Did you know that if a 10-year-old invested just $10,000 today, it could grow to almost half a million dollars by the time they turn 50? Sounds crazy, right? I mean, I’m 14 and definitely don’t have that kind of money sitting around—but what really matters is starting to learn early. That’s what financial education for teens is all about: understanding how money works so we can actually use it to build something, not just spend it.
I started learning about all this back in 2022 when we began homeschooling and my mom realized that schools barely teach anything about money. She wanted me and my sister to grow up confident with our finances, not confused, like she was raised. So we made it a part of our learning—and honestly, it’s changed my life.
It’s been over a year since I launched my Money Smart Teen blog series, and wow—so much has happened. If you’re new here, hi! I’m just a regular teen sharing my money journey: the wins, the mistakes, and what I’ve figured out along the way.
Today I’m giving you an update on my goals, what I’ve learned this year, and what’s next!
Did I Accomplish My 2024 Goals?
In the first part of this series, I shared two goals I wanted to accomplish by the end of 2024.
- Make an online store for my art business
- Double my money
So… did I crush both? Not exactly. But I still call this year a win. Here’s why:
🎨 The Art Business Pivot
I had originally planned to launch an online store to sell my paintings. But before I went live, my mom encouraged me to do a cost-per-unit breakdown of my products. After running the numbers, I realized that I had been pricing most of my art below the cost to make it! Technically, I wasn’t losing money (yet), because my mom had been covering my supplies. But she let me know that from now on, I’d need to buy materials myself.
After thinking it over, I made the decision to discontinue my art business. The art didn’t sell that well at local business fairs, and increasing prices didn’t seem like the right move.
Instead of giving up on entrepreneurship, I pivoted.
🌿 Introducing: Naturalina
I didn’t give up on entrepreneurship entirely, though. I instead started a new business, Naturalina! I sold natural body care products I made, as well as jewelry made from paint scraps of my art!
I attended multiple business fairs throughout 2024 and 2025 selling these products, and this business was much more successful.
In 2024 I also won a business fair with this business, and another fair is coming up soon. So even though I didn’t reach this goal the way I first imagined, I found something better.
Now, about doubling my money…
I crushed it!!! Not only did I accomplish this goal, but I way exceeded it. I reinvested my profits from Naturalina into my brokerage account, and thanks to smart choices (and the magic of compound interest and dividends), my account grew! Not only that—I started receiving monthly income from dividends. It’s not a lot yet, but it was my first taste of passive income, and it made me love learning about investing.
This is one of the biggest reasons why I believe financial education for teens should be way more common. We’re never too young to start.
If you would like to learn about how financial education is approached in our family my mom has a Money Magic class for kids (and their parents), where she teaches the very basic fundamentals of investing we do in our home. You can sign up using this link – I will be there, too. Answering questions and sharing my journey!
My 2025 Financial Goals
- Get my monthly income to $25.
I want to be getting $25 a month from dividends, which I’m pretty close to right now! I’m certain I’ll accomplish this goal, since the year is half over and I’m at around $20 a month right now. Pretty happy about that!
- Double my money.
Again, I am trying to double my money this year. It’s a little harder, though, since the money I’m trying to double is more! I’m not quite sure I’ll make it, but I’m trying!
- Fund a Roth IRA
This goal is already completed! I opened a Roth IRA and funded it using my business earnings. This means I’m not just investing for now, I’m investing for my future. The money I put in will grow tax-free for decades, which could make a huge difference when I’m older. Retirement might be far away, but getting started now gives me a major head start.
My Investing Progress
One of my favorite investments right now is a monthly dividend-paying ETF. It gives me solid long-term growth potential and a consistent stream of income every month. It’s been one of the biggest reasons I’ve been able to get so close to my $25/month passive income goal.
There’s another investment I like, too, it’s a business development company that also pays monthly dividends. Its payout isn’t as high as the ETF, but it’s still helped me grow my income and diversify what I’m holding.
Earlier this year, I sold one of my older investments that I had been holding onto for a long time and made about a 77% profit on it! That was a huge win. I used that money to reinvest in my favorite dividend-paying assets because…
I love dividends!!
They’re like tiny paychecks that show up every month just for owning smart investments. Every time I get a dividend payment, it reminds me that my money is working for me, not just sitting around in a jar like it used to. What I really like about dividends is that they give me a steady stream of passive income. It’s not just about waiting for stocks to go up and selling them later. With dividends, I don’t even have to sell anything to get value from my investments. I get paid just for holding on. That’s the reason why reaching my $25/month goal is so exciting to me. It’s proof that my money is growing and paying me back for being smart with it.
My Money Journey So Far and Why Financial Education for Teens Matters
This past year has been full of changes, lessons, and wins. I didn’t reach both of my original 2024 goals in the way I planned, but I found better paths and learned so much along the way. I discovered a new, better business, opened my Roth IRA, grew my investments, and fell in love with dividends. If you’re just starting your money journey, remember: it’s okay to pivot, try new things, and even fail a little. What matters is that you keep learning and growing.
That’s why I believe financial education for teens is so important. We don’t need to wait until we’re adults to make smart money decisions. The earlier we start learning, the more confident—and financially free—we’ll be later on.
If financial education for teens is something you care about too, check out my mom’s class Money Magic! It’s the program we use at home to learn about investing, passive income, and all the smart money moves I talk about here. She teaches the foundations in a super fun and easy-to-understand way.
Thanks for following along with me so far! I’ll keep sharing what I learn and where I go next. And if you’ve got money tips or goals of your own, drop them in the comments—I’d love to hear them!
P.S. Want to see what I’m actually investing in? I made a free PDF with my 3 favorite dividend-paying stocks that have helped me grow my monthly income. If you’re curious what they are—and why I chose them— fill out the form below. It’s super simple, and it might give you some ideas for your own money journey!
