Fjárhúsið

How does money work?

Learn about money, step by step

Kibba: Nice to see you in Fjárhúsið! Everyone starts as a lamb. Choose the level that suits you and take the test; with every test you pass, you grow.

Recommended for ages 8–16. Read the cards, play “Save up for the bike” and take the test whenever you like.

Test: Lamb

Ten questions about the level's topics. Eight right answers is enough, and you can try as many times as you like.

Saving up for something

Kibba: Saving means keeping money now so you can buy something bigger later. It helps to know what the thing costs and how much you put aside each week. But watch out: money in a piggy bank buys a little less every year when prices go up.

10,000 kr. kept in a piggy bank for one year buys as much as this does today:
ISK 9,443
Worked out with inflation over the last 12 months, 5.9% (Oct 2026). Source: Statistics Iceland (Hagstofa Íslands).
🤔 Guess: a bike costs 30,000 kr. and you put 2,000 kr. aside each week. How many weeks does it take to save up for it?

15 weeks, because 30,000 divided by 2,000 is 15. If the bike gets more expensive in the meantime, it takes a little longer. (Made-up example.)

Next: Prices go up

Prices go up

Kibba: Most things cost a little more this year than last year. This is called inflation. It means the same money buys a little less than before. Statistics Iceland (Hagstofa Íslands) measures this every month.

An ice cream that cost 500 kr. five years ago, if its price went up like prices in general:
ISK 685
Consumer price index, Oct 2021 to Oct 2026. Source: Statistics Iceland (Hagstofa Íslands). The ice cream is a made-up example.
🤔 Guess: if all prices go up by 6% in one year, what does a 1,000 kr. thing cost after that year?

About 1,060 kr. Six percent means 6 krónur out of every 100, so 60 kr. is added to 1,000 kr.

Next: Banks and interest

Banks and interest

Kibba: A bank keeps your money in a safe place. In a savings account, the bank pays you interest for keeping it, so the amount slowly grows. The Central Bank sets the policy rate, which affects all other interest rates.

Policy rate of the Central Bank of Iceland:
8.0%
As of Sep 2026. The banks set their own interest rates on savings accounts, and these are different from the policy rate.
🤔 Guess: you have 10,000 kr. in an account with 5% interest a year. How much do you have after one year?

10,500 kr. Five percent of 10,000 kr. is 500 kr. (Made-up example.)

Next: Life in Iceland

More cards on the way

  • What is money? Coming soon.
  • Needs and wants Coming soon.
  • Buying things in games Coming soon.
  • Scams online Coming soon.
  • Debit cards, credit cards and your phone Coming soon.

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