There is a common problem among high school graduates these days where students are leaving school without any knowledge or skill in personal money management. This essay will outline a number of reasons for this trend and a number of possible solutions to help tackle the issue.
Firstly, one of the main causes of this problem is that the majority of high school students live with their parents and are completely financially dependent upon them. Most students do not need to work to earn money while at high school, as their parents pay for all their needs, and therefore do not gain any understanding about the realities of earning and saving money. Usually, the only money that students receive is from their parents and this is typically in the form of pocket-money, which is given with the intent of it being spent. Therefore, young people only really learn how to spend money, and not how to earn, save or manage it wisely.
However, there are a number of viable solutions to help students deal with this problem. Firstly, basic money management skills could be included as a compulsory subject for students in their high school years, which would help equip them with the knowledge and skills to manage their own personal finances when they leave school, move out of home and enter employment. The second possible step that could be taken to help curb this problem is through education at home. Parents need to take responsibility to make sure that their children are adequately educated in such matters to ensure their children maintain a successful and independent financial situation after graduating and leaving home.
In conclusion, although money management is a problem for a lot of school leavers, there are a number of viable solutions to counteract this problem.