| It is very important to notice that the current | | | | ahead. There's lunch and dinner. The overdue rates at |
| generation of young people is getting more and more | | | | the video store. That planned movie date the |
| involved into a lot of things which were either | | | | succeeding night. Not to mention the real |
| nonexistent or possible in the past. Besides the usual | | | | responsibilities. Payment for rent electricity, heating |
| late night drive-in movie or mid-afternoon soccer | | | | and water bills... not to mention tuition fees. And |
| practice, today's technologically savvy youths can | | | | nothing but a limp, twisted wad of money intended |
| write a letter, talk to a friend, listen to a playlist of | | | | to last for the rest of the week. It is but human to |
| more than a thousand songs, update a social | | | | succumb to the pressure of spending while there is |
| networking personal page, and send a letter of | | | | money to spend it with. Even matured, responsible, |
| application to a favored university, all at the same | | | | emotionally stable adults fall for it, so why should |
| time, and all this while squeezing a stress ball with one | | | | young people be blamed for it? The real problem is |
| hand. It obviously shows that for today's youth, a | | | | the lack of education, both from adults and friends. |
| whole world of opportunities lies within their reach. | | | | The spending habits that start early on in life carry |
| But with opportunity comes corresponding | | | | through to adulthood. A teenager who spends sixty |
| responsibility. And, more often than not, there is | | | | dollars on a fad shirt now may spend several hundred |
| money involved. Now, more than ever, today's | | | | for another later on in life. These so called little things |
| generation of ecoboomers needs to know how to | | | | tend to stack up and become a huge financial crisis. It |
| manage their personal finances, wisely and | | | | is better for young people to learn how money does |
| responsibly. That responsibility is emphasized even | | | | and does not work as soon as they gain their |
| more for those enrolled in a university. Take the case | | | | freedom in college, as soon as they get their student |
| of an average college student. The day begins at | | | | driver's license, before they graduate from high |
| around midnight with either a late night out together | | | | school. The earlier, the better! Because in the real |
| with friends with boxes of pizza with a lot of six | | | | world of credit cards and mortgage payments, |
| packs, or a full blown house party with beer kegs | | | | anyone who does not know how to stretch, |
| and the works. Night wears on, and the next morning | | | | squeeze, scrimp and save money for all its worth |
| reality kicks in with a vengeance. All those wasted | | | | ends up in financial trouble, to say the least. And it is |
| money on beef jerky and nacho chips, now nothing | | | | very disheartening to splurge all day with nothing to |
| but crumbs on the filthy floor. There's laundry to do. | | | | answer for it but candy wrappers, pizza boxes, dirty |
| Papers to finish. Food that was stocked up for the | | | | laundry and old magazines. Young people should learn |
| week is gone from the previous night's party. There's | | | | more about taking care of personal finances, while |
| a trip to the nearest store to restock. If there is a | | | | they are still young and ready. |
| car involved, there's gas to think about (since there | | | | Thomas Winn is a freelance writer for many small |
| are practically no convenience store within reasonable | | | | financial blogs. With years of experience as a financial |
| distance from a university; for stores within campus, | | | | advisor, Thomas enjoys managing finances. Other |
| customers pay more than usual for this extra | | | | than his advice, Thomas recommends a new financial |
| privilege of 'convenience'). There remains the day | | | | site that provides financial advice. |