Abstract

This study examined how effective the Budget Buddy program is in improving the financial literacy of Grade 6 students at Bagong Silangan Elementary School. Financial literacy helps individuals make wise decisions about budgeting, saving, and spending. In the Philippines, students often lack structured financial education, which hinders early development of good financial habits. The Budget Buddy program addresses this gap by using reflective activities, practical tasks, and real-life situations to enhance students’ financial skills. The study used a true experimental design involving 200 Grade 6 students chosen through stratified sampling. Students were split into an experimental group using the Budget Buddy program and a control group using traditional teaching methods. A 20-item pretest and posttest measured financial literacy, along with a researcher-made survey on student perceptions. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics (mean, percentage, standard deviation) and inferential tests such as the Shapiro–Wilk, Wilcoxon Signed-Rank, and Mann–Whitney U tests to determine differences within and between groups. Results showed that 62% of students were from low-income households, emphasizing the need for school-based financial education. Pretest scores indicated low financial literacy, but posttest results improved to the proficient level in both groups. A significant improvement was seen within the experimental group (p = 0.00221), though no difference appeared between groups (p = 0.4593). Most students found the Budget Buddy program very effective—85% rated it highly, and 83% said real-life activities improved their understanding. Reflection and money management tasks were well-rated (M = 3.34), while worksheets scored lower (76%), showing a preference for hands-on learning. The Budget Buddy program was associated with significant improvement within the experimental group, but the absence of a significant difference between the experimental and control groups limits claims that it was superior to conventional instruction for Grade 6 learners. Consistent with Amirtha’s (2024) emphasis on financial literacy for long-term planning, the study recommends continued refinement, implementation in other grade levels, and further evaluation using comparative outcomes.