November is Financial Literacy Month.
Students from Pinetree Secondary School in Coquitlam share their thoughts about how they want to become "money smart" after recently participating in a financial education course by Edward Jones Canada.
The following submission was written by Sophie Plaseska in Grade 10.
Since prehistoric times, people have been trading. And for the past 5,000 years, money has been used to assist this trading.
Now, in our current day and age, money can even be used digitally.
Although civilization has vastly changed and is continuing to progress, money and trading still remain prevalent.
Money is an important part of anyone's life, and as the world is changing and evolving, it is important that we stay on top of everything and learn how to better manage our money.
As a teenager living in Canada, I'm only beginning to understand the importance of finance and the complexity of it. As graduation is slowly creeping up on me, I feel even more pressure to understand all the different terms and concepts in finance.
For example, I know that I want to move out when I graduate, but I don't know how to pay bills or taxes. In addition, I'd also like to learn about other topics in finance such as how credit cards work, and how to properly invest.
Every time I talk to people or research on the internet, it seems as though everyone has their own two cents on finance and how to properly manage your money.
I want to know what's real, and what's fake.
Another reason why I am interested in learning about finance is because I want to be able to make well-informed decisions for my future.
I want to go into the world feeling confident in my knowledge of money and being prepared to deal with different financial situations. Having clear goals and budgets is crucial for anyone trying to make the most out of their money and time.
I want to learn how to plan for both short-term and long-term financial goals, as well as make well-calculated investments.
Although I have a lot I want to learn, there are some things I am already doing to manage my current finances.
For example, I always make sure to have a certain amount of money in my bank account.
As someone who does not yet have a job, it can be difficult to stick to my budget. However, I make sure to save money wherever I can, by using a few simple strategies.
If I want something, I tell myself to wait for a few weeks. If I still want it after those weeks, then I'll decide if I can afford it or not. More often than not, I forget that I even wanted that thing, or I simply become disinterested.
Furthermore, when shopping for clothes or books I always go to Value Village or any other thrift stores first to see what I can find. Not only does it save me money, but it also helps save the planet.
Overall, money has a huge impact on everyone's life.
As I prepare myself for graduation, I want to make sure I am capable of not only supporting myself, but also finding ways to both save and increase my money.
I believe it's never too early to get educated on finance, and I am very excited to learn more about it.
