"Whatchya doin' this summer? Maybe workin'?" asked my neighbor, who was fixing his front yard, after he greeted me. I never understood the hype about working when students are in high school. I asked my friends their reason, and they said they want the freedom to spend on whatever they want, like music. I thought that was a silly reason; I can listen to music on Spotify for free. I only understand now that working teaches finance management more personally than asking my parents. Whenever I asked my mother for money, I was only inclined to spend it. Although I was transparent and never planned to misuse whatever she gave me, I was determined to spend it. Sometimes I got a discount, and instead of either giving it back or saving it, I bought extra stuff. On the other hand, if I had worked to earn, I probably would have cared to save my energy and income. After taking a financial literacy class two years later, I now recognize the importance of smart spending. Having my own money can make me impulsive because I have multiple interests. That mindset prevented me from working the summer after my sophomore year. I would have spent a significant amount on vending machines and pizza fundraisers without knowing. Such mistakes could easily have been avoided if I had received financial education earlier. I would even use it for college savings because it is better late than never. I have younger siblings, and I try my best to inform them of what I missed. Because charity begins at home, I plan to give my siblings allowances that I never had. This will specifically teach them to balance school expenses and their wants until they start working. Most importantly, I will implement the process I learned in financial literacy class and the cautions I should take, as outlined by Khan Academy, when buying my first car. After about a year of working experience, I plan to open a credit card account to build a good credit score for future payments, such as school and an apartment. I did not hesitate to reply, "Nothing really. I'm just gonna be at home." He asked again in an "are you sure" tone, "You don't need money of your own?" I ended the conversation, noting that I could ask my parents if I needed to. That was freshman year, long before I took a financial literacy class and started paying dues, which felt like gas prices at school.