Budgeting and Saving Course

Total Items: 7 Total Time: 21.00 hour(s)  

Summary:

This training is designed to teach money management and investing skills to help the average consumer get the greatest return for his or her money.

The Course is for users who wish to learn how to control debt, choose credit and banking accounts wisely, and create a solid plan for retirement.

Learning segment 1: Confronting Debt 

Summary:

This learning segment provides a guide to assessing personal debt, formulating a budget, and maintaining a good credit rating.  

Objectives:

• Assess his/her financial situation by listing debts and liabilities
• Create a budget
• Explain how credit bureaus establish credit ratings
• Maintain a good credit rating  

Topics:

• Assessing Your Debt
• Creating a Budget
• Understanding Your Credit Rating
• Maintaining Good Credit 

Learning segment 2: Eliminating Debt   

Summary:

This learning segment provides a guide to eliminating personal debt and rebuilding damaged credit.  

Objectives:

• Choose the best credit card for his/her needs
• Avoid paying unnecessary fees and service charges
• Minimize revolving debt
• Rebuild damaged credit  

Topics:

• Understanding Credit Cards
• Developing Smarter Credit Habits
• Getting Out from Under Debt
• Rebuilding Damaged Credit  

Learning segment 3: Banking Basics

Summary:

This learning segment explains basic principles of consumer banking.  

Objectives:

• Avoid paying bank transaction fees and service charges
• Explain how interest rates work
• Negotiate better rates on accounts and loans
• Compare banking options such as credit unions and other banks  

Topics:

• Avoiding Fees and Service Charges
• Understanding Rates
• Finding Better Rates
• Considering Banking Options  

Learning segment 4: Choosing Bank Accounts

Summary:

This learning segment explains how to choose checking accounts, savings accounts and certificates of deposit, and provides an introduction to online banking.  

Objectives:

• Choose the best checking account
• Choose the best savings account and/or CD
• Explain the advantages of online banking  

Topics:

• Understanding Checking Accounts
• Choosing a Checking Account
• Choosing Savings Accounts and CDs
• Banking Online  

Learning segment 5: Planning Your Retirement

Summary:

This learning segment provides an introduction to long-term investment strategy.  

Objectives:

• Explain investment terminology
• Plan a personal investment strategy
• Compare and choose among investment options such as stocks, bonds, and CDs  

Topics:

• Becoming an Informed Investor
• Planning Your Investments
• Planning for Retirement
• Cashing In at Retirement  

Learning segment 6: Making 401(k) Plans Work

Summary:

This learning segment explains how to take advantage of 401(k) saving plans.  

Objectives:

• Explain the benefits of investing in a 401(k) plan
• Compare the 401(k) plan with other employer-provided investment options
• Enroll in a 401(k) plan
• Allocate 401(k) funds to maximize return and minimize risk  

Topics:

• Understanding 401(k) Plans
• Maximizing Your 401(k) Benefits
• Investing OnlineSaving Over the Long Haul  

Learning segment 7: Exploring Investment Options 

Summary:

This learning segment provides a guide to investing in stocks and explains other investment options including bonds, mutual funds, and government investments.  

Objectives:

• Describe in basic terms how the stock market works
• Pick stocks based on personal investment needs
• Compare the advantages of stocks, bonds and mutual funds
• Explain government investment options  

Topics:

• Investing in Stocks
• Investing in Bonds and Mutual Funds
• Investing with the Government

Features:

• Simulations teach learners to perform specific tasks in applications through guided, multi-step exercises.
• Activities allow learners to apply course concepts in an interactive questioning environment.
• Exercises allow learners to practice in the actual application being studied.
• A Course Topics list contains active hyperlinks, permitting quick access to specific topics.
• Find-A-Word allows learners to look up an unfamiliar term in the Glossary, on the Web, or in a dictionary.
• In addition, it lets them find other occurrences of the term in the same course.
• Search text enables learners to rapidly search all text within a course to easily retrieve information required.
• Courses challenge the learner with a variety of question formats, including multi-step simulations, true/false, multiple choice, and fill-in-the-blank.
• A skill assessment generates a customized learning path based on the results of a pre-test.
• A glossary provides a reference for definitions of unfamiliar terms.
• Bookmarking tracks the learner's progress in a course.  

Technical Requirements:

P500+ Processor, 128MB of RAM; Windows 2000, 2003, XP, Minimum screen resolution 800x600, Internet Explorer 5.5 or higher;Windows Media Player 9.0 or higher;Flash 8.0 or higher; 56K minimum connection;  broadband (256 kpbs or higher) connection recommended; Cookies enabled; Sound card with speakers or headphones strongly recommended.