Guest Blogger Wesley Leung
In this special guest blog, Sammy Rabbit is proud to showcase teen financial literacy education champion Wesley Leung!
Wesley is a student at Bergen County Technical High School in New Jersey and the co-president of Future Financial Inc. 501(c)(3) or the Financial Literacy Club (FinLit).
Start Early, Learn Often: Building Financial Skills from a Young Age
Financial literacy became a focal point in my life during middle school. I first became interested after hearing my family discuss investing, saving, and budgeting. While these concepts seemed complicated at first, I knew that the sooner I learned, the better prepared I would be for the future. I began exploring resources like YouTube, diving into videos on personal finance, money management, and investing. This early exposure helped me understand that financial literacy is about creating a path to a secure, independent future.
My journey started small, with simple actions like opening a savings account and grasping the basics of compound interest. These early steps were critical in developing my financial knowledge. I then moved on to practical experiences, like reselling old electronics, which taught me valuable lessons about earning, spending, and saving. As I grew more comfortable, I experimented with investing in index funds like the S&P 500 and even tried my hand at cryptocurrencies. Each experience, whether successful or not, reinforced the importance of starting young and learning through action.
Starting early gave me an advantage—it allowed me to set and achieve SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound) goals that aligned with my aspirations. For instance, by setting a goal to save $1,000 by the end of the year, I not only developed budgeting skills but also built discipline and patience. I found that starting early makes learning about finance less daunting and more rewarding, as each small win adds up over time.
As the Chief Operating Officer of Futures Financials Inc., I’m passionate about helping other young people start their financial journeys early. Our programs aim to teach students the basics of money management, from budgeting to investing, emphasizing that it’s never too early to learn. We encourage students to use online resources, talk to their families about money, and set realistic goals to build confidence in their financial skills.
My message to young people is simple: start now, start with the basics. Whether it’s opening a savings account, reselling items, or learning about investing, every step counts. The earlier you start, the more time you have to learn, adapt, and build a strong foundation for the future. Financial literacy is not just about making money—it’s about creating opportunities and achieving your personal goals through informed decisions.
Discover more about our featured Guest Blogger
To learn more about Wesley, connect with him on LinkedIn: Wesley Leung.
Attention Young Leaders
We welcome and invite you to participate in Sammy's 'Be the Change' financial literacy initiative for college and high school students.
(1) Join peers advancing awareness on the importance of early age, youth, and family financial education by having your journey into financial literacy featured as a Sammy Rabbit Guest Blogger.
Arin Wani: Teen Leader Was Encouraged to Aim High!
Jacklin Wang: Becoming Financially Literate Since Age 9
Index of Student Blogs (Click and scroll down)
(2) Then volunteer as a Sammy Rabbit Ambassador or Intern championing financial literacy in your community and around the globe! Learn more in these blogs or by CONTACTING Team Sammy today! We welcome your questions and suggestions on Sammy Rabbit and his mission to get kids, families & communities financially literate.
