predicted $41,877 by your 43rd birthday. If you invested $100 monthly, you'd have close to $95,400 (assuming typical returns, which are never guaranteed).

Greenlight's app makes it easy for beginners to learn about investing*. Kids and teens can make trades for as little as $1, and parents stay actively involved.

Make learning fun with interactive strategies

Once your kids understand the basics, they're ready to learn at home. Schools and nonprofits already address some of these topics, but they'll internalize them better when parents take them into real life.

Here are some popular activities from programs such as NextGen Personal Finance (NGPF) and FutureSmart, which work well at home as financial education resources:

• Activity-based learning: Middle schoolers need hands-on learning. NGPF offers activities you can adapt to help kids envision their future lives and what they'll need to build them.

• Money games: Contests and games help reinforce concepts and keep kids motivated. Fun games like LevelUp keep kids coming back for more, with challenges and rewards that go far beyond most in-school curriculum. 

• Simulated budgets: Middle schoolers love to imagine what high school life will be like. Tell them they just got their first job as a 16-year-old and let them budget their first paycheck.

Turn discussion into action with real-life money choices

Financial literacy comes alive for middle schoolers when they can apply it in real-life situations. There are three key elements here:

• Chores and allowance

• Spend tracking

• Responsible debit card use

Giving allowance to your kids is step one because it gives them the experience of managing their earnings. Online tools like Greenlight's Allowance and Chores app automate the process, allowing kids to check off tasks and track their earnings for chores they complete. They learn the value of hard work, and you can help them budget their first "paychecks."

• Show them how to divide their earnings into buckets for spending, saving, and donation. 

• Talk through buying decisions and "opportunity cost" — what you give up when you choose to buy one thing over another.

• Next, teach them how to track their spending by giving them "grown-up" digital tools. 

Managing debit card spending is a crucial life skill, and middle school is an ideal time to try a debit card for kids and teens. They get some independence, and you keep them in check with flexible parental controls that limit where and how much kids can spend.

How to guide without micromanaging

In middle school, most kids start wanting more independence and control. But they still need guidance, particularly in essential life lessons, including financial literacy.

• Make "money talk" a regular family activity: Kids often feel more comfortable discussing family topics when they're out in an open and transparent environment. De-stigmatize finances by discussing topics, like choosing where to spend family money.

• Budget loudly: "Loud budgeting" is a trend that makes money management a team activity. In this case, your team is your family, and everyone is part of the budget creation process.

• Build in safety nets: Put a few low-stakes money choices into kids' hands, but keep control of the reins with the Greenlight debit card. You can set age-appropriate spending limits and turn on Savings Boosts** to help your kids reach their goals.

Help your middle schooler build money skills safely

Your middle schooler is ready to build healthy financial habits for life. Get started with Greenlight today, and watch them learn to manage their money like a pro.

*© 2025 Greenlight Investment Advisors, LLC, an SEC Registered Investment Advisor provides investment advisory services to its clients. Investing involves risk and may include the loss of principal. Investments are not FDIC-insured, are not a deposit, and may lose value.

**Greenlight Core families can earn 2% per annum, Greenlight Max families can earn 3% per annum, Greenlight Infinity families can earn 5% per annum, and Greenlight Family Shield families can earn 6% per annum on an average daily savings balance of up to $5,000 per family. To qualify, the Primary Account must be in Good Standing and have a verified ACH funding account. See Greenlight Terms of Service for details. Subject to change at any time.