Why Students Are Rethinking Spending, Saving—and Subway

Abdiqadir, a sophomore at Spring Lake Park High School, hopes to retire at 50 with a million dollars saved in his bank account.

For most teenagers, retirement feels far away – something to worry about later in life. But in Sophia Ross’s Personal Finance and Money Management course, it’s already part of the conversation.

Abdiqadir’s goal isn’t just a passing thought. It’s something he now connects directly to what he’s learning in class: budgeting, saving and how money can grow over time when invested early.

He’s not alone.

In a classroom full of sophomores, juniors and seniors, students are beginning to see their financial futures take shape in real time – and that financial literacy isn’t optional, it’s essential.

Learning skills for real life

In the Personal Finance and Money Management course, now a graduation requirement for sophomores, students learn how to navigate real-world financial decisions. As part of the school’s Business and Entrepreneurship Pathway, the course is designed to equip students with the knowledge and confidence to make informed financial choices - both now and in the future.

“We started out with a unit on behavioral economics – what are their beliefs about money, what do they value and what influences how they spend,” says Sophia.

From there, students explore everything from checking and savings accounts, interest rates, taxes and credit scores to budgeting, insurance, owning vs. renting and retirement. Guest speakers also bring real-world expertise into the classroom.

The goal is to make sure students are equipped with the financial knowledge they need so they don’t get into debt. I want them to understand how to budget, how to save and how to make their money work for them. Sophia Ross, teacher

For 10^th grader Liam, the class is already shaping how he thinks about money.

“I’ve learned about saving my money, where I should put it once I get it and how to be more responsible when I come into a more stable income later in life,” he says.

Andy, a 10^th grader who works at Target, has enjoyed learning how to save her money and how to read her paycheck stub.

After the banking unit, she did a deep dive into her financial institution.

“I learned that the bank I use has a really bad interest rate for a savings account,” she says. “So now I plan to look for different options. It’s good to know that my money isn’t growing where it is right now.”

Liam has already applied his learning, too.

“A major thing is that I have all my money in my savings now, and I only pull it into my checking account when I need to,” he says. “Before, I had it all in checking, but this class made me realize it’s important to keep money in savings. I apply that every day now.”

Eye-opening moments

For many students, this course is their first real exposure to how money works beyond earning and spending. Often, it challenges their assumptions.

“A lot of things are more expensive than I thought,” says sophomore Claire.

During a 30-day expense tracking activity, students confronted their spending habits head-on.

“I’m a little disappointed. I won’t lie to you,” Liam admitted. “The tracking activity made me see that I spend a little bit too much, a little too often.”

He pointed to one habit in particular.

“I think seeing how much money I spend on Subway each week was difficult to see,” he laughs. “But it’s what I needed to know.”

Sophia sees these moments as critical turning points.

“They say ‘I need to save my money, Ms. Ross, because life is expensive,’” she says. “And that’s exactly what I want them to walk away with.”

To build on those habits, Sophia teaches the 50/30/20 budgeting rule.

“50 percent for needs, 30 percent for wants and 20 percent for savings,” she explains. “I always tell them to pay themselves first. A lot of students think they should save whatever is left over after spending, but I help them learn that’s not good budgeting.”

Bringing lessons to life

To help bring these complex lessons to life, the course emphasizes interactive experiences.

Sophia builds daily engagement through the “Question of the Day,” prompting students to think critically about real financial behaviors.

One recent question asked: What do you think the average consumer spends on subscription services?

Students first think independently, discuss with a partner and then share with the class. Most students predicted the average person thinks they spend less money a month on subscriptions than they actually do. They were right.

“The Question of the Day is always fun because it shows the reality of how much money people are actually spending on things,” says Andy. “Every time it makes me go ‘Wow, I guess we are spending a lot on those types of things without realizing it.’ It’s surprising.”

Another standout activity is the “Bean Game.”

“We had to allocate beans as a metaphor for our income,” Liam explained. “It was a really interesting way to see what’s important to us and our values.”

The course also incorporates real-time simulations, including stock market activities.

“I enjoy the stock market interactive game because it’s a live version of what’s actually happening,” says Andy. “You can see how your money is growing or losing in real time. I’ve liked learning how it works.”

Building confidence for the future

Beyond the daily lessons, the course emphasizes long-term financial thinking.

During the budgeting unit, students build budgets based on real careers and entry-level salaries while exploring topics like loans, credit and saving for major life milestones.

“The budgeting project is especially impactful because it’s personal,” says Sophia. “Students choose a career and realize whether they can actually afford their lifestyle.”

Andy says this course challenged her to start thinking about college.

“I need to start thinking about saving now,” she says. “Looking ahead to college, it’s important to learn how to take out a loan, what types of loans there are, and how to apply for financial aid.”

For Abdiqadir, saving now will set him up for success in the future.

“I opened an account – Cash App – to start saving some money,” he says. “If I keep going the way I’m going, I’ll have a million dollars saved for retirement.”

Sophia reinforces goal setting mindsets by teaching students to start early.

 “We talk about compound interest,” she says. “You need to start investing as soon as you can – even if it’s $20 a week.”

Growing up, Liam has heard the importance of investing.

“At first, I was like, ‘You’re crazy, that’s not real,’” he says. “But now, seeing how it’s actually applicable and how money grows, I’m starting to understand why it’s so important. That’s something I’m definitely going to carry into adulthood.”

Some topics – like taxes – can feel intimidating, but students recognize the value in learning them early.

“We’re going to have to learn how to files taxes, so I’m a little worried about that,” says Claire. “But it’s better to learn now than not know what I’m doing later.”

More than a graduation requirement

Liam admits he may not have taken this class if it wasn’t required. But he’s glad he did.

“It’s something I know is going to be applicable to my adult life, no matter what I go into,” he says. “It’s really humanizing and humbling, and it makes everyone feel like we’re kind of at the same place in life.”

For Abdiqadir, this course has already changed how he approaches money.

I’m making better money decisions – how to not spend it all, how to save part of it and where to use the rest. Abdiqadir, 10th grader

Claire feels more confident about managing her money.

“At first, I had no idea what I was doing, but now I’m really understanding it,” she says.

Sophia admits the learning goes both ways.

“I’ve learned so much about myself,” says Sophia. “I’ve even changed my own financial habits.”

She brings that transparency into the classroom, openly sharing aspects of her own financial decision-making with students.

“Many have no exposure into true financials – they don’t know how much things cost. So, I show them,” she says. “I’ll talk about things like meeting with a financial advisor or explain my retirement accounts. It makes it more real for them.”

That transparency, combined with real-world application, is what makes the topics stick.

“If I was going off to college and hadn’t taken this class, I’d be like ‘How should I spend my money and what’s the best way to be responsible with my money,’” says Claire.

Now, she has an answer.