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Money Field Guide

The 26 weeks

A calm path, one week at a time — grouped into 8 short parts. Go in order or jump around: there are no streaks, and a gap costs nothing.

Your progress0%

A week counts as read once you mark the lesson finished — not when you open it. A gap costs nothing.

Part 1 · Foundations

Settle the nerves, see where you stand, and build a plan you’ll actually use.

  1. Week 1Money Clarity Without ShameEmotional safety and financial anxiety, and the practical difference between financial education and financial advice — including how to check, for…Not started
  2. Week 2How Money WorksThe basics of money: what it is and what it’s for, barter and currency, how banks and the FDIC keep deposits safe, and what inflation and interest…Not started
  3. Week 3Your Money SnapshotGathering your records and listing the pieces of your financial life — income, accounts, bills, debts, subscriptions, insurance, and the key…Not started
  4. Week 4Budgeting and Spending PlansBuilding a monthly spending plan: the difference between fixed, flexible, and irregular expenses; cash flow (the timing of money in and out)…Not started

Part 2 · Everyday money & safety

Banking, fraud defense, a first cushion, and finally reading your paycheck.

  1. Week 5Bills and BankingHow everyday bank accounts work: checking versus savings versus money market accounts, how a debit card differs from a credit card, overdraft and the…Not started
  2. Week 6Account Safety and FraudKeeping your money safe: how your liability for card fraud depends on the kind of card and how fast you report, the handful of security habits that…Not started
  3. Week 7Emergency Funds and Short-Term SavingsCash buffers and starter emergency funds; the difference between an emergency fund and a sinking fund…Not started
  4. Week 8Your Paycheck and How Income Is TaxedHow to read a pay stub line by line; what “withholding” actually is and why two kinds of it behave very differently…Not started

Part 3 · Credit & cards

Use a card without ever paying interest, and understand what your credit really is.

  1. Week 9Using a Card Without Paying InterestHow a credit card actually works: billing cycles, statements, and due dates; the grace period and how to never pay interest…Not started
  2. Week 10Credit Card Rewards Without the TrapsHow credit-card rewards actually work — cash back, points, and miles; the single condition under which rewards are worth anything…Not started
  3. Week 11Credit Reports and Credit ScoresWhat credit reports and credit scores are and why they exist; what’s on a report and what moves a score…Not started

Part 4 · Borrowing, debt & your rights

How borrowing works, paying it down without panic, and the laws on your side.

  1. Week 12How Borrowing Works (and How to Decide)What a loan actually is; the four things that set its cost (amount, rate, term, and fees); the difference between an interest rate and an APR…Not started
  2. Week 13Kinds of Loans, and Avoiding Predatory TrapsThe common kinds of loans — auto, personal, student (federal vs. private), and mortgages — at a plain, practical level…Not started
  3. Week 14Organizing and Paying Down DebtBuilding a complete debt inventory; understanding secured versus unsecured debt…Not started
  4. Week 15Debt Help, Traps, and Your RightsHow “debt settlement” can backfire; the genuinely low-cost help that nonprofit credit counseling provides…Not started
  5. Week 16The Consumer-Rights ToolkitThe major U.S. federal consumer-protection laws that apply to everyday financial life — credit reports, debt collection, borrowing and credit cards…Not started

Part 5 · Benefits & the safety net

Workplace benefits, Social Security and Medicare, and help when money or work is short.

  1. Week 17Workplace BenefitsHow to read a benefits package without panic…Not started
  2. Week 18Social Security and MedicareWhat Social Security actually covers — its three different kinds of benefit (retirement, disability, and survivors) and the work record that earns…Not started
  3. Week 19Help When Money or Work Is ShortA working map of the income-based safety net: six core programs — unemployment insurance, Medicaid and CHIP, SNAP (food), housing assistance…Not started

Part 6 · Insurance

How coverage actually works, and matching it to the risks that matter.

  1. Week 20How Insurance Works (and Health Coverage)How insurance works as a financial tool — risk pooling, premiums, deductibles, copays, coinsurance, and the out-of-pocket maximum…Not started
  2. Week 21Insuring What You Own and What You EarnThe major types of property and income protection — auto, homeowners and renters (and the flood gap they leave), life, and disability insurance…Not started

Part 7 · Investing & the future

Investing basics, retirement accounts, estate basics, and the long view.

  1. Week 22Investing BasicsHow investing works and what you can invest in — stocks, bonds, mutual funds, ETFs, and index funds — and the durable ideas that matter most for…Not started
  2. Week 23Retirement AccountsThe tax-advantaged accounts used for retirement saving in the U.S. — employer plans (401(k), 403(b), 457) and the employer match, and individual…Not started
  3. Week 24Estate BasicsThe core legal tools of estate and incapacity planning — what each one is, what it does, and why it matters — taught as general education, not legal…Not started
  4. Week 25Long-Term Planning and Wealth-Building HabitsThe durable, broadly-accepted habits that build long-term financial security — spending less than you earn, keeping a cushion, handling high-cost…Not started

Part 8 · Keeping it going

A simple maintenance routine and a real plan for your next 90 days.

  1. Week 26Financial Maintenance and the Next 90 DaysHow to keep your finances healthy with an ongoing maintenance rhythm — what to check weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annually — plus how to monitor…Not started
Printable worksheet pack
All 26 worksheets in one place — open, fill in, or print any of them.
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