The current trend in Kentucky is that we, as a state, trail other states in the area of household income indicators. These include personal income, population living below the poverty line, unemployment, and revolving debt loads. As 4-H Agents, it is our responsibility to provide today’s youth with tools and information that can be helpful to them in the future. To support the idea of financial stability in the future, we conducted a one-day program entitled Reality Store. This event allowed 800 McCracken County middle & high school students the opportunity to experience financial responsibility first hand. Each participant is given an allotment of money for the month, and is required to spend their money responsibly in order to survive. As participants purchase items such as homes, automobiles, child care, health insurance, and utilities, they are confronted with the “reality” of money management. My goal was to stress the importance of saving funds. This is a skill they can actively utilize at this stage in their lives. The purpose of events, such as this, is to create paradigm shift within the state of Kentucky in the future. Healthy spending habits begin early in life, and this experience exposed them to the benefits of spending wisely. It is also a goal for the youth to share some of the tips learned with their parents. The seed was planted and it is our responsibility to cultivate it in the years to come. This can be done by other programs in the area of personal income and financial stability.