Financial education is a must. So many people miss out on opportunities, splurge when they could build for the future, etc.

When I was a young programmer (nearly 30 years ago), a retirement-age colleague took me aside and told me that if I paid the maximum into my retirement plan (401k) and didn't use it as an ATM, when the time came to retire I would be very pleased with the result.

I'm not at that point yet, but I still have about a decade to go. If nothing extraordinary happens, my friend's advice will have been very good. The market has gone down, it has gone up, but always on an upward trajectory.

It's a crime that kids aren't taught this and other basic financial tenets from the very first grades.