Money matters

This is not going to be a long post about money. If you're old enough to be reading this, you are old enough to understand a bit about how it works and what you can do with it.

However, here are a few things to understand right away (you might know some of this already, but better safe than sorry):

1. Money is a big deal for most people - very few people have more money than they need, some have just about enough if they are careful with their spending, and lots of people have less than they need. This means that most people worry about money and need to work hard to support their family. This can make life pretty tough, so be thankful if you have just about enough.
   

2. You probably won't learn much about money in school - which is weird given that most people need to manage their money carefully. There are actually some very simple things everyone can learn to make the most of their money. You will need to search these out separately to what you learn at school, but there is plenty of help here of course.
   

3. Learn to earn - at some point as you get older, you are going to want to buy things for yourself. That's when you know you need to earn money. You can start with extra jobs around the house for pocket money. However, when you want to save for something really big - like a car - you are going to need to take on a holiday job or start your own business. Nothing makes you appreciate the value of a dollar more than earning it yourself - and if you get creative, the work can be both meaningful and rewarding.
   

4. Money will seem boring until you need it - while working and needing money probably seems really far away, I promise that it will be important one day. For now though, don't worry about money too much - but be mindful that someone has had to earn the money we spend, so we show our gratitude by consuming thoughtfully.
   

5. Money is a tool - not the point of living. It simply provides options and choices in life, and is neither good nor bad in itself. Understand how to make it work for you if you want a better life.

However, a word of warning - showing off about money is an obnoxious behaviour and entirely to be avoided. Showing off about money you didn't earn is even worse. As a kid, you probably haven't earned much money so it should be easy not to fall into this trap!

Remember: the best people earn their own money, are smart about their finances, seek to live a quality life and never show off about it.