Focusing on the Big Picture

It's no secret that Young Money Matters and BetterInvesting Magazine focus, first and foremost, on personal finance. But there is a larger picture out there, one that will help you to better manage your finances if you've got control of it. To put it bluntly, it's called your life. It's no secret that the choices you make on a daily basis affect your future -- and finances, after all, are a part of your future (you knew we'd get back to that, didn't you?).

Learning How to Lighten Your College Load
Chances are, by this point in the school year, you are knee-deep into your studies, with books to read, papers to write and exams to study for. Probably the last thing on your mind is picking up yet another book to read. But, if you're heading off to college in the near future, The Motley Fool's Guide to Paying for School is well worth your while.

Helping Teens Plant Financial Roots
Why Tipping Etiquette Matters

Join the Club!
It's one of the best ways to learn about investing

Wanna learn more about how an investment club operates?
Find out here!

Joining an Investment Club has made All the Difference
If not for Green Envy, the investment club at Mariemont High School in Mariemont, Ohio, 17-year-old senior Carrie Porter doesn't think she would be involved in the stock market right now.

The College Loan Balancing Act
Contributor Linda Goin provides links to websites offering helpful information about ways to cover the costs of higher education.

Protecting Your College Savings
Protecting Your College Savings.

Investing for College
Contributor Michael Maiello reports on fees, tax implications and other complexities that parents must understand before they can choose the right college investment plan.

From the Editor:

From the Editor:
Young Money Matters

Do You Know the Score?
Do you know the score? No, we're not talking about the latest sports contest. We're talking about your Credit Score. It's a little number that can have a big impact on your future.

... You Can't Count on College
You Can't Count on College When It Comes To Teaching Money Skills.

Getting Fired Up

Would homemade muffins and juice be enough to get you out of bed and to school a half-hour early every day? It was enough for a half-dozen students from Seiling High School in Seiling, Oklahoma. "I wanted to get students excited about investing and personal finance and I wanted to teach them about the stock market," says Seiling High School Business Teacher Marquita Seifried. "So, I offered to come in on my own time every day for six weeks to teach them a short course on the stock market."

Financial Nature Walks With Mom
Brandi Baldwin points to the educational "nature walks" she shared with her mother as the source of financial lessons learned.

Turning Failure Into Success
These brothers and authors are passing on what they learned the hard way.

Double or Nothing:
The Healy brothers call it the "Silent Killer" -- a few dollars here and there for a soda or side of french fries today that, if invested instead, could add up to a hefty chunk of change down the road. Could saving so little right now really pay off so big later? You bet.

BetterInvesting Teams Up With DECA
BetterInvesting will be taking its investment philosophy and methodology to the nation's high schools starting next January.

NAIC Great Lakes Coalition Better Investing Regional Conference
The NAIC Better Investing Regional Conference (BIRC) is presented by a coalition of eight local NAIC chapters

Think You're Money-Savvy?
Website: Jumpstart.org

A World of Education Awaits
Web Sites for Youngsters

More Sites for Summertime
Jeff Fox reviews four Web sites of interest to teens and their parents, sites that are both fun and educational.