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Importance of Financial Literacy
Becoming Financially Literate
The first step in becoming financially literate means building a foundation around what financial literacy really is. After this chapter, you’ll be able to understand what it means to be financially literate, your relationship to your finances, and what it means to be a financial role model.
Money Mindsets
Making Money Decisions
A money mindset includes all the things associated with how someone thinks about saving and spending money. This chapter will explore the principles related to consumer behavior and decision making, along with consumer fraud.
Banking
Introducing Banking
Banks function as an important part of society. After this chapter, you’ll be able to explain the core function of a bank, the services that a typical bank offers, and considerations for choosing the right bank and staying responsible in times of financial flux.
Investigating Checking Accounts
A checking account is one of the most common places you can store your money. After this chapter, you’ll be able to explain what checking accounts are, the types of checking accounts that exist, and how to open a checking account.
Leveraging Savings Accounts
Savings accounts are a great tool for helping you reach your financial goals. After this chapter, you’ll be able to explain the purpose of a savings account and the considerations for finding the right savings account for you.
Budgeting
Exploring Budgeting Basics
Budgets are a powerful tool to help you reach your financial goals. After this chapter, you’ll be able to explain what a budget is, how to set budgeting goals, and the steps needed before you start building a budget.
Building a Budget
Creating your budget is an important step towards being able to manage money over time. After this chapter, you’ll be able to explain how to develop a budget strategy and create a budget that factors in emergencies, changes, and philanthropy.
Managing a Budget
Creating your budget is an important step towards being able to manage money over time. After this chapter, you’ll be able to explain how to develop a budget strategy and create a budget that factors in emergencies, changes, and philanthropy.
Saving
Saving Money
Saving money is a key aspect of setting yourself up to achieve financial goals. After this chapter, you’ll be able to explain the basics of saving money and how to protect your finances long term.
Preparing for Emergencies
Having a fund to lean on when something unexpected happens is important to reducing stress and having to take on extra debt. After this chapter, you’ll be able to explain what it means to be prepared for an emergency, how to build an emergency fund, and how to manage your fund over time.
Saving for the Long Term
Achieving long term financial goals requires you to use a variety of tools. After this chapter, you’ll be able to use long-term saving strategies to help you reach your financial goals.
Credit
Basics of Credit
Credit can unlock tons of financial opportunities for you, but it’s important that you use credit responsibly. After this chapter, you’ll be able to explain the different types of credit and how to use credit responsibly.
Opening and Using Credit Cards
Opening a credit card is a big step in taking ownership of your credit. After this chapter, you’ll be able to prepare to open your first credit card, navigate the process for opening a credit card, and manage a credit card.
Using Loans and Lines of Credit
Applying for a loan can be an intimidating process if you aren’t prepared for what to expect. After this chapter, you’ll be able to navigate the process of obtaining common types of loans, including car loans and mortgages.
Investing
Investing Basics
Investing is an exciting opportunity for you to build wealth, but there’s a lot to know to get started. After this chapter, you’ll be able to navigate key terminology of investing, risk factors and interest rates, tax advantaged investments, and how to get investment advice.
Building a Balanced Portfolio
When you have a portfolio that’s balanced, you can spread out your investment risks. After this chapter, you’ll be able to navigate the investing world, diversifying portfolios, and rates of return.
Exploring Investment Markets
Investment markets are where the action happens when it comes to buying and selling assets. After this chapter, you’ll be able to navigate investment markets, find accurate information to inform your investment decisions, and explain the resources for reporting illegal trading practices.
Career Planning
Earning Wages
Earning money is exciting, but so is finding a career you’re truly passionate about. After this chapter, you’ll be able to consider different career paths and how to create career plans.
Advancing and Changing Careers
As you move through your career, you’ll likely get promoted, leave jobs, or switch careers entirely. After this chapter, you’ll be able to navigate pursuing additional training or education, choosing a career and the implications this has on wages, and riding the wave of economic cycles.
Build a Side Hustle
You might find that you’re interested in exploring a side hustle in addition to school or your day job. After this chapter, you’ll be able to explain how you can earn passive income, create your own business plans, and take initial steps to form a business.
Paying for College
Preparing for College
Paying for college is expensive, but there are plenty of systems in place to help you cover costs. After this chapter, you’ll be able to prepare for college costs, find financial resources, and understand the true costs associated with paying for college.
Applying for Student Loans
Applying for student loans may be a new process for you to navigate. After this chapter, you’ll be able to explain what student loans are, what it means to borrow money responsibly, and the process for responsibly paying back a loan.
Managing Financial Aid
Federal student aid is one of the most common support systems for applying for loans. After this chapter, you’ll be able to explain what financial aid is and how you can use the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) to obtain financial aid.
Insurance
Understanding Insurance
Insurance is a complex topic filled with important definitions. After this chapter, you’ll be able to explain key insurance terms and determine if and when you should purchase insurance.
Auto Insurance
Having auto liability insurance is an important protection for you in the event that the unexpected happens on the road. After completing this chapter, you’ll be able to articulate how maintaining auto liability insurance helps to protect you and other drivers from the cost of damage and injury.
Home and Renters Insurance
Whether you own a home or rent the place you live, insurance is important to have. After this chapter, you’ll be able to explain what homeowners and renters insurance are, why they’re important, and how to go about getting and maintaining a homeowners or renters insurance policy.
Taxes
Understanding Taxes
The government collects and then uses taxes to benefit society. After this chapter, you’ll be able to explain why you pay taxes, how they’re typically paid, and the programs your taxes fund.
Filing Taxes
There are a few key items to stay mindful of to help you prepare for filing your taxes. After this chapter, you’ll be able to explain concepts relating to W-4 forms, income taxes, and sales taxes.
Completing a 1040
Filing your taxes can feel like a scary process, but with the right understanding and tools, it can be easy. After this chapter, you’ll be able to file a federal and state tax return, and steps you can take to reduce your tax payments.
Economics
Understanding Supply, Demand, and Inflation
Economics focuses on a few key concepts. After this chapter, you’ll be able to explain the basics of supply, demand, and inflation.
Exploring Economic Cycles
It’s likely that you’ll experience an economic cycle or two over the course of your lifetime. After this activity, you’ll be able to explain how to save money during times of inflation and strategies to prepare for economic flux.
Conclusion
Completing the Program
Economics focuses on a few key concepts. After this chapter, you’ll be able to explain the basics of supply, demand, and inflation.
