The Principles of Money
The Principles of Money
The Principles of Money
The
Principles of
Part I
I
Think of this book as your cheat sheet to financial
freedom—because who doesn't want to be the one
laughing all the way to the bank?
JAIDHAN
II
Dear Readers,
Part II is all about protecting your money. Here, you'll learn how to
manage your finances wisely, save effectively, and invest smartly to
ensure that your hard-earned money grows and stays safe over time.
The language throughout the book is simple and sweet, making it easy
to understand and enjoyable to read. We believe that learning about
money should be fun and empowering for everyone.
III
YOUR JOURNEY.
PART I
PART II
IV
Your
Financial Bundle.
V
MONEY IS LIKE
A MAGIC KEY
—IT CAN
UNLOCK
DREAMS IF
YOU LEARN
HOW TO USE IT
WISELY!
JAIDHAN
VI
CONTENTS
PART I
VII
PART I
VIII
Fun Fact: The First Coins-around 600 BC.
Did you know the first coins were made in Lydia, now part of Turkey,
around 600 BC? They were made of gold and silver and stamped with
pictures to show their value. Imagine carrying those shiny coins
around!
1
CHAPTER 1
MONEY BASICS
2
Money Around the World
Money can look very different depending on where we are in the
world. In the United States, we use dollars. In Europe, many
countries use euros. In Japan, they use the yen. But no matter
what it looks like, money serves the same purpose everywhere: it
makes trade easier.
3
Real-Life Examples of Money Use
Let’s look at some real-life
examples to see how money
works in our daily lives.
Allowance: Imagine your
parents give you $10 each
week for doing chores or
pocket money. You can
choose to save this money
for your goals, like buying
a bicycle, and more.
In this book, you'll learn about the basic principles of money with
activities that will help you grow and nurture your financial skills.
Each chapter will guide you through different aspects of money,
from earning and saving to investing and planning for the future.
By understanding these principles, you’ll be well on your way to
becoming financially savvy.
5
Fun Fact: Teen Entrepreneurs
Did you know that about 41% of teens in the U.S. have considered
starting their own business? According to a survey by Junior
Achievement USA, teens are more interested than ever in
entrepreneurship. This shows that kids your age are already thinking
about how to earn money and build their futures.
6
CHAPTER 2
7
Why Earning Money is Important
Earning money is the foundation of financial independence.
When you earn your own money, you have the power to make
choices about how to use it. This can lead to more freedom and
opportunities in your life.
8
How to Set Realistic Goals.
Setting goals can help you stay motivated to
earn money. Here are some steps to help
you set and achieve your financial goals:
9
Activity
Activity: Create Your Business Plan
To help you get started, try creating a simple business plan for
the way you want to earn money. Here’s how:
10
Fun Fact: future millionaires
A study found that kids who start saving early are more likely to
become financially secure adults. It's like planting a tree that grows
stronger over time.
11
CHAPTER 3
SMART SAVING
12
Here are some cool reasons
why saving is smart:
Safety Net: Imagine your bike
gets a flat tyre. If you’ve been
saving, you can fix it without
stress.
13
The Power of Saving: Real-Life Examples
Let's look at some real-life examples and numbers to see the
power of saving:
14
Fun with Saving
Saving doesn’t have to be boring. Here
are some fun ways to save:
15
Activity
Activity: Build Your Treasure Chest
Materials Needed:
1. Three Jars or Containers: Label them as “Savings,” “Spending,” and
“Sharing.”
2. Stickers and Markers: For decorating your jars.
3. Play Money: You can use real coins and bills, or create your own play
money.
4. Goal Chart: A piece of paper or a poster board to track your savings goals.
16
Fun Facts and Figures
17
CHAPTER 4
INVESTING
Why Invest?
Investing is one of the best ways to make your money grow.
Instead of just keeping your money in a piggy bank where it
doesn’t change, investing helps it increase in value. This way,
you can reach your dreams faster—whether it’s buying a new
bike, saving for college, or even starting your own business
one day.
18
The Basics of Investing
Before diving into the world of investing, let’s cover some
important basics:
19
What is Paper Trading?
Imagine playing a video game where
you get to practice something cool
without any risk. Paper trading is
kind of like that but for the stock
market! Instead of using real money
to buy and sell stocks, you use
pretend money. This way, you can
learn how trading works without
worrying about losing any real
money.
20
Why Should You Try Paper Trading?
1. Learn the Ropes: It’s a great way to learn how the stock market works. You
can see how different stocks behave and understand what makes their
prices go up or down.
2. No Risk: Since you’re not using real money, there’s no risk of losing
anything. It’s a safe way to learn.
3. Build Confidence: By practising with pretend money, you’ll gain
confidence. When you’re ready, you’ll feel more prepared to trade with
real money.
Example
Imagine you have $5,000 of pretend money. You decide to "buy" 10 shares of Apple at
$150 each. You write it down in your notebook:
Date: June 1
Stock: Apple
Price per Share: $150
Number of Shares: 10
Total Cost: $1,500
Now you have $3,500 left in your pretend account. You can buy more stocks or just
wait and see how Apple does. If the price of Apple goes up to $160, your 10 shares are
now worth $1,600! You made a pretend profit of $100.
21
Real-Life Example: The Story of Ben and Amy
Let’s meet Ben and Amy, two friends who both decided to start
investing when they were young
Ben Amy
Ben decided to start Amy, on the other hand,
investing $10 every month waited until she was 18 to
when he was 11 years old. He start investing. She invested
invested in a simple stock the same $10 every month.
index fund, which is like Although Amy also saw her
buying a tiny piece of all the money grow, she didn’t have
biggest companies in the as much as Ben by the time
country. By the time Ben they were both 25. This is
turned 18, his investment because Ben’s money had
had grown to over $1,000, more time to grow, showing
thanks to the power of the importance of starting
compounding. early.
22
Types of Investments
There are several ways you can invest your money. Here are some
of the most common types:
23
How to Start Investing
Starting to invest is easier than you might think. Here are some
simple steps:
Investing is like planting a money garden. With patience, care, and a bit of knowledge,
you can grow your small savings into something much bigger. Remember, the earlier
you start, the more time your money has to grow. So why not start planting those
seeds today? Happy investing!
24
Activity
What You’ll Need:
Fake Money: You can use play money or create your own using paper and markers.
Investment Cards: Create cards representing different types of investments (stocks, bonds, real
estate, mutual funds, etc.).
Event Cards: These cards will represent different events that can affect your investments (market
crash, company growth, interest rates, etc.).
Game Board: Draw a simple board with spaces to move forward, representing different months or
years.
Dice: To move around the board.
Calculator: To calculate gains and losses.
How to Play:
1. Choose Investments: Each player starts by choosing how to spend their $100. They can buy
different investment cards. For example, they might buy a Tech Stock for $10, a Government Bond
for $20, and so on.
2. Roll and Move: Players take turns rolling the dice and moving forward on the game board. Each
space represents one month or year.
3. Draw Event Cards: When a player lands on an event space, they draw an Event Card and follow its
instructions. This will affect the value of their investments.
4. Track Investments: Use the calculator to track the value of each player’s investments as they move
along the board.
5. End of Game: The game ends after a set number of rounds (e.g., 12 rounds for 12 months). The
player with the highest total investment value wins!
Example Events:
Market Boom: All stocks gain +$10.
Company Bankruptcy: All stocks lose -$15.
Interest Rate Cut: All bonds gain +$5.
Natural Disaster: Real estate loses -$20.
Technological Breakthrough: Tech stocks gain +$15.
Learning Points:
Diversification: Players learn to spread their investments across different types to minimize risk.
Risk and Reward: Players see how high-risk investments can offer high rewards or significant losses.
Impact of Events: Players understand how external events affect the value of investments.
Long-Term Growth: Players experience how investments can grow over time and the importance of
patience.
25
Fun Fact: The Power of Small Savings
Did you know that small savings can add up to big amounts over time?
If you save just $1 every day, you’ll have $365 at the end of the year!
This shows how even small amounts can grow into something
significant.
26
CHAPTER 5
BUDGETING
What is Budgeting?
Budgeting is simply planning how to use your money. It’s
about knowing how much money you have, deciding what
you need to spend it on, and making sure you don’t run out.
Just like in our treasure hunt, if you use your map (budget)
wisely, you’ll find your treasure (financial goals).
27
Why Budgeting Matters
According to a study by the University of Cambridge, children as
young as 7 can understand basic financial concepts. This means
you’re at a perfect age to start learning about budgeting!
Understanding how to budget can help you make smart choices
with your money now and in the future.
28
Real-Life Example: Emily's Adventure
Let’s meet Emily, an 11-year-old who loves drawing. Emily wants to
buy a new set of art supplies that costs $50. She gets $10 a week for
doing chores. Here’s how Emily can use budgeting to reach her
goal:
tS a r t s a v i n gs
29
Activity
Objective
To learn the basics of budgeting in a fun, hands-on way.
Materials Needed
- Play Money: Pretend money for playing.
- Budget Sheets: Papers where you'll write down your money plan.
- Expense Cards: Cards with different costs (like $5 for snacks).
- Savings Jar: A jar to put your savings in.
Example Round
- Income: You start with $20.
- Expenses: You pick cards that say:
- $5 for snacks
- $4 for a toy
- $3 for a school project
- $2 for a friend’s birthday gift
- $1 for a bus ride
- Total Expenses: $5 + $4 + $3 + $2 + $1 = $15.
- Savings Goal: You want to save $10 for a new book.
- Money Left After Expenses: $20 - $15 = $5.
You see you only saved $5 this round. You might decide to spend less on snacks or toys next time to
save more. In The Budgeting Game, you'll practice making smart decisions about how to use your
money. By the end of the game, you'll understand how to budget, save, and plan for your financial
goals, just like managing a real-life treasure hunt!
30
Fun Facts and Figures
Did you know that in 2021, about 80% of Americans had some form of
debt? It’s very common!
People with good credit scores (a number that shows how good you are
at paying back money) usually get lower interest rates when they
borrow money. This means they pay less extra money!
31
CHAPTER 6
TAMING DEBT
What is Budgeting?
Budgeting is simply planning how to use your money. It’s
about knowing how much money you have, deciding what
you need to spend it on, and making sure you don’t run out.
Just like in our treasure hunt, if you use your map (budget)
wisely, you’ll find your treasure (financial goals).
32
CONTENTS
PART II
IX
Dear Readers,
Now that you have a solid foundation, it's time to take your financial
journey to the next level with **Part II: Against the Current**. This
second part is dedicated to teaching you how to protect your hard-
earned money. In "Against the Current," you'll learn essential skills for
managing your finances wisely, saving effectively, and making smart
investments to ensure your financial security.
Protecting your money is just as crucial as earning it, and this book will
equip you with the knowledge and tools to navigate the financial world
with confidence. By understanding how to safeguard your wealth, you'll
be better prepared to face any challenges that come your way and
secure a prosperous future.
Happy scheming!