Our mission is to empower the next generation with the knowledge, skills, and confidence to take control of their money. We believe that by making smart financial choices early, young adults can create a foundation for freedom, opportunity, and a brighter future.
Our Book Will Help You...
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Discover Financial Freedom
Discover how you can stop worrying about money and start living.
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Build Your Dream Life
Use money know-how to create the life you want, whether that's traveling the world, starting your own business, or spending time with your family!
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Master the Money Game
Learn to make money work for you, not against you, with skills like how to budget, save, and invest
Discover how you can stop worrying about money and start living.
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Create a Secure Future
Gain the knowledge that creates a stable and secure future, where you don't need to worry about money!
Master the 'Other' Facts of Life:
Your Journey to Financial Empowerment
Are you ready to take control of your financial future? For most of us, the most important money lessons—how to budget, save, invest, and build a life of freedom—aren't taught in school.
The Other Birds & Bees bridges that gap, transforming essential financial wisdom into an engaging, unforgettable story that will stick with you for life. Financial literacy is a skill, and with this book, you'll learn how to master it, no matter your starting point.
The book follows the journey of Ophelia "Phe" Albright, a relatable teen who, like many of us, starts with little knowledge about money. The story begins with a pivotal conversation with her mom—not that talk, but the other one, about money. This moment kicks off a decades-long journey of learning and growth. We follow Phe from her first part-time job in high school to navigating college applications, from buying her first car to negotiating her first salary, and all the way to her 20th high school reunion, where the powerful long-term effects of her choices become clear.
Through Phe's experiences, and those of her friends Ollie and Cash—who take very different financial paths—you'll see firsthand how small, consistent choices can lead to vastly different outcomes.
What You'll Learn Along the Way
This isn't just a story; it's a practical guide packed with actionable advice. Each chapter unfolds a new stage in Phe's life, revealing invaluable lessons for your own.
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Getting Your Start: Experience the excitement of landing your first job and the shock of seeing taxes and deductions take a bite out of your first paycheck. Follow Phe as she opens her first bank account and learns the fundamentals of checking, saving, and avoiding costly overdraft fees.
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Budgeting and Saving with Purpose: Master the simple but powerful 50/30/20 rule to balance your needs, wants, and savings goals. Learn how to track your spending, build a crucial emergency fund for life's unexpected curveballs , and plan effectively for your first major purchases, like a car.​
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Navigating Major Life Milestones: Get a clear roadmap for planning for college, from choosing a school to understanding the real costs of tuition, financial aid, and student loans. The book provides critical insights on how to invest in your education without accumulating a mountain of debt that can haunt you for decades.
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Building Your Career and Income: Follow Phe as she explores different career paths, crafts a standout resume, and learns to network effectively. One of the most critical lessons is salary negotiation—learn how to research your worth and confidently ask for the compensation you deserve, a skill that can impact your earnings for life.
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Making Your Money Work for You: Unlock the secrets of building good credit and using credit cards as a tool for success, not a trap for debt. Discover the magic of compound interest—what one character calls a "superpower for your savings" —and learn the basics of investing through workplace retirement plans like a
401(k), including the incredible benefit of an employer match (free money!).
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Planning for Your Dream Future: As Phe matures, her goals evolve. Learn alongside her how to set and achieve long-term financial goals, from saving for a wedding to making a down payment on a house and planning for a comfortable retirement.
The Other Birds & Bees is the perfect guide for teens, young adults, and even parents who want to give their children a head start. With practical, easy-to-implement tips and "Amelia's Takeaways" summarizing the key lessons at the end of each chapter, this book will empower you to build a foundation of wealth, make smart choices, and achieve the financial freedom you deserve.
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Reviews
"Inviting guide to money and financial planning, presented as parents’ advice."
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Anxious about giving a young person the money talk—or finding a trusted source to illuminate the basics of personal finance as you step into the world? Try this friendly, straight-talking guide to making good financial habits a part of your daily routine. Kyle and Kyle measure up to their promise to teach the “financial facts of life”—the simple personal-finance facts that can spell the difference between financial success and failure.
The authors, each with in-depth business backgrounds, make a persuasive case not just that healthy financial habits are vital for long-term success and peace, but that, contrary to expectations, they can be easy to develop and maintain. The trick, they note, is to make such habits a systematic part of one’s lifestyle.
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Targeted to readers serious about improving their finances and making the disciplined choices that lead to the accumulation of real, long-term wealth, The Other Birds & Bees demonstrates that the first step is to change habits and attitudes.
The authors pen much of the book in narrative form, gently dramatizing parent-child discussions about key financial decisions, like whether to lease a car, how to pay for college, and budgeting and investing. The guidance here is sound, sometimes familiar, but presented with fresh insight, a loving parent’s enthusiasm, and up-to-date facts.
Among other urgent topics, the authors urge readers to understand compound interest, how credit cards work, the importance of building equity, and what insurance and “emergency” funds are for. (Bulleted breakdowns of their guidance drive the points home outside of the narrative passages.)
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The authors avoid get-rich-quick nonsense, advising readers to avoid financial products that they are not comfortable with or have difficulty understanding, no matter how much of a return is promised. Their refreshingly plainspoken jargon-free style helps to reduce financial intimidation, but references to their website, courses, and portfolio review add the feeling of a sales pitch to an otherwise helpful handbook.
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​Cover: A- | Design & Typography: A | Editing: A | Marketing Copy: A-
With the rising cost of living and inflation, nurturing financial literacy among young adults has never been more important. With The Other Birds & Bees, authors Scott G. Kyle and Victoria Lakers Kyle present an enlightening book that covers all the fundamentals of financial literacy, enabling you to begin your own journey toward financial freedom. The narrative follows San Diego native Ophelia "Phe" Catherine Albright, from her early teens to her years in the real world as an adult. Along the way, Phe learns about building a strong foundation for financial freedom. From her first job at an ice cream shop, Phe practised saving, while her parents taught her about paychecks, budgeting, and banking. She also carefully planned her higher education and received vital tips for resumes, job interviews, compound interest, investments, and more.
The Other Birds & Bees is a must-read for young adults and even older readers who struggle to manage their finances effectively. Authors Scott G. Kyle and Victoria Lakers Kyle have created a comprehensive roadmap to financial freedom, presented in the form of an engaging story that follows the financial journey of a young teenager to adulthood. The lessons and insights embedded in the story are not only practical but also immensely effective in real life. By the end of the book, you will have a firm grasp of the basics of financial management, including savings, budgeting, investments, banking, etc. If you're a youngster about to face the real world on your own, this is the book for you. I will even recommend it to adults who feel they need a few lessons in financial management themselves. Highly recommended.
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Pikasho Deka
The Other Birds and Bees by Scott G. Kyle and Victoria Lakers Kyle is an inspiring tale that follows Ophelia (Phe) Albright, a young girl who embarks on her financial journey at an early age with the support of her parents. This guidance significantly alters her life trajectory as she learns the importance of maintaining a steady income, saving using the 50/30/20 rule, creating budgets, investing, and setting financial goals. At fifteen, Phe gets her first job at an ice cream shop and begins saving for her first car. As she prepares for college, she considers her passions, the cost of student loans, and the importance of securing scholarships. Phe begins her career after careful searching, finding a job that aligns with her values and dreams, and negotiating a suitable salary. As an adult, she moves into her first apartment and starts a new relationship. While enjoying her newfound independence, she applies the lessons her mother instilled in her, such as planning for retirement, having a diverse investment portfolio and multiple income sources, and building a good credit score to afford a comfortable home and other financial benefits.
The Other Birds and Bees is an informative and engaging story that will set readers on a well-informed financial path. It explores themes of discipline, work ethic, and the necessity of living within one’s means. The book addresses the tough decisions necessary to achieve the lifestyle one desires, emphasizing the importance of being prepared with emergency funds and insurance. Scott G. Kyle and Victoria Lakers Kyle's storytelling effectively highlights the negative impact that extravagant lifestyles portrayed on social media can have on young people, as well as the dangers of credit cards. Phe is not a perfect person; she has moments of weakness. Through friends like Ollie and Cash, she saw firsthand the consequences of not being financially disciplined. The support of her parents plays a crucial role in her journey toward success, reminding parents, guardians, and educators of the importance of being supportive mentors. This book includes tables, graphs, and chapter summaries that help clarify the concepts being discussed. Overall, it is a valuable read filled with practical lessons on achieving financial independence, avoiding the pitfalls of debt, and finding a career that aligns with one’s goals and values.
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Doreen Chombu
The Other Birds & Bees: The Financial Facts of Life by Scott G. Kyle and Victoria Lakers Kyle is an engaging guide to financial literacy, tailored for young adults and teens. The book offers practical advice on managing money, making informed financial decisions, and building a secure future. Through simple storytelling and clear explanations, the authors break down complex financial concepts into digestible lessons. The narrative follows Ophelia, a teenager navigating her journey into adulthood, as she learns about budgeting, saving, investing, and credit management. Her conversations with her mother serve as a framework for the book’s lessons, so the content is easy to follow. The inclusion of charts, examples, and summaries at the end of each chapter reinforces key points.
The book addresses real-world challenges, such as lifestyle inflation, student loans, and the temptation to overspend. By presenting these issues in Ophelia's story, Scott G. Kyle and Victoria Lakers Kyle make them relatable to teens and young adults and provide practical solutions. The glossary at the end is a helpful resource for those unfamiliar with financial terminology. While the book is primarily aimed at young adults, its lessons are valuable for anyone looking to improve their financial literacy. The conversational tone and storytelling approach make it an enjoyable read, even for those who might find financial topics intimidating. The Other Birds & Bees is an empowering guide that equips readers with the tools they need to take control of their financial future. It encourages proactive decision-making and emphasizes the long-term benefits of financial planning. This is the ideal book for a teenager about to embark on their first job, and it's perfect for high school grads going off to college.
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Carol Thompson
When Ophelia was thirteen years old, her parents made sure she chipped in for her sports and other activities with the money she made from her babysitting job. Her mother realized that no financial education was provided at her school, so when Ophelia turned fifteen, her mother called her to discuss learning the basics of financial management. Ophelia learns about the importance of financial management and the freedom that comes from it. This prompts her to consider getting a job. After getting her first job, Ophelia learns about other charges and deductions, and also how banking works. Her mother also teaches her about budgeting and the 50/30/20 rule. At sixteen, Ophelia has already learned a lot, and with the help of her parents, she gets her first car. She is also learning about career assessment and college debts, which would affect her future endeavors.
Find out more in The Other Birds & Bees by Scott G. Kyle and Victoria Lakers Kyle.The Other Birds & Bees by Scott G. Kyle and Victoria Lakers Kyle correctly points out the gap in the current education system, as students are not taught about the financial skills they need to navigate the real world. I loved the emphasis on parents teaching their children these skills as early as possible. This ensures their children grow up to be responsible adults. The analogies used make the work interesting and effective in passing on the intended message. Scott and Victoria also provide other online resources that can be used for further reading. The narrative was excellent, and the reader will also appreciate the easy-to-understand language used, which makes the work accessible to all audiences. This was a very informative read, and I look forward to reading something else by these authors.
Frank Mutuma
Financial literacy remains a grey area to many. To remedy this, Scott G. Kyle and Victoria Lakers Kyle innovatively approach the topic with The Other Birds and Bees. Most Americans struggle from paycheck to paycheck, but this need not be so. The authors point out that life is about choices, but with the right skills and planning, financial freedom can be achieved. The key is cultivating good habits from an early age, starting with small and consistent choices. The lesson unfolds through the experiences of Ophelia (“Phe”) and follows her from the 9th grade to the 20th anniversary of her high school graduation. It opens with advice from her mother about money matters to ease her transition to adulthood and avoid the mistakes of her peers. Facts on budgeting and savings while still a teenager are followed by a longer-term view, spanning car ownership, college, employment, home ownership, relationships, and retirement. Priorities will naturally vary with age. Other topics include choosing a college, job applications, preparing for interviews, career management, goal setting, planning, buying a house, and marriage. Short-term consumption must be weighed up against long-term stability. Issues such as lifestyle choices, social pressures, and aspirations must be confronted, and excessive credit avoided. Tax, bank accounts, debit cards, ATMs, investing, and compound interest are also described. An important concept is to budget for needs, wants, and savings in the ratio of 50/30/20.
The Other Birds and Bees is informative and entertaining in a relatable way that can be readily grasped by the younger generation, but parents could also benefit from the many practical tips. Scott G. Kyle and Victoria Lakers Kyle use their substantial financial expertise to educate readers about the financial facts of life. They point out that the high cost of living and the need to save for retirement affect most households, emphasizing the importance of early planning. The impact of the 2008 financial crisis resulted in savings being eroded, making the need for emergency reserves even more pressing. Young people should value their jobs and build a positive work ethic, good habits, and trust. The writing style is clear and conversational, in keeping with the theme of parent-to-child dialogue, but provides a perfect background for conveying important concepts that go much further than financial savvy. Each chapter ends with a summary. The tables with comparative costs are particularly informative and provide useful guidance, as does the glossary. Life is about balance, choices, and taking responsibility. This book will instill financial awareness in both young and old and will engender a healthy attitude toward both money and life in a broader context. It is an excellent publication and is highly recommended.
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Leonard Smuts