Recent years of tough economic times have increased awareness of the need for financial knowledge. Extension advisory groups and county surveys have identified financial life skills as essential for youth, but lacking for many young people. Parents and teachers request classes on this topic.  Greek philosopher Plato believed that “a good decision is based on knowledge’.  The Kenton County Cooperative Extension Service 4-H Youth Development program in conjunction with community partners offered three different programs to help youth increase their financial knowledge and develop good fiscal habits. Nearly 540 elementary and middle school youth participated in 4-H hands-on lessons in Spend, Save or Share, 4-H Money Sen$e, or Consumer Savvy.   In these programs youth learned an economic decision making process, comparison shopping or finding price per unit. Each participant put their knowledge to practice during the project to purchase a consumer product.   Each youth wrote a narrative and then created a poster explaining their decisions. Two hundred sixteen posters were submitted for county fair judging.   Evaluation took the form of written narratives and record books. Youth expressed how much they learned about spending money wisely by making informed decisions. One youth said “I can use the information that I learned about the six-step decision making process in many areas of my life.”  Most youth said they learned to spend money wisely and comparison shop. Teachers testify to the impact of 4-H consumer programs. “This curriculum helps prepare students for standardized testing.”  “I really feel like the 4-H program is what made my students proficient in economics.” “The hands-on real life experiences were great for the kids, and always kept the students engaged and interested.”   These youth have learned how to wisely handle their financial resources and make informed consumer decisions now and for the future.