April is financial literacy month, but don’t be surprised if you haven’t heard anything. Financial literacy isn’t something that’s prioritized in high schools or colleges, and it’s often up to us alone to become financially literate. This is extremely frustrating. Why is something so important in everyday life talked about so little?
It’s up to us to change that dynamic.
So - what can you do to help spread financial literacy? Even if you don’t consider yourself particularly well-versed in personal finance, there are still steps you can take. Plus, Fizz is there for you every step of the way with new videos and articles to help explain everything - from the basics to the more complicated stuff. Here’s a good place to start.
1. Talk about it
Money has always been something that you’re not supposed to talk about, and while the world seems to be getting better at changing this convention, we’ve still got lots of work to do. Every single person you interact with on a daily basis thinks about money in some respect, and we’ve all got a lot to learn from each other. Sharing information is always valuable - especially when it comes to money. So don’t be afraid to have conversations. Ask people about their budgets and spending habits. Tell them about Fizz. See what others are doing that could work for you - and then help them out yourself, too.
2. Get curious
Have you ever wondered what a credit score is but been too afraid to ask? Interested in how you can invest with just a few bucks? Want to know why you should care about your credit? Just curious about some budgeting tips that can help you get through the month? Don’t be afraid to explore. Fizz has lots of free resources available, from blog posts to YouTube videos. They’re all there to help you learn and grow. Don’t see the answer you’re looking for yet? You can always turn to Google as well - or better yet, ask Fizz! Our lines of communication are always open, and we want to hear from you about how we can help you on your journey.
3. Practice, practice, practice
Nothing helps build good habits like taking action, so try making some financial moves. Tally up your spending and use that to create a budget. Even if you don’t stick to it, it’s good to see what you’re actually spending on. The results might surprise you. Consider signing up for Fizz as an easy way of building credit and earning rewards. Try investing, even if you aren’t using much money. There are still plenty of stocks you can own fractional shares of. Take what you learn and apply it to real life - it’s a small step that can make a huge difference.
Most importantly
Look, we get it. Financial literacy doesn’t come easy, and it’s something we all have to work towards. But there are always steps you can take to become a little bit better every day, every week, and every month. It doesn’t have to be hard, but we know that often the hardest thing to do is start.
One of the most important things you can do on top of everything else is forgive yourself and learn from the past - and that’s important during financial literacy month and beyond. Not everyone starts their personal finance journey from zero. Lots of people have debt, lots of people have misused credit, and lots of people overspend. Others feel like they’ve waited too long to start their journey and that there’s no point.
All it means is that you’re human! Nobody is perfect, and financial literacy is an ongoing process. Having the power to keep moving forward is as important as any of the steps above. At a certain point, everyone buys something they don’t need or forgets to follow their plan. But what’s important is how you keep moving forward on your financial literacy journey. And luckily, Fizz is here for you every step of the way.
