TOLEDO, Ohio — The coronavirus outbreak is impacting almost every part of the economy. With families keeping a close eye on their finances now, a non-profit group is using this crisis to teach everyone, including our youth about handling your money responsibly.
The Foolproof program, a free-interactive online based curriculum is seeing increased use in Ohio and across the country during the coronavirus outbreak. Directions Credit Union sponsors the program in Ohio. A spokesman said the group knows it's important to offer a timely financial literacy program for free for parents and kids during this stay at home order.
In Ohio, the program is used by 787 schools, 823 teachers and over 23,000 students.
Families are starting to take notice of teaching their kids about finances during these hard times.
"Now it's something we're talking about as a family on why things are different and why things are changing," mother Katie Hahn said.
Hahn is one of many parents trying to explain the current situation to their kids. She started using the Foolproof financial literacy program with her daughter, Mackenzie, to teach her about handling money.
"It's a skill and this is something students really need to know," Foolproof foundation director of education Mike Sheffer said. "Because it goes forward into how they manage money and make good decisions in their future."
The program, which can used by teachers, parents or even students, offers different levels of learning for middle school to college. Middle schoolers like Mackenzie learn about healthy skepticism and responsibility.
"I learn to spend my money wisely and to not just buy something that I didn't really need," she said.
Rachel Frysinger is a student at the University of Toledo. She said she sees problems among her peers with credit cards, not being able to save money and just not budgeting.
"I think it's definitely student loan debt," she said. "And just spending too much money on like fast food and food in general."
Hahn believes kids can learn from this crisis and she's teaching her kids the way she learned as a child with actual cash.
"We should start really using cash to teach her the value of a dollar, versus just providing her her money you know putting it on amazon gift cards, things like that," Hahn.
Teachers, parents or students can find more info on the program or sign up by clicking here.