Financial Literacy and Personal Savings Habits of Grade 9 Students: Basis for Developing a School-Based Financial Literacy Program

Financial literacy is an essential competency that enables adolescents to make informed financial decisions and develop responsible saving practices. However, students may experience difficulties in applying financial knowledge to everyday money management, particularly in digital financial transactions and systematic savings monitoring. This study determined the level of financial literacy and personal savings habits among Grade 9 students of Golden Acres National High School during School Year 2026–2027. It also examined differences in these variables according to selected respondent characteristics and determined the relationship between financial literacy and personal savings habits. Using a quantitative descriptive-correlational research design, the study involved 260 Grade 9 students. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent-samples t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, and Pearson product-moment correlation. The findings revealed that respondents had a high level of financial literacy, with money and budgeting obtaining the highest rating and banking and digital finance the lowest. Their personal savings habits were generally practiced often, with saving regularity ranking highest and record-keeping and monitoring lowest. Financial literacy and personal savings habits differed significantly according to weekly allowance but not according to age, sex, primary source of allowance, or personal savings mechanism. Moreover, financial literacy had a strong, positive, and statistically significant relationship with personal savings habits. These findings provide an empirical basis for strengthening financial education through practical and inclusive learning experiences. Accordingly, Project IPON-WISE, a school-based financial literacy program with five components, namely curriculum integration, money journaling, a school-based saving arrangement, digital financial safety, and family participation, was proposed together with a monitoring and evaluation plan and a realistic budget. The proposed program may guide school-level initiatives to strengthen students’ financial knowledge and encourage responsible money-management practices.