Course Content

Keys to Financial Success focuses on five themes which an individual needs for obtaining a secure financial future. What this course examines is a complete financial picture by unlocking the pieces necessary to make informed and responsible choices and decisions. The five themes consist of:

• Goals and Decision Making,
• Career Research and Planning,
• Money Management for Budgeting, Banking Services, Savings and Investing plus Credit,
• Consumer Skills (emphasizing Housing and Transportation)
• Risk Protection

THEME II: Career Research and Planning
What do you mean I have to earn a living? Are you telling me I have to keep going to school or continue learning in order to succeed?

THEME III: Money Management
Why do I need to have long range goals for my spending and saving? What trade-offs must I make because my income is less than I need to get me everything I want? Why would I need a checking account? How much risk can I afford with my savings? Why do I have to worry about my credit rating?

THEME IV: Consumer Skills
What are expenses related to becoming independent and living on my own? When furnishing an apartment, what do I want and can I afford "new" everything? How will I ever save enough to qualify for a down payment and a mortgage? Why can't I have a house like my parents have as soon as I graduate? Does my credit rating have anything to do with my ability to get a mortgage?

How much can I afford to pay for a car? Is the car the only expense I have? What factors will determine how much I have to pay for insurance? How do I get the best deal on car insurance? What are the costs associated with maintenance and repair? What would a typical week's gasoline bill be like? Will I need a part-time job to have this car?

THEME V: Risk Protection
What are my rights when dealing with businesses that use illegal practices? What do I do about errors on my credit card bills? How can I prevent identity theft? What privacy protections are there? What are my responsibilities for obtaining information about purchases before I make them? What are some of the frauds and scams that are common and particularly aimed at young adults? How can I prevent myself from falling into consumer traps? How does insurance protect my financial well-being and what am I willing to pay for that peace of mind? What legal recourse do I have for solving consumer problems?