Introduction
With over 25 years of experience in the financial literacy education space, our work consistently shows that teaching kids about money is most effective when lessons are simple, engaging, and aligned with what schools are already teaching. This page highlights how the song “Don’t Spend More Than You Make!” aligns with national and state financial literacy standards for grades K–8, supporting responsible decision-making, money management, and long-term financial well-being.
Learning to manage money starts with one powerful rule: don’t spend more than you earn. The song Don’t Spend More Than You Make! teaches this foundational concept in a fun, memorable way—helping children understand limits, make thoughtful choices, and avoid common money mistakes early.
Song Overview
Song: Don’t Spend More Than You Make!
Primary Financial Concept:
Spending less than you earn helps children avoid debt, make responsible choices, and build long-term financial stability.
Key Message:
Living within your means is a core money habit. When kids learn to balance what comes in with what goes out, they build confidence, responsibility, and a strong foundation for future financial decisions.
National Standards Alignment
Council for Economic Education (CEE)
National Standards for Personal Financial Education
Standard 1: Decision Making
Grade Bands: K–2 | 3–5 | 6–8
Effective decision making requires comparing costs and benefits.
How the song aligns:
Encourages children to think before spending
Reinforces that choices have consequences
Helps students recognize and avoid overspending
Standard 2: Money Management
Grade Bands: K–2 | 3–5 | 6–8
How the song aligns:
Reinforces living within one’s means
Supports planning, balance, and financial stability
Builds a habit that supports saving and goal-setting
Jump$tart Coalition
National Standards in K–12 Personal Finance Education
Financial Decision Making & Money Management
Grade Bands: K–2 | 3–5 | 6–8
How the song aligns:
Reinforces matching spending to income
Highlights common overspending mistakes
Supports budgeting and responsible money use
National Financial Educators Council (NFEC)
Core Financial Literacy Framework
Grade Bands: K–2 | 3–5 | 6–8
How the song aligns:
Builds financial responsibility and awareness
Reinforces behavioral habits that prevent overspending
Encourages consistent, intentional money choices
Social-Emotional Learning (CASEL)
Competencies:
Responsible Decision-Making · Self-Management
Grade Bands: K–2 | 3–5 | 6–8
How the song aligns:
Encourages self-control and impulse awareness
Builds accountability for choices
Supports delayed gratification and foresight
Standards Alignment by Grade Band
K–2 (Ages 5–7): Basic Awareness & Limits
Big idea: I shouldn’t spend more than I have.
Introduces a clear, easy-to-remember spending rule
Reinforces limits through repetition
Encourages stopping and thinking before spending
Builds early responsibility
Grades 3–5 (Ages 8–10): Balance & Planning
Big idea: What I spend should match what I earn.
Connects spending choices to outcomes
Introduces balance between income and expenses
Reinforces planning and accountability
Helps students avoid common money mistakes
Grades 6–8 (Ages 11–13): Responsibility & Consequences
Big idea: Overspending leads to problems now and later.
Emphasizes consequences of spending too much
Reinforces living within your means
Prepares students for budgeting, credit, and debt topics
Strengthens self-management skills
State-Level Standards Alignment (Selected States)
The song Don’t Spend More Than You Make! aligns with financial literacy or economics standards across multiple states:
California (CA)
Grade Bands: K–2 | 3–5
Primary Focus: Choices, trade-offs, economicsTexas (TX)
Grade Bands: K–2 | 3–5 | 6–8
Primary Focus: Personal financial literacy & responsible spendingNew York (NY)
Grade Bands: K–2 | 3–5 | 6–8
Primary Focus: Economic decision-makingWashington (WA)
Grade Bands: K–2 | 3–5 | 6–8
Primary Focus: Financial decision-makingOhio (OH)
Grade Bands: K–2 | 3–5 | 6–8
Primary Focus: Planning & money managementIowa (IA)
Grade Bands: K–2 | 3–5 | 6–8
Primary Focus: Life skills & responsibilityUtah (UT)
Grade Bands: 3–5 | 6–8
Primary Focus: Money as a managed resourceWisconsin (WI)
Grade Bands: K–2 | 3–5 | 6–8
Primary Focus: Habit-based decisionsMassachusetts (MA)
Grade Bands: K–2 | 3–5 | 6–8
Primary Focus: Responsible money use
Why This Song Works in the Classroom
Clear, memorable rule kids can repeat and remember
Strong alignment with financial literacy and SEL standards
Scales naturally from early elementary to middle school
Easy to pair with discussion, budgeting activities, and real-life examples
Bottom line:
Don’t Spend More Than You Make! helps children learn that good money habits start with understanding limits and making thoughtful choices.
Download the Standards Alignment PDF
If you’d like a downloadable PDF version of this standards alignment for classroom use, curriculum review, or district adoption, please contact us. We’re happy to provide a printable version that makes it easy to share, reference, and integrate into lessons or program materials.
More Resources Supporting the Song
Additional Songs and Fun Resources
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parents, teachers, and community leaders learning and growing their financial literacy teaching skills by reading Sam X Renick's series of articles: Money Lessons Parents Should Teach Kids!
delivering financial education at home, in school, and other venues with Sammy's Dream Big Financial Education curriculum!
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