6 Ways to Teach Financial Literacy to Kids and Teens

1. Put practice into play: Learning about money doesn’t happen overnight. You have to keep up with your good money habits to keep building strong financial literacy. The best way? Greenlight Level Up^®, the interactive, in-app financial literacy game. It’s fun. It’s rewarding. It’s everything your family needs to celebrate and learn about money.
2. Earn money by doing chores: Money doesn’t grow on trees—you’ve got to earn it, and according to a recent Greenlight survey, 50% of teens are already learning how to do just that. Start by looking around the house. Are there any chores your kids and teens could help with? With Greenlight, you can assign recurring chores, automate payouts, and more, right from the app. When money—and lifelong money skills—is the reward, they’ll practically run to walk the dog or put away those dishes.
3. Discover ways to make money as a teen: Does your teen have big savings goals, like a new car or college tuition? Mowing the lawn might not be enough to cut it. Encourage them to find creative ways to start making money and reach their goals even faster. On the shortlist of ideas: Sell clothing or other unwanted items, work at a clothing store (hello, special discounts), or become a tutor.
4. Supercharge savings goals with direct deposit: Working teens can set up direct deposit so they can get paid on time, every time. And with Greenlight, they can deposit their paychecks straight into savings (or spending).
5. Show them the magic of compound interest: While 62% of teens have learned about savings, not all know about the power of compound interest—an easy way to build their balance. With compound interest, earnings from your savings start to earn money of their own. One classic example of compound growth: saving money in a high-yield savings account. You can also use Greenlight to put compound interest to work. From Parent-Paid Interest to 2% cash back to savings², Greenlight rewards your kids for making smart money moves.

Make every month Financial Literacy Month.

¹ NEFE, 2022. GOBankingRates, 2022. National Payroll Week, 2022.

² Greenlight Select families can earn monthly rewards of 2% 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.com/terms for details. Subject to change at any time.

³ United Community Bank customers are eligible for the Greenlight SELECT plan at no cost when they connect their United Community Bank account as the Greenlight funding source for the entirety of the promotion. Upgrades will result in additional fees. Upon termination of promotion, customers will be responsible for associated monthly fees. See terms for details. Offer ends 03/28/2026. Subject to minimum balance requirements and identity verification. Offer subject to change and partner participation. Upgraded plans may include Invest Account Services, which are the investment advisory services provided by Greenlight Investment Advisors, LLC, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Greenlight, as a Registered Investment Advisor, and the brokerage services provided by DriveWealth, LLC as a broker-dealer. Investments are not a deposit and are not FDIC Insured. Investing involves risk, including potential loss of principal.


This blog was brought to you in partnership with Greenlight, the all-in-one money app for families.