Money Matters Level 1 — Student Workbook

Before you begin

What do you think right now?

This is not a test. Write your first answer, even if you are unsure. At the end, come back and see what changed.

Your privacy matters: Use fictional examples. You never need to share your family's income, bank balance or debt to complete Money Matters.

1. If something is on sale, have you definitely saved money?

2. Is every want a bad choice?

3. If you miss one week of saving, what should you do next?

4. If someone says you must enter your UPI PIN to receive a prize, what would you do?

Lesson 1

Needs, Wants & Choices

Start here: A want is not automatically a bad choice. Ask three things: What matters now? What can wait? What am I giving up if I choose this?

Arjun's ₹600 Decision

Arjun has ₹600. He needs a basic geometry box costing ₹200. He also wants a ₹400 LED gaming keychain and a ₹350 space comic.

Option	Need / Want / Depends?	Why?	What would Arjun give up if he chooses it?
Geometry box · ₹200
Gaming keychain · ₹400
Space comic · ₹350

Opportunity Cost

Pick one option for Arjun. What is the best thing he can no longer choose because of that decision?

It Depends

Write one item that could be a need for one person but a want for another. Explain what fact changes the answer.

My decision

If the ₹600 were yours, what would you do? Your plan must total ₹600 or less, and you should be able to explain what you chose not to buy.

The trade-off I accepted was:

One thing an advertisement or friend might make harder about this decision:

Lesson 2

Saving Money: Piggy Banks, Bank Accounts & Goals

Ananya's Badminton Racket Goal

Goal: ₹1,500

Amount she already has: ₹900

Amount left to save: ______

If she saves ₹40 each week, weeks needed: ______

Show your calculation:

Missed a week?

The plan is not ruined. If Ananya misses one week, show one sensible way she could adjust the weekly amount or finish date.

My First Savings Goal Tracker

My goal
Why it matters
Total target	₹
Amount already available	₹
Amount still needed	₹
Weekly saving	₹
Weeks needed
My flexibility plan if I miss a week

Bank Safety Check

I know that a PIN should stay private.
I know that OTPs should not be shared.
I know that passwords should not be sent to friends or strangers.
If I am unsure about a money message, I will ask a trusted adult before acting.

Lesson 3

The Story of Currency

Money is useful because it solves real problems: exchanging, comparing and carrying value forward. Use the activities below to work out how.

Stage	What problem does it solve?	What problem might still remain?
Barter
Coins / commodity money
Paper currency
Digital payments / UPI

The three jobs of money

Medium of Exchange:

Store of Value:

Unit of Account:

Barter Challenge Reflection

What was difficult about finding someone who wanted exactly what you had and also had exactly what you wanted?

How does money make this easier?

Digital money is still real money: a tap, scan or UPI transfer moves value from real balances. The screen is different; the money decision is still real.

Lesson 4

Smart Spending & Advertising Literacy

Four questions before you buy

PauseCompareGoalTotal Cost

Turn each rule into a question you could actually ask yourself before paying.

Pause:

Compare:

Goal:

Total Cost:

Unit Price Detective

Pack A: ₹40 for 200g

Pack B: ₹120 for 500g

Cost per 100g for A: ______

Cost per 100g for B: ______

Which gives better unit value? ______

Does that automatically mean you should buy it? Explain.

What is the ad trying to make you do?

Message	What tactic do you notice?	What should you verify or ask?
“ONLY 2 MINUTES LEFT!”
“Influencer favourite — everyone has it.”
“BUY 1 GET 1 FREE”

Special 1

Money & People

Core principle: Money measures the price of goods, never the value of a human being.

School Canteen Dilemma

Your friends want to buy an expensive snack combo every day. You have chosen to spend less because you are saving for something important.

Write one sentence that protects your plan without judging your friends:

What would make that sentence respectful rather than judgmental?

Different circumstances

Two students make different spending choices because their family situations and priorities are different. What should classmates not assume about either person?

Generosity

List three ways to help someone that do not require spending a lot of money.

Someone asks you to keep money secret

Someone asks you to borrow, transfer or lend money and says, “Don't tell any adult.” What is your safest next move?

Special 2

Digital Money & Cyber Safety

The rule to remember

Your UPI PIN approves money going out. Do not enter it just because someone says you need it to receive money, a prize or a refund.

Scam Lab

Scenario	Trigger	What are they asking you to do?	Risk	Safe response
“You won a gaming prize. Click now.”
“Scan this QR to receive a refund.”
“Send me your OTP so I can fix your account.”

My safety response

If a message about money makes me feel rushed, excited or scared, I will:

The trusted adult I could ask for help is:

Toolkit

The 5 Money Questions

Use these before you spend when a decision feels rushed, exciting or unclear.

Do I truly need it?
Do I really want it, or did someone convince me?
Can I afford it today without borrowing?
Is there a smarter or better-value alternative?
Will I still care about this in two weeks?

7-Day Spending & Saving Diary

Track decisions, not just purchases. Notice what influenced you and what you chose to do.

Day	What I considered buying / saving for	Need / Want / Depends	What influenced me?	What I decided
1
2
3
4
5
6
7

Smart Shopper Checklist

Before you pay, run through these checks.

I paused before deciding.
I compared at least one alternative.
I checked whether the purchase affects a goal.
I checked total cost, not just the headline discount.
I asked whether advertising or peer pressure affected me.

Reflection

What changed for me?

One money idea I understand better now:

One decision habit I want to practise:

One safety rule I will remember:

One question I still have:

What carries forward

Next: from choosing well to operating money systems

Level 1 taught you to pause, compare, save toward a goal, notice pressure and protect your money. Level 2 keeps those habits but puts them inside bank accounts, UPI, subscriptions, budgets and consumer decisions.

You already know

Need vs want · opportunity cost · saving goals · unit value · peer pressure · basic digital safety.

Level 2 makes it harder

Reconcile a statement · verify a payment request · annualise recurring costs · rebalance a budget · preserve evidence · escalate a complaint.

Ready for Level 2 when: you can explain a money choice, show the arithmetic behind it and name the safety rule you used.

Continue to Level 2 →