Junior Achievement wants kids to learn money management

You know that shiny hot rod or new pair of shoes you just had to have but couldn't really afford? Well be careful, your spending habits could pass down to your kids. Junior Achievement of the Heartland is pushing parents to open up about money management and they have the programs to make the process a little easier.

Do you ever feel like as soon as that paycheck comes your money's burning a whole in your pocket? Well you're not alone and while splurging every once in awhile is okay, Junior Achievement of the Heartland president Barbara VenHorst said impulse spending could get you in trouble

"It's really easy to get off the beaten path and be spending money in a way that you shouldn't be. It's really hard to learn that in the real world because it has really bad consequences" VenHorst said.

She said kids tend to mirror those spending choices and in a struggling economy the younger generation is having doubts. VenHorst said in a recent Junior Achievement poll only 56 percent of kids thought they would be able to make more than their parents.

"Our country has been based on the idea that every generation is going to be in better financial shape than the one before them so when slightly more than half think that's the case, it's a sad direction we're headed." VenHorst said.

But you can help kids stay on track. Junior Achievement offers online programs to show the ins and out's of money management.

 "Habits are hard to break and if you can get good habits started when they're young it's going to make life so much easier" VenHorst said.