For Teachers
Interactive and engaging content to teach money, business, and entrepreneurial skills.
Understanding Credit Scores
Breakdown of a Credit Score
You’ve likely heard about credit scores before (thanks to all those commercials with terrible jingles), but what do you actually know about them? How long have they been around? And what’s the deal with checking them?
Boosting Your Score
Credit scores are an area of personal finance that seem a lot more mysterious than they actually are. Many people believe that improving them is a matter of trial and error and, as a result, there’s a lot of “credit score advice” floating around that can end up doing more harm than good.
Breakdown of a Credit Score
You’ve likely heard about credit scores before (thanks to all those commercials with terrible jingles), but what do you actually know about them? How long have they been around? And what’s the deal with checking them?
Boosting Your Score
Credit scores are an area of personal finance that seem a lot more mysterious than they actually are. Many people believe that improving them is a matter of trial and error and, as a result, there’s a lot of “credit score advice” floating around that can end up doing more harm than good.
Using Payment Cards
Comparing Cards
Think fast: what’s the most recent financial decision you made? You likely won’t have to think too far back. It’s not the last account you opened, or the school loans you consolidated—it’s something much simpler that’s part of your daily routine. Think back to the last thing you purchased—your most recent financial decision was likely what form of payment to use for that transaction.
Using Your Credit Card
Being debt-conscious isn’t inherently bad—in fact, being able to see past the convenience of credit cards to their potential pitfalls is a responsible perspective to have. Credit card transactions are essentially mini-loans that can lead to serious debt when used carelessly, but avoiding them altogether is also problematic—and not just for the credit card companies who issue them.
Comparing Cards
Think fast: what’s the most recent financial decision you made? You likely won’t have to think too far back. It’s not the last account you opened, or the school loans you consolidated—it’s something much simpler that’s part of your daily routine. Think back to the last thing you purchased—your most recent financial decision was likely what form of payment to use for that transaction.
Using Your Credit Card
Being debt-conscious isn’t inherently bad—in fact, being able to see past the convenience of credit cards to their potential pitfalls is a responsible perspective to have. Credit card transactions are essentially mini-loans that can lead to serious debt when used carelessly, but avoiding them altogether is also problematic—and not just for the credit card companies who issue them.
Budgeting
Budgeting Basics
Budgets are like the New Year’s resolutions of personal finance. We all know we should have one and we all know it’s a fairly simple thing to follow—at least in theory.
Building a Budget
Budgeting is a skill that helps you make smart decisions with your money. It ensures that you’re spending less than you earn, it prepares you for life’s curveballs, and it funds your goals and your dreams.
Budgeting Basics
Budgets are like the New Year’s resolutions of personal finance. We all know we should have one and we all know it’s a fairly simple thing to follow—at least in theory.
Building a Budget
Budgeting is a skill that helps you make smart decisions with your money. It ensures that you’re spending less than you earn, it prepares you for life’s curveballs, and it funds your goals and your dreams.