Have students create a MoneySmart notebook using construction paper and notebook paper, or have each student get a spiral notebook or loose-leaf binder. Encouraging the students to design, create, and decorate the book gives them more of a sense of ownership and allows them to be creative. This book can be used throughout the series for students to jot down their thoughts and ideas. Suggested sections are Do's and Don'ts, Double Talk (persuasive words, phrases, and techniques), Financial Fitness (strategies), and My Budget. (These sections can be decided upon by you and/or the students although the ones listed are those to which reference is made continuously in this guide.) As this guide will refer to the notebook often, feel free to organize it to suit your needs. Where a specific section is not listed, you and your students can decide where to write the information.
Have students list at least ten rules used by a savvy shopper and ten rules for what it means to be a wise money manager. Define terms if necessary. Save these rules and compare them to the information presented. Our students may be impressed by what they knew ahead of time.
Discuss with students their allowances and income from jobs. Ask them to determine expenses/needs for which they think they should be responsible at their age. How will that change as they grow older? What makes it change? Them? Parents? Encourage discussion before starting to get them thinking about finances.
Have students research consumer spending habits as well as consumer fraud statistics. Make wall charts that show details.
Ask students to interview their parents or peers about their ability to be savvy shoppers and wise money managers. Brainstorm a list of questions to ask and give students time to get the answers and share them. (This may be touchy for some families so keep the questions general.) Typical questions may include, "How many credit cards do you have? Use? Do you have a budget? How was it created? Do you pay bills first or last? If it depends, what does it depend upon?"