On July 29, 2026, students from the John A. Holmes High School chapter in North Carolina brought BFF of America’s financial lessons to their community with a workshop built around some of the most useful questions in personal finance: is this a need or a want?

Two student presenters led the session in a meeting room, as they walked students through a slideshow on needs versus wants, how to tell the difference, and making smart spending choices. The foundational ideas were simple and understandable. Needs are what you must have to live safely and stay healthy, like food, water, housing, clothing, and healthcare. Wants are nice to have but not necessary, like video games, designer clothes, eating out, or the newest phone. The takeaway from the lesson was to pay for your needs first, and save up for your wants so you can enjoy them later without hurting your budget. The slides also introduced the 50/30/20 rule as a simple way to split income between needs, wants, and savings.

Workshops like these show what makes BFF different from other sources of financial education: students teaching their own communities in simple language, using examples people might actually run into. If you want to bring a BFF workshop to your school, library, or community group, or start a chapter of your own, contact us.