Financial Literacy Basics: You Don’t Have To Be Good at Math With Crystina Cardozo – Episode 113
Where did you learn about money? Did you learn how to manage your finances in school or from your parents? If the answer is no, you’re not alone. Millions of people grew up with little to no basic financial knowledge. Whether you learned financial literacy basics through trial and error, books, YouTube videos, or even podcasts, it can be different for future generations. Money no longer has to be a taboo topic. In this episode, math coach Crystina Cardozo shares why you don’t have to be good at math to manage your finances, ways to develop basic financial education skills, and tips for teaching children about money. So, what is financial literacy, and why is it important?
Listen to the episode here:
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What is Financial Literacy?
Financial literacy is the ability to manage your finances and make informed decisions. Financially literate people are aware of their finances, plan for retirement, avoid debt, and invest.
Financial literacy components include financial planning skills like earning, budgeting and saving, paying off debt, investing, and protecting wealth.
When you’re financially literate, you make informed financial decisions, avoid financial mistakes, prepare for emergencies, plan for the future, and achieve your financial goals.
In this episode, we discuss:
- What is financial literacy?
- The importance of financial literacy
- Is financial literacy math?
- Why you don’t have to be good at math to be good at managing your money
- How schools are adopting financial education programs
- Challenges teachers face when implementing financial literacy curriculum in classrooms
- How can we make talking about money less of a taboo topic
- Effective ways to teach children about money and manage their finances
- Tips for having money conversations with kids
Watch the episode here:
Memorable Quotes
- “When you are financially literate, it’s like you have this roadmap, and you know where you’re going.” – Crystina Cardozo
- “You can still do your finances. You can budget. You can learn how to invest. As long as you have an open mindset that you can learn anything, then you’ll be fine without any advanced math skills.” – Crystina Cardozo
- “Some states now require you to take a basic financial literacy class, like an accounting class, stocks class, or entrepreneurship class. One class before graduation is not enough.” – Crystina Cardozo
- “We also have to worry about the support our teachers receive when teaching personal finance in the classroom. I know what it’s like to be thrown into a new class or a different course. The curriculum might be old, or a teacher might be thinking back to when they were budgeting and when they had a checkbook.” – Crystina Cardozo.
When is financial literacy month?
While April is National Financial Literacy month, learning about money management and making smart money decisions all year round is important.
Do you need strong math skills to be financially literate?
No, you don’t need strong math skills to be financially literate. Once you understand financial concepts, you can use calculators, apps, and other tools for calculations. Build your financial literacy basics skills by reading books, listening to podcasts, watching YouTube videos, or taking classes.
Read Next: 15 Black Personal Finance Podcasts Improving Financial Literacy
Tips for having money conversations with your kids?
- Be open to having conversations where you allow your children to ask questions and vice versa.
- Share your mistakes.
- Don’t be ashamed of the financial mistakes you’ve made in the past. It’s a teachable moment.
- Tie an allowance to chores.
- Talk about how much things cost when you’re out shopping.
- Give your kids a chance to practice and make mistakes in your household.
About Crystina Cardozo
Crystina Cardozo is an educator and math specialist who has worked with students from kindergarten to college. Through self-education and making mistakes on her personal finance journey, she equipped herself with financial literacy knowledge and then passed that information down to her children. She is on a mission to educate as many families as possible on how to grow and keep generational wealth.
TikTok: @_learnwithnina_
Instagram: @sherunsthenumbers
Listen to the episode here:
Other Episodes You’ll Enjoy
Homeowners, Better Manage Your Money With These Bank Accounts – Episode 104
How To Organize Your Finances and Pursue Multiple Financial Goals – Episode 92
Danielle Desir Corbett is an award-winning and 6x grant-funded travel writer and podcast host who went from financial struggle to visiting 27+ countries all without waiting until retirement. Her story is proof that budget doesn’t limit adventure. Tune into The Thought Card Podcast for practical strategies to travel smarter and live on your terms. Say hello: thethoughtcard (at) gmail (dot) com.
This episode is a great reminder that financial literacy isn’t about being a math genius—it’s about understanding everyday choices and building confidence over time. The practical, approachable tone makes topics like budgeting, saving, and planning feel much less intimidating. It actually reminded me of learning the mechanics in FNAF, an iconic horror game that delivers a truly tense and suspenseful experience: you don’t need to master everything instantly, just pay attention, recognize patterns, and make thoughtful decisions under pressure. I appreciate how the episode breaks money concepts down into manageable steps instead of making them feel overwhelming. What financial topic would you most like to see explained in a similarly simple way?
Financial literacy can truly change lives, and I’m glad there are more resources out there now.