FREE Kids Money Program Teaches Dollars & Sense TUESDAYS PBS 5pm

Kids' money program teaches dollars, sense

'Biz Kid$' 5 p.m. Tuesdays on PBS, Channel 56

Americans are saving money at the lowest rate since the Great Depression, and many families habitually rely on payday lending or credit cards to help make ends meet, often paying high interest rates and perpetuating a cycle of debt from which it can be difficult to recover.
As state legislatures and the U.S. Congress discuss the importance of financial literacy -- or the lack of it -- in the everyday lives of most Americans, a select few have taken steps to reverse the troubling trends by providing money management tips to young people.
And a new show hopes to do the same.

"Biz Kid$," a fun, 30-minute PBS production that debuts today on WTVS-TV (Channel 56), promises to entertain and teach millions of kids how to make and manage money, while inspiring them to pursue their dreams. The series is the result of a three-way partnership between Junior Achievement, the Emmy award-winning producers of "Bill Nye the Science Guy" and America's Credit Unions.

The first installment will feature guests giving advice on money and entrepreneurship, including a skateboard designer, rap producer and philanthropist who started a fund-raiser for a hospital.
"When the 71 million young people who make up Generation Y begin driving America's economy, it will be too late to address with them the need for financial literacy. However, it's not too late to start with America's youth," said Jamie Hammond, the executive producer behind "Biz Kid$."

"'Biz Kid$' will be one of the most effective tools for engaging kids to care about their financial futures," Hammond added.