We have heard from many teachers over the past week about the need for no-tech personal finance activities given the reality that not all students will have access to technology in their homes. Jessica wracked her brain this afternoon to develop this top 10 list of NGPF resources that don't require technology. This list ranges the gamut in topics covered as well as in types of activities. 

1. CARTOONS: Why is it So Hard to Save Money?: Choose a cartoon and analyze how it portrays the challenges we encounter when it comes to saving money
2. FINE PRINT: Residential Lease: Read the details of a residential lease to determine important terms such as cost, fees, and utility details
3. COMPARE: Making Credit Decisions: Weigh the pros and cons of various forms of credit when an unexpected expense arises and you don't have an emergency fund saved
4. FINE PRINT: W-2 Form: Review a sample W-2 and use it to answer questions to demonstrate how good you are at reading the fine print of taxes
5. ANALYZE: Investing for Retirement: Analyze 3 separate graphs that all lead to the same conclusion -- you should start to invest for retirement while you are young
6. CASE STUDY: Check Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself: Students play the role of mentor to convince high school students on why they should open and maintain a checking account.
7. ANALYZE: Should They Open a Credit Card?: 4 fictitious characters have their own reasons for wanting to open a credit card. Do you agree?
8. CASE STUDY: 50 Ways to Pay for College: Role play an older sister helping her younger brother figure out how he'll improve his finances to pay for college
9. COMPARE: Needs vs. Wants: Categorize expenses as needs, high-priority wants, and low-priority wants, and then create a budget for these "extras"
10. CREATE: A Practice Job Application: Complete this low-stakes job application to see what information you'd need to collect in order to successfully do the real thing. Don't forget to request some personal references. 

If you are looking for a more complete list of our Non-Tech resources, click here. 

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For other Best Of NGPF lists, be sure to check out the Teacher Toolkit on our website. 

About the Authors

Jessica Endlich

When I started working at Next Gen Personal Finance, it's as though my undergraduate degree in finance, followed by ten years as an educator in an NYC public high school, suddenly all made sense.

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Tim Ranzetta

Tim's saving habits started at seven when a neighbor with a broken hip gave him a dog walking job. Her recovery, which took almost a year, resulted in Tim getting to know the bank tellers quite well (and accumulating a savings account balance of over $300!). His recent entrepreneurial adventures have included driving a shredding truck, analyzing executive compensation packages for Fortune 500 companies and helping families make better college financing decisions. After volunteering in 2010 to create and teach a personal finance program at Eastside College Prep in East Palo Alto, Tim saw firsthand the impact of an engaging and activity-based curriculum, which inspired him to start a new non-profit, Next Gen Personal Finance.

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