Being an emerging adult can be really tricky to navigate. No one’s telling you what to do anymore, you can choose where you steer your own future, and now you have to pay your own bills! Ugh, forgot about that last one. A lot of people are pushing off living independently, having a stable job, and starting a family because college, rent, and even food are getting a lot more expensive. Managing finances and planning for your future can be difficult, especially when you feel new to this whole “adulting” thing. But, the reality for some emerging adults is that they don’t have a choice. Emerging adults from low-income families often not only have to pay their own way but even help provide for their family.1

Scholars have found, on average, that men have higher financial literacy than women.1 Financial literacy is defined as “knowledge and understanding of financial concepts and risks, and the skills, motivation and confidence to apply such knowledge and understanding in order to make effective decisions across a range of financial contexts to improve the financial well-being of individuals and society.”1 Financial literacy is vital because all people, male and female, have to make complex financial decisions such as investing, retiring, and financing.

In Anaïs Mitchell’s Hadestown, Orpheus sings “wait for me” as he ventures to the underworld to save his wife Eurydice. After Orpheus proves his undying love for her in song, the ruler of the underworld (Hades) decides to let Eurydice go—on one condition. Orpheus must take her back to the world above without looking behind his shoulder to make sure she is following. Just before reaching the living world, Orpheus’ deceives himself and doubts that Eurydice would want to follow someone as imperfect as him. He turns around, essentially betraying Eurydice and condemning her to the underworld forever.

Ever felt overwhelmed or stressed about finances? You are not alone! 82% of emerging adults (aged 18-25) report feeling stressed about finances.1 At the same time, many individuals believe they need to save a certain amount of money or achieve certain financial goals before getting married. Researchers call this belief a “financial barrier belief.” This may look like a goal to save 10k or to be debt free before marriage. 91% of emerging adults believe financial independence before marriage is essential.1

Have you ever noticed how two families with similar incomes can feel completely different about their financial situation? Research suggests that it is not always actual income that shapes family life. Sometimes, what matters most is how parents perceive their financial situation. A recent study by Van Petegem and colleagues explored how parents’ perceptions of economic inequality and financial scarcity relate to their involvement in their children’s schooling.¹

What if one of the best ways to teach young people about money is simply to let them use it? When we think about financial education, we often picture budgeting worksheets, classroom lessons, or conversations about saving and spending. But learning about money is a lot like learning to drive. Reading the manual helps, but eventually you need to get behind the wheel. A recent study examined what happened when teenagers received $50 per week in unconditional cash for 10 months. Researchers found that having money to manage gave young people opportunities to practice financial decision-making, reflect on their goals, support their families, and learn lessons that traditional financial education alone may not provide.¹

Have you ever wondered why some families seem happy and connected regardless of their income, while others struggle despite having plenty of financial resources? Some people assume that more money automatically leads to happier families, but reality is more complicated than that. While financial stability can certainly reduce stress and provide opportunities, researchers have found that money alone does not determine family well-being. Instead, what parents do with the resources they have and how they interact with their children may matter just as much, if not more.

Ever notice how some couples seem ready to get married long before they actually do? They may be deeply committed, have dated for years, and talk openly about their future together. Yet they continue waiting. Why?

How do you define cheating in romantic relationships? Cheating is not always easy to define because it includes both observable behaviors and subjective interpretations. Constructs are ideas or theories that help us measure abstract experiences like trust, jealousy, or honesty. So, scientists developed the concept of cheating to help us better measure, predict, and understand its effects across many aspects of life, including romantic relationships. You probably have heard of some defined behaviors that go with cheating and are metrics to validate cheating accusations in relationships or school. But how does one define financial cheating? In this article, I’ll build foundational principles around financial cheating concepts and examine how academics create scales to measure these subjective, abstract aspects of being human.