Although more people recognize that there is a retirement savings crisis in the U.S., many don’t know how to educate people about what it means to save for their future. Casual video games, cartoons and mobile phone apps are the newest ways companies and nonprofits are trying to reach people with financial education. Here are three of the most popular (and innovative) examples.

Kicking around the financial football

(Image courtesy Visa Inc.)

Visa Inc. has been developing financial literacy programs for all age groups since 1995, using unique means to reach people in ways that they learn best. The company relaunched its Financial Football and Financial Soccer games in 2010 because it wanted to bring financial information to people through things they are passionate about, like professional sports and video games.

“We’re not trying to be trendy. Learning about money management is perennially painful for people. It is scary or they have guilt because they are not doing well enough,” said Jason Alderman, senior director of financial education for Visa Inc. “It is very hard to get people to engage, but the fundamentals haven’t changed in eons. Budgeting, saving, responsible spending and the good use of credit, those principals are already in place. The challenge is how to make it compelling. How do you take this scary subject and demystify it and make it easy to access.”