The FDIC offers a variety of assistance to help consumers understand how to handle their money and resolve complaints. Start with the consumer information on the Web site at www.fdic.gov, including the Spring 2005 issue of FDIC Consumer News, which was written for high school and college students and other young adults but may be useful to many teens. The FDIC also has an educational page called "Learning Bank" that primarily helps young kids find answers to common questions about the FDIC and banking. You also can get answers to questions by calling the FDIC toll-free at 1-877-ASK-FDIC—that's 1-877-275-3342—Monday through Friday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m., Eastern Time.

Other government agencies also publish consumer information on money matters and have staff, Web sites and other resources that can help answer your questions on financial matters. A good place to start is www.mymoney.gov, the federal government's central Web site about managing money. Also check out www.kids.gov/k_money.htm, another federal government Web site about money but for students from kindergarten through high school. In addition, the Federal Reserve System produces free brochures and publications related to money, banking and savings that you can view and order online, including a series of comic books for various age groups produced by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Start at www.federalreserveeducation.org.

The Jump$tart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy, consisting of more than 170 government agencies (including the FDIC), businesses and not-for-profit organizations, promotes financial education for students in kindergarten through college. The Web site at www.jumpstartcoalition.org offers extensive information for students, parents and teachers. You might want to try Jump$tart's "Reality Check," an online calculator that asks you questions about your "dream life" and then tells you how much income you will need to support that lifestyle. Also available is a listing of various types of materials, many of which are available free of charge.

In addition, FDIC-insured banks, other financial institutions and professional associations have financial education Web sites for young people and their families. You can find a number of excellent sites by searching the Internet.

Here are a couple of suggestions just for teens.

Your school can be a resource for information about managing and saving money. Perhaps your school has a personal finance class or an investment club, many of which feature a stock market game or similar contests. Your school library also may have publications about handling money and taking control of your finances.

Talk to your parents about what they think is important for the family and for you in terms of saving or spending money. "Learn from your parents what it costs to run a household," said Kirk Daniels, an FDIC Supervisory Consumer Affairs Specialist. "It's important to understand that driving a car involves putting gas in the tank, paying auto insurance, maintaining and repairing a car, and perhaps paying interest on a loan."