Nine To Noon How to teach teenagers about investing and the value of money
Mar 25, 2026
Warren Ngan-Woo, Financial Wellbeing programme manager at Westpac who runs money workshops for young people. He talks about making money relatable for teens, renaming 'budget' to goal-based plans, habit-building savings techniques and the power of compound interest. Also covers scam awareness, crypto caution and practical tips like routing pay into savings and checking payslips.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Socioeconomic Context Shapes Teen Money Literacy
- Teen money knowledge varies widely with socioeconomic context; some live paycheck-to-paycheck while others have confident money conversations.
- Location and family context strongly shape whether teens learn saving, payslip checks, and investing awareness.
Show Teens How To Read Their Payslip
- Teach teens to check payslips for gross pay, ACC levies, KiwiSaver and employer contributions rather than only net pay.
- Knowing payslip details helps spot underpayment and understand deductions from gross to net.
Rebrand Budget As A Goal Driven Money Plan
- Avoid the word "budget" and reframe it as a motivating money plan tied to a goal like a ball or trip.
- Rename savings buckets (eg, "Ball Savings") and call it a money plan to make tracking feel rewarding, not punishing.