There have been plenty of sites introduced in recent years designed to be the go-to place for young adults to learn about money matters. Anyone remember FiLife?
Well today I took a tour of getcurrency.com, a new site from American Express and online content provider Federated Media that was created to provide personal finance content and an online social space for twenty-somethings.
Todd Pruzan, editor of Currency, said the site was designed for emerging adults who have less of an understanding of personal finance because of the lack of personal finance education in schools. These adults are coming of age "at a time when the economy hasn't been worse," Pruzan said. And parents aren't always "equipped to help," said Currency contributor and personal finance author Manisha Thakor.
The site aims to have an approachable, money-isn't-scary vibe.
Users can earn stars for reading posts and taking courses. Currency paired with FourSquare to develop a game called "Social Currency," which allows users to share their experiences and purchases with friends. Just netted a great bargain at the store? Share it! Have a friend who just blew a wad of dough on a frivolous item. Comment away!
Now I'm all for great personal finance content, especially for the twenty-something set, which tends to be ignored by the financial services industry. But I'll be watching closely to see how the site writes about credit cards and other products that obviously benefit American Express.
