The summer heat may be here, but back to school is just around the corner. Bank On Greater Milwaukee wants to highlight a new financial literacy resource for banks, parents, educators, and youth.

The FDIC recently debuted the Play Money Smart site, an online depository of 14 games about everyday financial topics. It is based on the FDIC’s award-winning Money Smart program. Game categories include EARN, SPEND, SAVE, BORROW and PROTECT. Topics in the games cover asset-building, borrowing, credit cards, credit scores, disasters, home-buying, and more! Each game includes parts to evaluate or test knowledge, and is designed to be fun – you can earn virtual coins! “How Money Smart Are You” games can be found at www.playmoneysmart.fdic.gov/games and includes resources for both youth and adults.

SPECIAL RESOURCES FOR BANKS, EDUCATORS & COMMUNITY PARTNER

Banks, educators, and other organizations can reward those who are on Play Money Smart by setting up organizational accounts and create automatic rewards and prizes for those that complete game sections. Participants including youth, educators, and parents, can create an account through a customized portal tied to their banking institution. Banks are encouraged to promote the Play Money Smart site to help spread the word about this resource and connect with their customers.

Since being released last September, over 14,500 accounts have been created. Each participants receives a certificate of competition that can be shared with banks, schools, community associations, businesses and more! Some examples of prizes awarded by organizations include coupons for free pizza, pencils, water bottles, t-shirts, books, and other personalized prizes for those who completed modules through their account.

Free Money Smart promotional materials are available including infographics and flyers. Check out the How Money Smart Are You Promotional Guide. Community-based organizations and financial institutions can help spread the news about the expansion of Play Money Smart by adding a link to their website and creating an organizational account. All Money Smart materials are available in both English and Spanish.

“Financial education programs such as Money Smart can more effectively meet the financial needs of the unbanked and their communities.” -Researchers at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

OTHER MONEY SMART RESOURCES

Parents and educators can view the Money Smart Podcast Network, a portable audio (MP3) version of Money Smart.

Banks and other organizations can also join the FDIC Money Smart Alliance to partake in the program and provide feedback. Members agree to use or promote the curriculum by teaching Money Smart or training others to teach it. They also provide feedback to the FDIC to help improve the Money Smart program. Learn more about the FDIC Money Smart Alliance.

There are also free training opportunities to become a Money Smart trainer, at the Money Smart training webpage.  And check out the Money Smart Success Stories page for testimonials on these great resources.

What other products does Money Smart include?

• Money Smart for Young People – This set of four grade-specific curriculums includes lesson plans and Parent/Caregiver Guides to help educators deliver basic financial concepts to students in kindergarten through 12th grade. We developed these materials with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB).
• Money Smart for Young Adults (catalog.fdic.gov) – Each of the eight modules includes a fully scripted instructor guide that bankers and others without teaching experience can easily use to help young people ages 12-20 learn the basics of personal finance. Money Smart for Young Adults is currently being revised and is scheduled to be released in 2022.
• Money Smart for Adults – Completely updated in 2018, this 14-module curriculum can be used to provide training for adults in many different life stages and financial situations. That includes adults new to this country, adults with disabilities, adults starting or changing careers, and adults going through significant life events such as expanding their families or purchasing or renting their first homes.
• Money Smart for Older Adults – This curriculum focuses on preventing elder financial exploitation. We also developed these materials in collaboration with the CFPB.
• Money Smart for Small Business – This curriculum provides information related to starting and managing a business. We developed these materials with the U.S. Small Business Administration.

Every April organizations across the county celebrate National Financial Literacy Month by hosting events and offering opportunities that help individuals and families establish and maintain healthy financial habits. Bank On Greater Milwaukee is excited to be partnering with Milwaukee Public Library to celebrate Financial Literacy Month with our Financial Literacy Month Book Read For All Ages!

Together, we have curated a list of books related to money and finances that are suitable for kids, teens, and adults. Topics addressed in each book will help you and your family grow your foundational understanding of money, explore our relationship finances, and establish and strengthen healthy financial habits.

All books are available at Milwaukee Public Library branches.
We encourage you to use the CountyCat portal to find the books you are looking through the public library system. Library branches are open but operating with limited services and hours. View the most current branch hours here.

Share your reading journey with us on social media!
We invite you to snap photos of the books you read and share them with us and the community on social media. Use the hashtag #BOGMBookRead and tag @BankOnMKE and @Milwaukee.Public.Library.

BOOKS FOR KIDS

Earn It! (Cinders McLeod)
In this introduction to the concept of earning money, an exuberant bunny learns that fame and
fortune must be earned.

Bunny Money (Rosemary Wells)
When Max and Ruby head into town to get presents for Grandma’s birthday, they run into nothing
but trouble! Ruby has a beautiful present all picked out, but of course Max has his own ideas.

Spend It! (Cinders McLeod)
A bunny learns he can’t buy everything he wants with his allowance! Sonny gets three whole carrots
a week for his allowance and wants to buy everything with it!

Barbie: Learning to Save (Mary Man-Kong)
Barbie and her sisters help Chelsea learn about saving money.

Money, Money, Honey Bunny (Marilyn Sadler)
Honey Bunny Funny bunny has lots and lots and lots of money. Some she saves, some she spends
on herself, and some she spends on her friends.

Start Saving, Henry! (Nancy L. Carlson)
Henry’s finally old enough to get an allowance, and he can’t wait to spend it every week on giant
jawbreakers, a huge pencil, and other silly things. But when Henry finds something he really wants,
he discovers that saving money can be more difficult? and more rewarding’ than he ever imagined.

Charlie Joe Jackson’s Guide to Making Money (Tom Greenwald)
Charlie Joe’s weekly allowance just isn’t cutting it and he desperately needs money to buy a Botman, the
latest gadget to sweep his middle school. Only catch is, he wants to earn the money by doing the least
amount of work possible.

Everything Money (Kathy Furgang)
Kids will also learn about money around the world from a National Geographic expert.

Money Madness (David A. Adler)
The purpose, and not just the value, of money. From bartering, early forms of currency, credit cards, and digital payment, here is a clear and thorough introduction to money.

Escape the Rat Race: Learn How Money Works and Become a Rich Kid (Robert T. Kiyosaki)
This full-color graphic novel poses the question: “Go to school, get good grades, get a good job and invest in a 401(k)?” Not today! That’s an outdated formula for success that hasn’t adapted to the Information Age. Escape the Rat Race is the story of Tim, Tina, and Red and their entrepreneurial pursuits as they learn about money. Key messages include: How to create assets and how to make your money work for you—so you won’t need to work hard for money all your life.

BOOKS FOR YOUTH & TEENS

Understanding Credit (Carla Mooney)
These texts break down the most essential components of financial literacy for young readers, illustrating how to handle money carefully and make smart choices. ‘Decision Time’ charts put children in the driver’s seat and ask them to make decisions, such as whether to pay with cash or credit. The visual graphics break down these complex ideas clearly and comprehensibly.

The History of Money: From Bartering to Banking (Martin Jenkins)
What can take the form of a stone with a hole in the middle, a string of shells, a piece of paper, or a plastic card? The answer is money, of course. But when did we start using it? And why?

Rich Dad Poor Dad for Teens (Robert T. Kiyosaki)
The secrets about money that you don’t learn in school. An age-appropriate guide encourages the development of confident and responsible money skills, providing case examples, sidebars, and attitude recommendations that demonstrate how to achieve security in today’s challenging job market.

Clever Girl Finance (Bola Sokunbi)
Written in an accessible and entertaining tone, Clever Girl Finance teaches women how to budget, save, invest, and pay off loans. Bola tells her own story, as a self-taught investor who managed to save $100,000 in 3 years on a modest salary, and tells the stories of a few women from the Clever Girl Finance community who have also achieved financial independence.

I Will Teach You to Be Rich (Ramit Sethi)
A a great book for older teenagers who want to begin adulthood on the right financial foot. Sethi’s writing style and straight-talking stance on financial responsibility will resonate with young readers. Additionally, Sethi’s advice on navigating student loans, using credit responsibly, and building a life free of both excess debt and a constant desire for more, are highly applicable for teens on the precipice of independence.

The Early Investor (Michael Zisa)
For any motivated young person who has an interest in investing and wealth building. Zisa offers comprehensive answers to questions like “What is investing?” and “Why should I invest in stocks?” as well as guidance on frugal investing, alternative investments, mutual funds, ETFs, and the basic concepts of investing and financial planning.

BOOKS FOR ADULTS

Beyond Piggy Banks and Lemonade Stands: How to Teach Young Kids About Finance (Liz Frazier)
You are never too young to learn the fundamentals of how money works. Elementary children should understand so they can make smart decisions as they grow.

The Infographic Guide to Personal Finance (Michele Cagan, CPA & Elisabeth Lariviere)
Want to better manage your money? This book will show you how by delivering information on a tough topic in graphically appealing, digestible bites.

Debt 101: A Crash Course in Debt Management (Michele Cagan)
The key to borrowing, managing, and paying off debt is understanding what it is, how it works and how it can affect your finances and your life. Debt 101 is the easy-to-follow guide to discovering how to pay off the debt you have plus learning how to use debt to your advantage. Debt 101 allows you to take control of your money with strategies best suited for your personal financial situation-whether you are buying a home or paying off student loans.

Financial Freedom (Grant Sabatier)
Money is unlimited. Time is not. Financial Freedom is a step-by-step path to make more money in less time, so you have more time for the things you love. It challenges the accepted narrative of spending decades working a traditional 9 to 5 job, pinching pennies, and finally earning the right to retirement at age 65, and instead offers readers an alternative: forget everything you’ve ever learned about money so that you can actually live the life you want. About a lot more than money, it’s about living a richer life.

The 30-Day Money Cleanse: Take Control of Your Finances (Ashley Gerstley)
Create lasting happiness with your financial situation — not by building a blistering budget but by living the life you love! In 20 days you will create a healthier, happier relationship with your money by eliminating money stressors, finally knowing where your money is going, breaking those panic-inducing bad money habits, learning the basics of how and where to invest, and making a plan that you can not only live with but enjoy.

Personal Finance for Dummies (Eric Tyson)
The bestselling Personal Finance For Dummies has helped countless readers budget their funds successfully, rein in debt, and build a strong foundation for the future. Inside, you’ll find techniques for tracking expenditures, reducing spending, and getting out from under the burden of high-interest debt.

The Total Money Makeover (Dave Ramsey)
The Total Money Makeover teaches individuals how to get out of debt as well as how to budget. The book teaches the seven baby steps to follow in order to achieve financial stability, planning ahead for upcoming financial events, like retirement, and shares stories of individuals and couples that have done so successfully.

Credit Repair Kit for Dummies (Steve Bucci)
Don’t let your credit suffer needlessly from errors or outdated information With tools and tips for fixing a bad credit report A bad credit report can hurt your chances at qualifying for loans and credit cards, and it can even get in the way when you want to rent an apartment or land a job.

The Ultimate Retirement Guide for 50+ (Suze Orman)
Suze Orman, America’s most recognized expert on personal finance, answers all the questions that keep you up at night-starting with the biggest one: it is never too late to start planning for a next act that’s fulfilling and secure. With her signature blend of compassion, insight, and expertise, Suze guides you toward a plan that will put you in control of your financial future and help you to create the retirement you deserve.