Q: Lately, I've been hearing horror stories about how credit card companies prey on college students, who then end up racking up thousands in debt. My daughter will be heading off to college in a couple of years, and I'm starting to worry. What can I do prevent her from falling into this trap?

A: NH Jump$tart is a great resource specifically dedicated to improving the personal financial literacy of kids in the Granite State. A statewide, all volunteer (full disclosure: I’m one), non-profit association, NH Jump$tart promotes this worthy cause through a variety of free and low-cost programs and resources aimed at students, parents, and teachers.

The National Jumpstart Clearinghouse is a great place to start. There you can order a free student workbook entitled “40 Money Management Tips Every College Freshman Should Know.” You’ll also find “A Young Person's Guide to Managing Money,” “Avoiding Credit and Charge Card Fraud ,” and “101 Financial Lessons.”

Next, you might talk to your daughter’s teacher about bringing a financial professional from the NH Jump$tart Speakers Bureau into the classroom to speak on one of many important subjects, from credit cards and debt management, to checking accounts and financial planning.

There’s also LifeSmarts, a game-show-like competition designed to make it fun for high schoolers to learn about crucial “real life” topics such as Personal Finance, Health and Safety, Environment, Technology, and Consumer Rights and Responsibilities. This year’s LifeSmarts competition was held this past Monday, March 14, with students from the Sullivan County 4-H team emerging as state champions and winning a trip to San Francisco for the national competition. Now there’s something to get a kid excited about personal finance!