financial literacy curriculum

Understanding the difference between needs and wants is vital to financial wellness. 

Good financial decisions start by being able to distinguish between what is necessary vs. what is nice to have.  

The ability to identify and set short, intermediate and long-term financial goals is a valuable forward-thinking skill. 

So too is creating a timeline and a step-by-step plan order to get there.  

Self-control and the ability to delay gratification is crucial for financial wellness. 

Understanding rational vs. emotional decision-making will prove beneficial for both our bank account and for life. 

Your value will never be in what you own, what you wear, what you drive. 

Spending your money based on what other people think or have is an expensive habit to maintain. Many people have gone and stayed broke that way.  

Here we try to understanding the general connection between salary, lifetime earnings and education level. 

Learn to evaluate a pay stub and about gross vs. net earnings as well as different types of taxes and deductions.  

Living within our means is fundamental. 

A reality check of the types of expenses that come with adulthood, we use a virtual net income to learn to manage a list of living expenses to better understand the cost of living and how to balance a monthly budget.  

The benefits of learning a habit of savings from a young age are many. 

Here we learn practical ways to save money and the habits good savers have in common. 

Real life is about the ability to react to the unexpected. 

What happens to our budget when an unexpected expense comes our way? What takes priority? What trade-offs do we make, and how?  

Debt has become an American epidemic. Understanding how credit works, the basics of borrowing money and how interest rates work is critical. 

We look at the true cost of using credit cards, good vs. bad debt and how a credit rating is your financial report card with long-term implications, not easily fixed. 

What is insurance and why do we need it? 

We discuss the concept of risk and protecting oneself from catastrophic losses, different types of insurance, premiums, deductibles, coverage and claims. 

When purchasing anything, it helps to be able to distinguish the marketing pitch from the real facts. 

Understanding how to research and evaluate options, the importance of scrutinizing the fine-print and understanding consequences is key. 

Though a world away, introducing the concept, length and cost of retirement early is helpful. 

We will introduce students to their future self: someone who will depend heavily on the value of the financial decisions made early in life. 

More important than how much someone invests is how early they start. 

The magic of compounding and the fifty years ahead can make a millionaire out of anyone who consistently contributes to a retirement account. Motivating charts provide the evidence.   

Beyond saving, investing helps our money grow. 

Here we introduce basics of the stock market and define basic types of investments, and concepts of risk and diversification. 

Students learn to research basic stock information and create a virtual stock portfolio.

Financial independence, living within our means and working towards financial goals all bring with it a long-term confidence, success and well-being that goes far beyond financial health.