Banking on Our Future: A Program for Teaching You and Your Kids about Money [Paperback]

John Bryant (Author), Michael Levin (Collaborator)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 1, 2002

'We believe that through economic empowerment, you give people choices in their lives.'

John Bryant grew up in South Central Los Angeles, and while he's founded his own group of companies and been named one of Time's "50 Most Promising Leaders of the Future," he knows what it means to struggle financially. Now, as founder and chairman of Operation HOPE, Bryant focuses on educating young people about money. His Banking on Our Future program has already reached 87,000 students in over 350 schools nationwide, and the number is climbing.

Now you too can have access to the lessons of the award-winning Banking on Our Future program. Here are some of the important things you will learn from this book:
* How to talk with your kids about money
* How to keep track of your family's money with a family financial ledger
* How to teach your ten-year-old about banks and have fun at the same time
* Why saving, even a little money every week week, is so important
* When it's the right time for your teen to have a checking account
* How to set financial goals with your kids, whether they're six or sixteen
* Credit, budgeting, investing, car payments, and more

Banking on Our Future is the financial primer you and your family can't afford to be without. Clear, frank, and always inspiring, this book will help you and your children plan a healthier and happier financial future.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

As "a crash course in the fundamentals of economic literacy" that will "equip you with the key information you need to teach your children to manage their money wisely," this slim tome is nobly intended and passionate. Unfortunately, it is so basic that its usefulness is limited. Bryant continually stresses that parents must be models of positive and stable personal finance, a lesson that quickly becomes repetitive and didactic. "Being of good character includes being responsible about money," he chastises; "money is a tool, and not the key to happiness." Illustrations of unwise choices are frequently dramatized, e.g., "Buying brand-name items is an inner-city addiction and it's become almost as costly as heroin." Constant references to the Bryant-founded nonprofit Operation Hope, dedicated to financial education, distract and annoy. Libraries will reach broader audiences with Marjolijn Bijlefeld and Sharon K. Zoumbaris's Teen Guide to Personal Financial Management or Willard Stawski II's Kids, Parents & Money. This is an important purchase wherever Bryant has name recognition (and thus, perhaps, the trust of his readers). Otherwise, order on demand. Douglas C. Lord, Connecticut State Lib., Hartford
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Bryant, founder of Operation Hope, a nonprofit organization that provides economic education to the poor, outlines the importance of understanding economics as a basic skill for succeeding in the U.S. He highlights the disadvantages faced by the poor and minorities who lack familiarity with basic financial information--how to open and manage a checking or savings account, how to avoid the abuse of credit cards, how to save and invest--knowledge that can mean the difference between financial security and constant struggle. Bryant offers advice to parents on educating children from elementary school through adolescence on financial basics, from earning allowances to saving for college, and motivating them to get their finances in order and keep them that way. Beyond the basics, the author also offers lessons on reading the stock pages, investing, and budgeting. Bryant's simple, accessible approach to complex financial concepts and his identity as part of Oprah Winfrey's Angel Network will make this book popular among young people and their parents. Vanessa Bush
Copyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 168 pages
• Publisher: Beacon Press (August 1, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0807047171
• ISBN-13: 978-0807047170
• Product Dimensions: 5.4 x 0.5 x 8.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,216,185 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars Great advice, August 9, 2011

By 

b7e7waters - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Banking on Our Future: A Program for Teaching You and Your Kids about Money (Paperback)

If you want to get your children on top of this crazy spending country take time with them this book. Great common sense and good for building a great fountain

5.0 out of 5 stars Banking on Our Future, November 15, 2009

By 

J. Broker (Southern California) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Banking on Our Future: A Program for Teaching You and Your Kids about Money (Paperback)

Thank you for the prompt shipping, the book is great! It is easy enough for a 6 year old to understand finances!

5.0 out of 5 stars Great learning tool for adults/children, December 24, 2007

By 

Tim J. Brackman "Soccer_Coach" (St. Louis, MO) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Banking on Our Future: A Program for Teaching You and Your Kids about Money (Paperback)

This is an excellent book for anyone who wants to improve/learn financial literacy. It is written from the perspective of talking to parents about their children's economic situation - esp. those of inner city homes. Very easy to read and understand - great book for children/teens to read too.