This article by Alexandra Pannoni, shows how important it is for students to learn how to manage money and how many states don’t require any “financial literacy education”. However due to the recent economic recession and increase of student loan debts, the JumpStart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy says that many states are now requiring high school students to take personal finance.

According to Julie Felshaw, an economics and financial literacy specialist with the Utah’s Office of Education, it is crucial for students to learn about personal finance. "The decisions they make early on are going to affect their financial well-being as adults," says Felshaw. "They can get themselves into financial difficulties early on and it could take a very long time for them to restructure their lives and get back on track."

So what is it that students can do to engage and learn about their personal finance, if their high school doesn’t require the completion of a course? Here are 3 technology based ways:

1. Game-based learning:

OnGuardOnline & Practical Money Skills are 2 sites that help students learn the essentials of personal finance through games.

2. Budget simulations:

Budget challenge is a site that helps students create and maintain a set budget and manage a checkbook.

3. Smartphone Apps:

RedLaser is an app that automatically compares the price of an item to all the prices of the same product in other stores and online.

Felshaw says that students learning personal finance is crucial. "Some kids may say, "Oh I don't want to take that" or "I want to take another AP class" but the fact is that everyone has to deal with money" says Felshaw. "It doesn't matter what career you choose or if you don't go to college. Everyone has to deal with money. It is so basic and it is so essential."