Real-Life Money Skills for Teens: Our Experience with Beyond Personal Finance
Looking for personal finance for teens? See how Beyond Personal Finance helped my teens build real-life money skills through engaging, practical lessons.
Disclosure: This is a sponsored post for Beyond Personal Finance. I received free product and was compensated for my time. I am not required to give a positive review and all opinions are my own. See my full disclosure for more information.
Why Teaching Personal Finance to Teens is Important
As a parent, I've always told my children that one of my jobs is to make sure they are ready for the real world when they grow up. Making sure they are financially responsible adults is one way to do that.
Teaching personal finance to teens:
Builds a strong financial foundation early on so that they will know how to manage money and avoid costly mistakes when they are adults.
Encourages smart decision-making so they avoid thinking impulsively.
Fosters a healthy relationship with money so that they use it as a tool for their goals instead of just something to spend.
Prepares them for real-life situations because they will need to be able to balance a bank account and understand taxes and investing no matter what career path they follow.
Supports goal setting and delayed gratification by teaching how to budget and save for goals.
Beyond Personal Finance for Teens: An Overview
Until this year, though, I wasn't sure how I was going to teach my teens financial literacy. I was so happy to discover the Beyond Personal Finance Teen Curriculum.
This personal finance course guides teens through real-life simulations of their future selves to help them understand whether their money choices will sustain them through retirement. Along the way, they choose things like a career, vehicle, spouse, and home, make investments, and learn how to budget effectively. Through these hands-on experiences, teens see firsthand how their decisions impact their finances—all while learning key financial terms and concepts in a safe, engaging environment.
What's Included in Beyond Personal Finance for Teens?
This interactive and engaging curriculum includes a parent portal with short weekly videos (about 2–3 minutes each) that explain what the student will be learning, along with extra discussion points to explore together. There’s also an optional parent workbook with an answer key for added support.
The student portal features videos around 20 minutes long, which introduce key financial terms, walk through the week’s lesson, and explain how to complete the homework and the “Year in Review” activity. Most lessons also include fun, randomized elements like spinning wheels that simulate real-life scenarios—such as “Plot Twists” that add or subtract money, a “Baby Wheel” after marriage, and a “Car Trouble Wheel” to determine vehicle expenses.
The student workbook is designed to follow along with the video, prompting teens to fill in information as they watch to help them stay engaged. Each week, students complete a digital homework assignment using a Google Form and Sheet, where they record their choices for that year and balance their budget based on income, savings, and expenses. They're instructed to email their completed forms to a parent for grading. At the end of each unit, a checkpoint assessment helps review and reinforce what they’ve learned.
My Viewpoint of Beyond Personal Finance as a Homeschool Teacher
I’ve found the Beyond Personal Finance curriculum very easy to use. It begins with a helpful welcome video that explains the course format and how students will complete their work. Since it’s designed for teens aged 13 and up, both of my high schoolers are able to go through the course together. It was simple to add a second student—each receives their own workbook and access to the student portal. The format is so engaging that I often found myself watching the videos alongside my teens.
The video lessons have sparked some great conversations about their futures. I’ve loved seeing how different their outcomes are based on personal choices like careers, vehicles, and homes. It’s been eye-opening for them to realize that adulthood often requires making tough financial decisions—and that the more practical option is sometimes the smarter one, even if it’s not the most exciting.
One example that stood out was in Year 2, when they had to choose a vehicle. They were given four options: a practical car, a comfortable car, an SUV, or a truck. One of my sons initially wanted the truck—it’s his favorite—but when he saw the size of the loan he’d need (on top of his graduate school loan from Year 1), he chose the more affordable comfortable car instead. That led to a meaningful conversation about how sometimes you have to go with your second choice based on your current circumstances.
I truly appreciate how this course has opened the door to deeper conversations with my teens about the decisions they’re already starting to face—and the ones that lie ahead. It’s helped them think critically about their future and how they want to live as adults. And more importantly, it’s made them aware that the choices they’re making now, like working hard in school and saving money, will directly impact those future possibilities.
My Teens' Viewpoints on the Personal Finance Course
To be honest, my boys started the course a little hesitant. They weren’t sure if they’d enjoy the video format and assumed it would just be a lot of math. But they quickly realized they were wrong. They really enjoy the interactive approach—both have told me how much they love being able to make their own choices throughout the course. My younger son expected only a few career options, so he was excited to discover he could choose any career he wanted. Being able to shape their own futures within the simulation has made the experience feel more realistic and personal for them.
They also appreciate the short video lessons, which make it easier to stay focused—especially for my son with ADHD. While they needed a little help navigating the Google Forms and Sheets at first, they picked it up quickly by the second lesson. One of their favorite parts has been the Plot Twists and other real-life scenarios built into the lessons. These elements add fun and surprise, making the curriculum more engaging and memorable.
Overall, they’ve thoroughly enjoyed this personal finance class for teens. It’s been such a fun and effective way for them to build real-world financial skills—while still having the freedom to make mistakes and learn from them in a safe, supportive environment.
Helping your teens build strong financial literacy skills before adulthood is essential. Beyond Personal Finance offers an interactive and engaging way for them to practice real-world money decisions in a safe, risk-free environment—without the consequences of costly adult mistakes. Both parents and teens will appreciate the realistic simulations and the meaningful conversations this course sparks.
Ready to help your teen build money skills that last a lifetime? Click below to explore Beyond Personal Finance and see how it can make a difference for your family.
