From credit cards to buy now, pay later to cryptocurrency, the way we manage our money has changed a lot over the past 30 years. Longtime personal finance journalist and New York Times bestselling author Beth Kobliner joined us as the keynote speaker at our Back to School Virtual Conference on Saturday, August 22 to discuss today's money realities. Read on for highlights from her talk.

In her book Get a Financial Life, Kobliner describes the challenges young adults face, including the job market, the role of AI, sports gambling, and more. The stark contrast shows how it was in 1996, when first-time homebuyers were 28, compared with 40 today.

One of the bigger concepts covered was “frictionless finance,” where methods like tap to pay or card can cause consumers to avoid feeling the “pain of paying.”

This has led to the decline of cash, and while it is less sustainable to only carry cash, it is good to pay with cash sometimes. The downside of that is it leads to overspending due to a lack of awareness.

Kobliner also discussed the use of social media and how to read an influencer’s true intention, the difference between banks and fintech apps, and how to build your wealth slowly.

Whether it’s investing $1,000 annually or taking advantage of your 401k, she states, "Saying no to a 401k or 403b with matching is giving away free money.” This prolonged approach allows young adults to avoid riskier routes.

Overall, Kobliner wants young adults to have a healthy level of skepticism and restraint from “fast money."

Personal finance is something that should be taught with real anecdotes and consequences to break down the concept. By focusing on what fundamentals young people can control, she emphasized building wealth patiently while questioning the financial world around them.

Watch the keynote session below and head to the Virtual Conference page to access more resources from the 2026 Back to School conference.

Many thanks to the 567 teachers from all 50 states who joined us for so many great conversations that will continue beyond the conference.

About the Author

Zach Mann

Zach recently graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a degree in Sociology. Zach is a Communications Intern for NGPF, assisting with content creation for NGPF's various platforms. He enjoys contributing to communications that support a mission with a tangible impact.

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