Personal finance, taught plainly
About 27 years ago, I started working my way out of debt. The real turning point was "car-mageddon," when three of our four family cars needed major repairs at the same time. Life doesn't treat money as optional, and neither should school.
The fundamentals of managing money well, from a teacher who has taught personal finance for years. Education only, not personalized advice.
Topics
2 to read, 6 coming
Your paycheck and your budget
Understand your paycheck, make a monthly plan for your money, and set aside cash for costs you know are coming. See the topic Coming soonEmergency fund and insurance
A cash cushion for surprises, plus the insurance that covers what a cushion cannot. See the topic 1 to read, 6 comingGetting out of debt
Treat debt as a math problem: list what you owe, pick a payoff order and keep going. See the topic 1 to read, 2 comingBuilding wealth
Learn how saving and investing differ, how retirement accounts work, and which pitches to walk away from. See the topic Coming soonYour home: renting, buying, paying it off
Renting, buying or paying off a home, with the honest trade-offs of each. See the topic 1 to read, 3 comingPaying for college and scholarships
Free money you don't pay back, saving ahead, and borrowing wisely, with honest trade-offs for each. See the topic Coming soonGiving
Make giving part of your plan, and check a charity before you donate. See the topicArticles
A budget is a plan you make before the month starts
What a budget is, why it matters, your first month in five parts, and what to do when the month doesn't match the plan. Classroom version and Kitchen Table Talk. Read the articleFree scholarships, sorted by when they are due
Free national scholarships listed by deadline month, each checked on the sponsor's own page, plus how to spot a scholarship scam. See the listFour signs it's a scam, and what to do next
The FTC's four signs of a money scam: an imposter, a problem or prize, pressure to act now and an odd way to pay, plus what to do next. Classroom version and Kitchen Table Talk. Read the articleConfident isn't correct: how to check an AI answer
Chatbots can be wrong and sound sure, so use a simple three-step check before you act on an answer. Read the articleA familiar voice isn't proof anymore. A family code word is.
How AI voice cloning powers family-emergency and boss scams, and how a code word and a call-back stop them. Includes a 10-minute lesson. Read the articleGuaranteed returns are a warning label
The phrases that should stop you, fake trading platforms and the long con, risky ways to pay, and how to check a person or firm before you invest. Classroom version and Kitchen Table Talk. Open the lessonWhere does your money go each month, and how would you know if someone else was spending it?
Build a one-month budget (money in, money out, money left) and turn on bank alerts that help you stay on plan and spot fraud. Classroom version and Kitchen Table Talk. Open the lessonCyberSandberg provides general education, not personalized financial advice. We are not a registered investment adviser. See our disclaimers.