4 online games to teach your teens smarter financial living

Online financial games build money consciousness

By Emily Jenkins

Fiscal responsibility and credit control are extremely important concepts to teach your teens. However, attempting to actually preach these lectures can be considered as tedious and ultimately very boring. Difficult to reason with at the best of times, teenagers often need a more interactive platform with an element of fun to understand a concept as difficult as arduous as finances.

Luckily, many gaming developers have recognized the need for this too. With the increasing trend of credit being used by young people, the global recognition of needing to teach younger generations at a younger age has grown. Nowadays all you have to do is type ‘finance game’ onto Google and you will find at least ten half-hearted resources.

However, if you truly want to teach your children the valuable and practical lesson of using credit responsibly, you need a resource that it engaging, realistic, and educational simultaneously; a much harder task to master. Here are a few examples of some online games aimed at teaching fiscal responsibility and the dangers surrounding credit and debt.

Celebrity calamity

This game is most appealing perhaps to female teenagers who are in need of some finance therapy. It focuses around the celebrity culture with the player being assigned the role of a PA to three finance-illiterate celebrities. The aim of the game is to keep the celebrities from over-spending on credit cards and going into debt. The game itself teaches the fundamental dangers of spending more than one can afford to repay back and the consequences of these actions. It also teaches the value of money and the pride felt with responsible spending.

This game is extremely valuable to young teenage girls who are particularly vulnerable to the credit culture and consumerism. Teaching them smarter living is important at a young age because it steers them away from mass shopping sprees and credit card or store card debt at an older age.

Piggy bank adventure

Piggy Bank Adventure is a game made by Disney and aimed at the lower teenage age range. It focuses on both boys and girls and teaches the lesson of saving to achieve goals. It helps young people to understand the backward step taken when money is frivolously wasted on useless items and what can be achieved through responsible spending and thinking about the future. It does not focus much on credit and debit but works on a more simple idea, hence being aimed at younger ages. A fun board game online, it demands young people to learn a little about financial organizations in order to earn money to move on to the next level. This subconsciously teaches valuable information for a future of smarter saving and living.

Financial football

Financial Football is a game developed by Visa which helps to teach credit and debit responsibility. Through multi-choice questions, it helps to develop an understanding of the intricate workings of financial systems and the importance of using credit responsibly. Aimed at older teens, the game is more suited toward boys and those interested in NFL. By answering the questions correctly, players can move up and down the field and potentially score touchdowns. There is even a league system in place to insight competition and a willingness to learn for winnings.

The great thing about this game is that it has been developed for iPhones and other smart devices meaning that it can be played on the go. It also appeals to young boys rather than forcing them to play a game on the home computer in full view of an adult audience, which can be off-putting.

Reality check

Reality Check is a far simpler quiz type game which gives teenagers a reality check of the costs of living a certain life. When living with parents, teenagers often neglect to consider the cost of utilities, cosmetics, toiletries, rent, food, and so on. The take for granted that all of these things will be provided for them. This game has them select from different options outlining the life they want to live and how much money they currently save. It proceeds to tell them how much they would need to save and hours they would need to work in order to sustain this lifestyle. It literally gives young people a reality check into the real expenses of life and how being financially responsible will enable you to live a more full life.

In conclusion, it is fair to say that teenagers need to be stimulated to learn in a more interactive way. With this in mind, a series of online games suit the platform they prefer to work from and can show them the importance of everything within finance, from fiscal responsibility to the intricacies of credit. With games such as these, you can start to teach your children from a young age to help them lead a smarter financial life in the future.

About the author: Emily Jenkins is a freelance writer with a passion for understanding economic systems worldwide. Despite her extensive education, she found that school barely taught practical skills associated with personal finance. Due to this, she found herself turning to www.jubilee2000uk.org for advice, and would recommend it to anyone if they are looking to find out more on how to manage their personal finances.

* Image license: Felix Hammer, Florian Thauer, Lothar May, Oskar Lindqvist; GFDL