Reedley College Counseling 282 # 57569 – Practical Money Skills for Life

Instructor: Blanca Rivera	Office Telephone & Voicemail: 638-0300 ext. 3271

Office: CalWORKS Office/Reedley College	email: blanca.rivera@reedleycollege.edu

Instruction: Monday & Wednesday October 17 to December 14, 2016

Time: 2 pm – 2:50pm

Room: Hum 64

Office Hours: By appointment

COURSE DESCRIPTION:

This is basic course in money management. Students will be introduced to the benefits of budgeting and financial planning. Student will become familiar with how to best utilize their financial resources and identify the benefits and disadvantages of using credit. Students will learn the various types of checking and savings accounts, identify various consumer scams, and learn how to protect themselves from identify theft.

COURSE OUTCOMES:

Upon completion of this course, students will be able to:

Explain the purpose of a budget, create a monthly budget and set short-term financial goals.

Identify the benefits and disadvantages of using credit and the importance of building and/or repairing credit.

Describe the different types of services available through financial institutions (banks, credit unions, etc.) and discuss the benefits and disadvantages of using those services.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

Develop a personal financial budget.

Increase knowledge of services available from financial institutions.

Required Materials:	Textbook: Practical Money Skills for Life Workbook (Available at the RC	Bookstore)

Binder

Calculator

ATTENDANCE AND CLASS PARTICIPATION:

Students are expected to attend all class sessions. In addition, students are expected to show up on time and stay for the entire class session. If a student is unable to attend, it is also his or her responsibility to notify the instructor and obtain any missed information or assignments. Students are required to be prepared and actively participate during group activities and class discussions. Also, if you fail to have your books with you in class, you will lose participation points for the day.

No Show Absences = 0 Participation points

Informed Absences = 0 Participation points

Documented Absences = excused

ASSIGNMENTS:

Assignments are to be turned in on the scheduled due date, absences do not relieve the student of this responsibility. If you fail to turn in the assigned work on the due date, participation points will be reduced for that day. Furthermore, it is the student’s responsibility to be aware of the dates for readings, assignments, and exam. Assignments turned in are to be neatly done and completed for a grade.

GRADING SYSTEM:	Based on 700 points

Your grade will be based on participation, completed assignments, and final exam.

Class Participation:	180 points	CREDIT = 490- 700 points

Assignments:	390 points	NO CREDIT = under 489 points

Quiz	40 points

Final Exam	90 points

700

ACADEMIC DISHONESTY

Students at Reedley College are entitled to the best education that the college can make available to them, and they, their instructors, and their fellow students share the responsibility to ensure that this education is honestly attained. Because cheating, plagiarism, and collusion in dishonest activities erode the integrity of the college, each student is expected to exert an entirely honest effort in all academic endeavors. Academic dishonesty in any form is a very serious offense and will incur serious consequences.

CHEATING: is the act or attempted act of taking an examination or performing an assigned, evaluated task in a fraudulent or deceptive manner, such as having improper access to answers, in an attempt to

gain an unearned academic advantage. Cheating may include, but is not limited to, copying from another’s work, supplying one’s work to another, giving or receiving copies of examinations without an instructor’s permission, using or displaying notes or devices inappropriate to the conditions of the examination, allowing someone other than the officially enrolled student to represent the student, or failing to disclose research results completely.

PLARIARISM: is a specific form of cheating: the use of another’s words or ideas without identifying them as such or giving credit to the source. Plagiarism may include, but is not limited to, failing to provide complete citations and references for all work that draws on the ideas, words, or work of others, failing to identify the contributors to work done in collaboration, submitting duplicate work to be evaluated in different courses without the knowledge and consent of the instructors involved, or failing to observe computer security systems and software copyrights. Incidents of cheating and plagiarism may result in any of a variety of sanctions and penalties, which may range from a failing grade on a particular examination, paper, project, or assignment in question to a failing grade in the course, at the discretion of the instructor and depending on the severity and frequency of the incidents.

Accommodation(s): If you have a verified need for an academic accommodation or materials in alternate media (i.e., Braille, large print, electronic text, etc.) per the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, please contact me as soon as possible.

COURSE SCHEDULE

Week	Date	Topic	Assignment
1	Oct 17	Course introduction/syllabus Needs Assessment Introduce Expenses Tracking Worksheet	Read Money Matters pg. 1 – 5 in Money Skills Workbook. Begin recording income and expenses on October Tracking Worksheet.
Oct 19	Money Matters – Budgeting Basics What is a budget, steps to prepare a budget… Making Budget Cuts –Group Exercise Syllabus Quiz	Read Money Matters pg. 10-14 Continue recording income and expenses on October tracking worksheet.
2	Oct 24	Money Matters – Budgeting Basics Recording expenses Tips & Budgeting Tools Fixed and Flexible Expenses Juan’s Budget – (15 points)	Continue recording income and expenses on October tracking Worksheet. Read “Bad Money Habits” Article
Oct 26	Money Matters (Cont..) Gabrielle’s Budget Plan Gabrielle’s Zero Budget pg. 18 workbook Quiz over “Bad Money Habits” (10 points)	Continue recording income and expenses on August tracking Worksheet.
3	Oct 31	In Trouble- Warning Signs Why Consumers Don’t Pay Andrea’s Budget Plan (30 pts). Due: October Tracking worksheet due (20 pts.) Class Activity- Where Does Your Money Go pg. 4 workbook (10 points).	Begin recording income and expenses for November on Home Budget pages. Read “In Trouble” pg. 119A -121 in workbook.
Nov 2	In Trouble- Warning Signs Cont… Debt Collection Practices Wage Garnishment, Assignment, & Attachment Complete Who Do You Owe Money To? pg. 9 in workbook. (10 points).	Continue recording income and expenses for November on Home Budget pages. Read “In Trouble” pg. 128-129A in workbook.
4	Nov 7	In Trouble- Warning Signs Car Repossession Introduce “Budget Simple” with Miguel’s Budget Exercise	Continue recording income and expenses for November on the Home Budget Pages. Read “In Trouble” pg. 130-132 in workbook.
Nov 9	In Trouble- Warning Signs Bankruptcy Complete Test Your Knowledge of Trouble pg. 134A & 134B (30 points). Introduce National Foundation for Credit Counseling – www.NFCC.org	Continue recording income and expenses for November on the Home Budget Pages. Read “Bank On It” pg. 27 in the workbook. Write three paragraphs summary on the NFCC website.
5	Nov 14	Banking Basics Introduce Bank On It- Types of Financial Institutions fees and services. Banking terminology Miguel’s “Budget Simple” exercise due – 30 points. NFCC-summary due (15 points)	Continue recording income and expenses for November on the Home Budget Pages. Read “Bank On It” pg. 28-60 in workbook.
Nov 16	Banking Basics (Cont..) Banking terminology cont.. Check It Out – Checking Accounts Check Register Practice Reconciling your Check Register with Your Statement Group Activity: Choosing a Bank (35 points).	Continue recording income and expenses for November on the Home Budget Pages. Read “Borrowing Basics” pg. 84-87 in workbook. Prepare for Banking Basics Quiz.
6	Nov 21	Borrowing Basics Advantages & Disadvantages Types and Sources of Credit How Much Can You Afford Banking Basics Quiz (20 points)	Read “Borrowing Basics” pg. 88-92 in workbook. Cont. recording income and expenses for November on Home Budget Pages.
Nov 23	Borrowing Basics Cont. The Three C’s of Credit Building A Credit History Credit Card Terms & Conditions	Cont. recording income and expenses for November on Home Budget Pages. Read “Borrowing Basics” pg. 93-97 in workbook
7	Nov 28	Charge It Right Tips When Shopping for a Credit Card Credit Card Do’s & Don’ts Dealing with Billing Errors Credit Card Comparison Exercise (45 points)	Cont. recording income and expenses for November on Home Budget Pages. Read “Borrowing Basics” pg. 93-97 in workbook. Recommended Reading: Chap. 8 “Credit Cards” pg. 85-103 in 50 ways to protect Your Identity and Your Credit.
Nov 30	Charge It Right Cont.. Reviewing Your Credit Report Proper Care and Feeding of Your Credit Score Credit Repair Services Credit Counseling Make appointment with me to get your credit report (Extra Credit 25 points). www.annualcreditreport.com *November’s Calendar Due (10 points) * Home Budget Pages for November (30 points)	Begin recording December’s expenses on Home Budget Pages or Budget Simple. Read “Charge It Right” p. 100 –113 in the workbook. Prepare your Payment Calendar for October.
8	Dec 5	To Your Credit To Your Credit/ Keep It Safe Complete “Test Your Credit Knowledge” pg. 133A & 133B in workbook (30 Points) Are You at Risk for Identity Theft? Common Frauds	Continue recording expenses on December’s Home Budget Pages or in “Budget Simple.” Read “To Your Credit” pg. 114-119 & 122-127 in workbook Recommended Reading: Chap 11 “Credit Reports” pg. 127-146 in 50 ways to protect Your Identity and Your Credit.
Dec 7	Keep It Safe Are You at Risk for Identity Theft? Common Frauds Cont.. December’s Payment Calendar due (10 points). December’s Budget Figures into Home Budget Pages or on “Budget Simple.” (30 points).	Read “Keep It Safe” pg. 139 -162 in workbook Recommended Reading: Chap 1 “Identity Theft” pg. 1-14 in 5 Chap 2 “Making Yourself Less Vulnerable to Identity Theft” pg. 15 – 25. Chap 4 “Your Social Security Number – An Identity Thief’s Lucky Number” pg. 39-50 in 50 ways to protect Your Identity and Your Credit.
9	Dec 12	No Class Finals Week	Review for Final
December 14	FINAL EXAM

IMPORTANT DATES:

– First day -class begins October 17, 2016

– Last day to drop to avoid an “W” October 24, 2016

– Last day to drop to avoid an “F” November 16, 2016

Holidays NONE

Final Exam December 14, 2016 2:00 -3:50 pm

*** This schedule is tentative and is subject to change. ***