Help your family learn financial principles with a free online game

Originally posted on ksl.com

Looking for a new way to teach your kids about money? Or maybe you want to revamp your financial literacy but aren’t up for reading a pile of complex financial books.

If you want a fun (and free!) way to learn easy-to-understand financial concepts, Mountain America Credit Union has just the thing—it’s called Banzai!

Banzai is an interactive, online teaching tool that coaches players at every education level—adult, teen and junior—on saving, spending and managing money.

What’s in the game?
Banzai uses real-world scenarios to make it easier to translate what you’ve learned into your actual life. Whether it’s navigating taxes, choosing auto insurance or creating a budget, Banzai gives you real solutions to actual financial dilemmas.

Banzai also helps younger kids grasp basic financial literacy concepts and build their skills early on. As for your high schoolers, now is when they need this information the most. Learning about financial literacy with real-world scenarios will keep them engaged. After all, as much as it may pain you to think about, they need to be prepared to take on all those adult responsibilities in the next few years.

The greatest thing about Banzai is that each player can choose their own adventure. Depending on their chosen actions, players will be guided down a different path—learning new financial strategies along the way.

Here’s what you’ll find in the Banzai game:

Junior level (ages 8–12)—It’s never too early to start teaching the fundamentals of money. Players learn about starting a lemonade stand, buying supplies, paying employees and starting a savings account. Every decision the player makes affects the money in their money jar.

Teen level (ages 13–18)—The goal in this game is to save money for college. The players follow the life of a recent high school graduate—finding a job, working long hours and dealing with everything life throws at them—all while trying to save enough money for their first semester’s tuition.

Adult level—Players in this level tackle adult financial dilemmas, such as maintaining good credit, saving for the future, understanding taxes and qualifying for a mortgage. They’ll also learn how to set a budget (giving every dollar a job) and set aside money for some fun, too.

Benefits of the Banzai game
Not only does Banzai teach financial literacy in a fun, engaging way but it also opens up opportunities to have conversations about money. Use this roadmap to talk to your kids about money management and developing healthy financial habits that will last throughout their lifetime.

What else is available?
Everyone has financial blind spots. Luckily, Banzai has a financial wellness section filled with over one hundred educational articles, financial calculators and coaching tools to help you learn about topics like building your portfolio, critical retirement choices, managing debt, getting a car, saving for a mortgage, establishing a budget and avoiding identity theft, and so much more!

Try Banzai today! Mountain America is committed to guiding you forward and helping you learn more about managing money during every stage of your life.