Keep Learning After the Workshop
A curated collection of tools, guides, and resources to help you take your next financial steps — whether you’re planning for school, building credit, understanding taxes, or thinking about your future career.
Money and Youth
- moneyandyouth.com/com – A complete financial literacy guide for students, covering budgeting, saving, credit, investing, and more. Download individual modules to work through topics at your own pace.
Budgeting
- Budgeting for Student Life – Government of Canada – Practical tips and strategies for managing your money throughout your post-secondary years, from the Financial Consumer Agency of Canada.
- Student Budget Worksheet – Government of Canada – A downloadable worksheet to help post-secondary students track income, expenses, and savings goals.
Post-Secondary Planning
- Universities Canada – A portal to explore university programs and institutions across Canada, including tuition costs, application procedures, and financial aid information.
- Colleges and Institutes Canada – Explore college and institute programs from across Canada — including costs, application details, and financial aid options for college students.
- Pay for Post-Secondary: A Student’s Guide to Financial Aid – An open-access guide to help students navigate scholarships, bursaries, and financial assistance for post-secondary education.
- StudentAwards.com – A searchable database of scholarships, bursaries, and awards available to Canadian students.
- Student Loan Repayment Estimator – CanLearn (Government of Canada) – An interactive tool to estimate what your monthly student loan repayment costs will look like after you finish school.
- Tips for Planning Successful Transitions – Inclusion BC – Practical guidance for navigating major life and education transitions, with a focus on inclusive pathways and planning ahead.
Taxes and Benefits
- Personal Income Tax Worksheet for High School Students (2025) – CFEE – A CFEE worksheet to guide high school students through the basics of personal income tax filing in Canada. (PDF)
- Ontario’s Personal Income Tax, Credits and Benefits – for Teens (2025) – CFEE – A CFEE guide covering Ontario-specific income tax, credits, and benefit programs relevant to teenagers filing for the first time. (PDF)
CRA Outreach Factsheets
These factsheets from the Canada Revenue Agency explain how to access benefits and credits for specific situations and communities.
- Students – Get your benefits and credits! – PDF factsheet on benefits and credits available to students. (PDF)
- Modest Income Individuals – How the CRA can help – How the CRA can help when life is expensive. (PDF)
- Housing-Insecure Individuals – Get your payments when you need them most – Benefits support for individuals experiencing housing insecurity. (PDF)
- Persons with Disabilities – Benefits and credits for you and your caregivers – Benefits and credits available for persons with disabilities and their caregivers. (PDF)
- Indigenous Peoples – Doing your taxes has benefits – For First Nations, Inuit, and Métis individuals: how filing your taxes opens up benefits and credits. (PDF)
- Gender-Based Violence – Don’t miss out on benefit payments – Information on accessing benefit payments regardless of your situation. (PDF)
Credit
- How Students Can Get the Most Out of Their First Credit Card – CFEE Classroom Edition – A practical overview of student credit card options in Canada, including no-fee cards, cash-back programs, and tips for using credit responsibly to build your credit history.
- Credit Card Comparison Tool – Financial Consumer Agency of Canada – Compare Canadian credit cards side-by-side using filters for annual fees, interest rates, rewards, and features — from the government’s consumer protection agency.
Investing
- Investor Resources – Ontario Securities Commission – A hub of investor education tools, calculators, and guides from Canada’s capital markets regulator — covering stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, RRSPs, and how to spot fraud.
- Index Funds vs. Mutual Funds – Young and Thrifty – A plain-language comparison of index funds and mutual funds — including management styles, fees, and which option tends to perform better over the long term for Canadian investors.
- How to Make Your Greatest Investment – Rachel Fox (TEDxTeen) – A TEDxTeen talk by Rachel Fox, who began investing at a very young age, sharing what she learned about building wealth early in life.
Careers and Job Exploration
- Job Bank – Government of Canada – The Government of Canada’s official job search and career planning tool. Connect your skills and interests to career paths, explore real-time labour market data, and browse current job postings across Canada.
- Career Callings (in partnership with CFEE) – An online platform to explore meaningful career paths aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. Includes self-assessment quizzes, industry insights, and tools to match your strengths with potential opportunities.
- Career Callings – Overview One-Pager (PDF) – A quick-reference summary of the Career Callings program and how to get started. (PDF)
Common Questions from Workshop Participants
These are real questions asked by students during CFEE youth workshops, answered by our facilitators.
Saving and Budgeting
Q: What’s the best way to start saving money right now?
Develop a habit of paying yourself first. Every time you earn money — from a part-time job or any other source — set aside a percentage (even 5–10%) and put it into an interest-bearing savings account before spending anything else. Starting small and staying consistent matters more than the amount.
Q: What’s the best way to save for university or college?
Start early. A family member may have already opened a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP) — check with your parents. If not, start setting aside a portion of any part-time income you earn now. It’s never too late, and even small regular contributions add up.
Q: Do you believe in the 50/30/20 budgeting rule (needs/wants/savings)?
Any guide that builds positive habits has value — but no rule fits everyone. The 50/30/20 rule is a useful starting point, but your budget should reflect your own environment, goals, and priorities.
Q: Can a part-time job cover all of my expenses at university?
Likely not all of them, but it can certainly help. How much it covers depends on your hours, wage, and cost of living. Most students combine part-time income with savings, student loans, and scholarships. Planning ahead with a realistic budget is key.
Q: Should I focus on getting a job or volunteering in my field?
Both have real value. A paid job builds financial independence and work experience. Volunteering in your field builds skills, connections, and résumé content directly related to your career goals.
Q: Is renting off campus a lot cheaper than living on campus?
It depends. Off-campus housing may have lower monthly rent, but factor in commuting costs and time, utilities, a 12-month lease (vs. a 9-month academic-year contract on campus), and upfront deposits. Run the full numbers before assuming one option is cheaper.
Q: What’s the best way to pay back a student loan?
It depends on your priorities. Paying it off quickly minimizes interest paid overall. A longer repayment timeline lowers your monthly payment. Setting a clear goal helps enormously. Use the CanLearn Loan Repayment Estimator to model your options.
Q: Can I open a savings account if I’m under 18?
Yes. You can open a bank account as a minor in Canada. You’ll typically need a Social Insurance Number and a parent or guardian present when opening the account.
Q: How do I start a pension or retirement savings plan?
Most employers today no longer offer traditional pension plans. Instead, Canadians save for retirement through Registered Retirement Savings Plans (RRSPs). Some employers match contributions up to a set percentage. Ask your financial institution — every major bank and credit union offers RRSPs.
Investing
Q: Is investing in stocks basically gambling?
No. Investing and gambling are fundamentally different. Gambling means playing against the odds with a game of chance. Investing involves researching companies and markets, assessing risk, and making informed decisions over time. All investments carry some risk, but investing is not gambling.
Q: Should I invest in the stock market? Is it a good idea for students?
The stock market can be a great place to grow money long-term — but as a student, your first priority should be protecting the savings you need for school and living expenses. Speak with a certified financial advisor before investing, and don’t invest money you can’t afford to lose.
Q: What’s the difference between mutual funds and index funds?
Both are pooled investment products, but they work differently. Mutual funds are actively managed — a fund manager picks investments trying to beat the market, which means higher fees. Index funds passively track a market index, which means lower fees and historically competitive returns. See this overview from Young and Thrifty for a detailed comparison.
Q: What about investing in Bitcoin or cryptocurrency?
Cryptocurrencies are highly volatile — their value can rise and fall dramatically in short periods. For most students who can’t afford to lose their savings, this level of risk is not appropriate. If you’re curious, speak with a certified financial advisor and only consider it with money you could afford to lose entirely.
Q: What’s the best thing to invest in?
“Best” depends on your goals, timeline, and risk tolerance. Start by visiting the OSC’s investor resources to build your foundational knowledge, then speak with a certified financial advisor for guidance tailored to your situation.
Q: How can I learn about stocks and trading?
The Ontario Securities Commission’s investor resources page is an excellent starting point. It covers stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, and how markets work — all in plain language, from a trusted Canadian regulator.
Courses and Careers
Q: Is marketing a good course to take in Grade 11?
Yes — it provides a strong foundation for the private sector, public sector, and non-profits. It’s also useful background for post-secondary business programs and for anyone thinking about entrepreneurship.
Q: Is International Business a good course in Grade 11?
Yes, particularly if you’re interested in business, politics, or public policy. It provides context for how economies and trade work at a global level.
Q: What kind of math do I need for accounting?
Speak with your guidance counsellor about prerequisite math courses for accounting and business programs at the institutions you’re considering. Requirements vary by program and school.
Q: What’s the difference between Business Administration and Commerce degrees?
These are often different names for similar programs — terminology varies by institution. Look closely at each program’s specific courses, specializations, co-op options, and career outcomes rather than going by the title alone.
Q: Is a career in real estate a good option?
It can be — especially if you enjoy working with people, have strong communication skills, and have a good eye for detail. Income can vary widely and takes time to build. A great first step is an informational interview with a local agent to ask about the realities of the work.
Q: I want a full-ride scholarship. Should I apply to one or many?
Apply to as many scholarships as possible — never put all your eggs in one basket. Full-ride scholarships are highly competitive. A combination of smaller scholarships, bursaries, and awards can add up to meaningful support. Visit StudentAwards.com to search available opportunities.
Resources compiled by the Canadian Foundation for Economic Education (CFEE) for the Money and Youth workshop program. | cfee.org