Give Your Teen the Gift of Smart Money Management this Holiday Season

Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas announces 2012 holiday spending recommendations to prepare teens for success in college and the workforce

HOUSTON, Nov. 28, 2012 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Junior Achievement (JA) is presenting its recommendations for the 2012 holiday shopping season, and following them won't require waiting in lines at midnight.

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Though Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals may still be plentiful, JA is encouraging other forms of giving this year to prepare teens for college, to be workforce ready and have a financially secure future. Parents and family members can:

• Make donations to teens' college funds;
• Purchase savings bonds in teens' names, or;
• Give gifts essential for college, like laptops, printers or USB drives

"The holiday season is an opportunity to spend time with loved ones," said Rick Franke of JA of Southeast Texas. "It's also the perfect opportunity to talk to teens about the tools they need to be successful as they embark on their education, careers and build their own memories with family and friends."

Junior Achievement reaches 245,000 students annually in kindergarten through high school. It offers a broad array of resources for parents to help prepare their teens for their fiscal futures, including college savings calculators and Junior Achievement $ave, USA, which offers a suite of materials about talking to teens about money management and financial literacy.

A recent Rand poll showed more teens are saving for clothes than for college and the National Retail Federation has projected holiday shoppers will maintain conservative budgets as the economy continues to recover. JA recognizes an ideal time to embrace the holiday spirit and set teens on the path for college success, workforce readiness and financial security.

About Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas

Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas is the greater Houston area's largest organization dedicated to inspiring and preparing young people to succeed in a global economy. Through a dedicated volunteer network of 12,000 adult role models, JA of Southeast Texas provides in-school and after-school programs for students in grades K-12 which focus on entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial literacy. Today, JA of Southeast Texas reaches 245,000 students in more than 900 schools.  For more information, visit www.jahouston.org.

Media Contact:
Kevin R. Hattery
Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas
713.682.4500, ext 231
[email protected]

SOURCE Junior Achievement of Southeast Texas