In Money Matters for Teens, young writers discuss their financial fears and the strategies they’ve learned to help them spend their money wisely, save for the future, and pay for college.

The gap between the richest and the poorest Americans has been growing for decades, and experts predict it will continue to widen. Young people bear the brunt of this inequality because it makes it harder to get a job and to pay for the college education you need to move up the ladder. Political changes could help close the gap, but in the meantime, teens can help prepare themselves for financial independence. In this book, teens write about learning to handle money wisely, to manage their own income, to pay for college, and how our larger economic system determines their financial standing.

Essays include:

Equal Work, Unequal Pay The Rags to Riches Myth Job-Hopping to a Career I Took a Scam Job Job-Hunting Tips A Guide to Drama-Free Banking My Credit Card Gave Me False Security We Don’t Save It for a Rainy Day How Am I Supposed to Pay for College? Countdown to Independence and more!

Through these essays, teen readers-as well as their parents, teachers, and caregivers-will pick up new tricks to managing their money but will also be provided a much-needed glimpse into how the world looks to our younger generations.