A Teenager’s So-Called Financial Life

The economic downturn is making life harder than usual for teenagers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics the unemployment rate among teens is 21.7 percent ? the highest rate in nearly 20 years. And these aren’t just kids looking for iPod money. There are young people across the socioeconomic spectrum who are hoping to put themselves through school, or to pitch in at home. Joining us to explain what it means to have so many jobless teens is Beth Kobliner. She is a personal finance expert and author of The New York Times best-seller Get a Financial Life.