> What can be changed is how the next meltdown/booming economy will affect our own personal finances. It's a life skill, one that should be given more attention

> What can be changed is how the next meltdown/booming economy will affect our own personal finances. It's a life skill, one that should be given more attention in school. It's sad that this is the first mention of this in the thread. Ever since graduating high school and finding myself in college for a useless degree, during the Great Recession and trying to come away from it intact; I've been a big proponent of financial literacy K-12, living within your means, having a "plan" and not being afraid to wait for it (read: college isn't for everyone, and alternatives exist; also taking a year or two before you start is sometimes a great idea), and knowing what a budget is and how to use it. Overspending and under-making will always lead to catastrophes when the well runs dry. Trusting the parents to do this on their own time can't seriously be more important that some of the superfluous credits taken before graduating high school.