When someone asks for a few dollars for something, most people are pretty willing to lend the money. But what if a Nigerian prince emails you asking for a wire transfer for a few thousand dollars he is in desperate need of? Well, if you are one of the people who would lend money to him, you should definitely attend the Financial Reality Fair.

The North Allegheny GOAL Office is promoting a Financial Reality Fair that is open to all high school seniors in Allegheny County. The event will take place on Friday, February 15, 2019, from 8:30 am – 12:30 pm and will be held at the Allegheny Intermediate Unit, 475 E. Waterfront Drive, in Homestead.

The purpose of the event is to teach students that financial choices they make now can greatly impact their financial well-being for the rest of their lives. It will also explore how they can make smart choices, even while still in high school, and learn how to stay out of debt in the future. Additionally, instruction on how to save money for large expenses will be discussed.

“I’m really hoping that students walk away with the tools and resources they need to make decisions now, as seniors, prior to becoming adults, so that they feel that they have the knowledge and skills that they are going to need to manage their money when they are graduated,” GOAL Facilitator Mrs. Gallagher said.

Learning to make smart money decisions while in high school is important for most because it will be a great indicator of how they will handle their financial lives when they are adults. Most students do not realize how much a few trips to Sheetz each week can affect their bank account. The point is not to discourage students from occasionally enjoying a drive-thru meal with friends but to inform them that the total of all these trips can have a greater effect than most realize.

The book The Missing Semester will be discussed in detail at the fair and goes hand in hand with the event’s main goal of preparing students to make sound financial decisions. The book is available to review at the NASH GOAL Office. It is based on the “principle of ownership” (taking ownership of your financial future). Though the book is short (65 pages), it provides a great deal of information that is essential to attaining financial freedom.

“I’m going to attend the fair not only because I’m a second-semester senior,” Dan Rodgers said, “but also because I know it wouldn’t hurt to have some financial comprehension for my future.”

The Financial Reality Fair is free to all seniors, and lunch will be provided. Stop in at the NASH GOAL office to register for this event.