Starting Age: When to Start Learning Money, Using News, and Launching a Business

Kids don’t need to wait for adulthood to pick up useful skills. Some habits are easy to start early, while others need legal age or more experience. Below I give simple age ranges and clear steps so you or someone you care for can begin at the right time.

Money, saving and stocks — age-by-age guide

5–8 years: Start with coins and jars. Teach counting, saving for a small toy, and basic trade-offs. Keep it hands-on.

9–12 years: Introduce allowances and a basic budget. Show how saving one small goal each month builds confidence. Use simple charts to track progress.

12–15 years: Explain what a stock is using examples kids know — a company that makes things and shares profits. Try stock market games or kid-friendly apps so they learn without risking money.

16–17 years: Let teens use virtual trading platforms, read short finance articles, and try paper portfolios. This is the time to learn concepts like diversification, fees, and risk tolerance.

18+ years: Legally open brokerage accounts, start with small amounts, use fractional shares or low-cost ETFs, and avoid risky bets. If you’re unsure where to begin, take one online course and practice on a demo account before investing real money.

News, subscriptions, apps, and starting a business

News apps and subscriptions: Around 13 is a good age to start using curated news apps under guidance. Teach critical reading: check the source, read more than one headline, and skip clickbait. If you consider paid news, know why sites charge: subscriptions fund better reporting and reduce clickbait. Try free trials before committing.

Best apps: pick a few reliable feeds and turn off endless alerts. A focused daily read beats constant scrolling.

Starting a business: Small, low-cost online businesses can begin in the teens — think reselling, content creation, or freelancing. Formal registration and large investments wait until you’re 18 or have an adult partner. Opening a big franchise? That needs real capital and experience — for example, some family entertainment franchises ask for hundreds of thousands in liquid assets.

Quick checklist to get started now:

• Under 10: Hands-on money lessons and saving jars.
• 10–15: Budgeting, fun finance games, and basic news literacy.
• 16–17: Virtual investing practice and deeper news reading.
• 18+: Real investing, paid news subscriptions if needed, and formal business steps.

Pick the small next step you can try today: set up a savings jar, subscribe to a trustworthy daily newsletter, open a demo trading account, or sketch a simple business plan. Starting small beats waiting for the perfect moment.