NuMark Credit Union Uses M&Ms to Teach Budgeting Basics to St. Ann Elementary Students

Joliet, IL, February 2015 – Who doesn’t like M&Ms? Everyone loves the delicious chocolate coated candy that melts in your mouth but not in your hand. Not only do M&Ms taste delicious, they can be an effective teaching tool. NuMark Credit Union hosted a M&M Budgeting Simulation at St. Ann Elementary School in Lansing, IL to help teach students the importance of budgeting. This financial literacy event taught St. Ann’s 6th, 7th, and 8th graders the basics of budgeting and the strategic importance of saving for their future.

“One of the best ways to help a child learn is to be engaging.” said Linda Krakora, NuMark Credit Union Training Manager & M&M Budgeting facilitator. “Each student sees how quickly a budget gets spent and gets an opportunity to learn first hand an important money management skill.”

Every student receives a bag of M&Ms as their paycheck and the responsibility of spending the M&Ms on various goods at different merchants. Each color is linked to a specific category, and each M&M is equal to five dollars. Bags of M&Ms are unique just like a paycheck. This teaches students to buy within their own personal budget.

After the shopping was completed, students were able to calculate how much money they had saved for the future. As the event came to a close, student were able to discuss what they learned and eat their M&Ms.

“It was great to see a real world interaction brought into the class room,” said Bonnie Hall, St. Ann’s Principle. “I liked when you (NuMark) started with talking about savings and charity which most people don’t talk about right away.”

Is your school or organization interested in hosting their own M&M Budgeting Simulation, contact NuMark Credit Union today. Call 815-729-3211 or send an e-mail to numarkonline@numarkcu.org to find out more.

NuMark Credit Union has been serving the community for over 60 years. As a not-for-profit, full-service financial institution, NuMark Credit Union offers a wide variety of convenient, affordable financial services: from auto loans and mortgages to youth savings account and checking plus everything in between. See NuMark Credit Union for the right auto loan, mortgage, checking account, business service or investment. Their mission is to enrich the financial lives of their members. Serving the Will, Kendall, Grundy, Kane, and parts of Cook, DuPage, and Kankakee Counties, NuMark Credit Union has four local offices in Joliet, Crest Hill, Countryside, and Tinley Park. Find them on Facebook and Twitter. For more information call (815) 729-3211 or visit numarkcu.org.

###