Daily Skiff

Many times American teenagers are ragged on for being lazy, incompetent and unaware of what is going on in this world. Who can blame them? They are still in high school and have no worries about current events, jobs, salaries or living situations. The only trouble in their day is finding lunch since they spent the $5 their parents gave them on magazines and sodas instead of school lunch.

However, brokerage group TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. recently released a survey suggesting more younger Americans are saving money to help cover college costs. According to the survey, 62 percent of this generation of teens ages 14-19 are saving for college compared to the 40 percent of adults today who did the same at that age.

This sheds a bright, positive light on the future generation of college students. Not only are they aware of current events such as the nation's financial crisis, but they are also sensitive to their family's own financial needs. Saving money encourages frugality and discipline while it discourages greed, for which Americans are often pinned.

Starting to save early for college is just the beginning for a whole slew of other investments made later life, like apartments, car payments and even simple meal plans. Making the abrupt change of paying next to nothing in high school to paying for necessities as well as entertainment in college can be overwhelming. And although the money saved during high school is probably slim compared to a salary-paying job, the act of saving money itself is what is important.

Features editor Katie Ruppel for the editorial board.

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