The Future is Expensive—Our Youth Deserve to Be Ready
What if young people learned to budget before algebra? To read a payslip before signing their first contract? To save, invest and make informed decisions before facing rising living costs on their own?
These questions inspired Project Piggybank—a global, youth-led initiative showing that money conversations shouldn’t wait until adulthood.
Founded by Brisbane high school student Gauri Varma, the project has a clear mission: make financial education accessible, engaging and understandable for every young person, regardless of background.
As inflation rises, housing becomes less affordable and financial stress grows, understanding money is no longer optional—it’s essential. Yet many students leave school able to solve equations but unable to budget, understand taxes or build savings habits. Project Piggybank aims to change that.
Unlike traditional programs, it is run by young people, for young people. Its workshops, resources and social media content break down complex ideas into practical, relatable conversations.
Run by youth, for youth, Project Piggybank believes “We don’t just want young people to understand money—we want them to feel confident talking about it,” says Gauri. “It shouldn’t depend on your postcode, your parents’ income or whether your school teaches it.”
What makes Project Piggybank different is its approach. Rather than speaking at young people, it speaks with them. Its workshops and resources are designed in a language today’s generation understands—making conversations around money less intimidating and more empowering. Whether it is understanding the difference between needs and wants, building healthy financial habits or learning the fundamentals of saving and investing, the initiative meets young people where they are.
Project Piggybank’s impact is already measurable. The initiative has built a community of more than 1,000 young people online and has delivered workshops reaching students across Australia, India, the United States, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia.
Its sessions have engaged about 100 participants in a single international workshop and have provided financial literacy education to underprivileged and disengaged youth through community organisations like Wesley Mission and Career employment Australia. Beyond attendance numbers, its impact can be seen in the conversations it creates—young people asking questions about budgeting, savings, careers and financial wellbeing that they may never have felt confident enough to ask before.
Today’s generation is growing up in an economic landscape unlike any before. Inflation continues to increase the cost of everyday essentials, housing prices are rising, and financial pressures are beginning earlier in life. The young people of today will inherit a future that demands greater financial confidence than ever before.
Financial stress is a leading cause of anxiety among young people. Rising costs, student debt and job uncertainty affect not just finances, but mental wellbeing. Money worries follow students into classrooms, workplaces and homes.
Life is becoming more expensive. Today’s young people face challenges previous generations did not experience at the same scale, from housing affordability to competitive job markets.
While it won’t solve every economic issue, financial education equips young people to navigate them.
What began as a single student’s idea has evolved into a global movement with a powerful message: financial literacy can transform lives.
This is about far more than money—it’s about building confidence, expanding opportunities and equipping young people with the tools they need to shape their own futures. When uncertainty is replaced with knowledge, new possibilities emerge. With initiatives like Project Piggybank leading the way, the next generation won’t just be prepared—they’ll be empowered to move forward with clarity, resilience and hope.
Because this isn’t just about dollars and cents—it’s about opportunity, independence and giving the next generation the tools to thrive.
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@proj_piggybank
