Financial Principles 101 – Syllabus

Financial Principles 101

Spring 2011

Course Description: This course is intended to help the student live more in accordance with her long-term

Image via Borman818 on Flickr

financial goals, while exploring the benefits of living more simply and frugally.

Course Goals: Upon completion of this course, the student should be able to:

• Clearly articulate her long-term financial goals
• Identify simple ways to save more money
• Follow a more consistent budget and money saving plan
• Demonstrate a better grasp of financial investment tools

Textbooks:

Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in Your 20’s and 30’s

by Beth Kobliner

The Simple Dollar

By Trent Hamm

Generation Earn: The Young Professional’s Guide to Spending, Investing, and Giving Back

by Kimberly Palmer

Video Resources:

Suze Orman: For the Young, Fabulous, and Broke

Suze Orman: The Laws of Money, The Lessons of Life

Grading: The course grade will be based on the following (100 total pts):

ASSIGNMENTS (20 points):

There are 12 possible assignments in the class, worth 2 points each for completion of the described task.  See “class schedule” below for a description of these assignments.

PARTICIPATION (40 points):

There are 2 types of participation required by this course:

1) Achieve spending and saving goals each month

(20 points possible; 5 points for each month of goals achieved, 4 points per month if 10% or less off of either, 3 points per month of 20% or less off of either, 2 points per month of 30% or less, 1 point per month of 40% off or less)

2)      Read at least 6 posts from personal finance blogs weekly

(20 points possible; 1 point for each completed week plus 4 extra points)
EXAMS (40 points): There will be two exam worth 20 points each

Exam #1:  Coupon Crazy Month

During this month, the student will only purchase items (including groceries) at a discount, meaning either items on sale or by using coupons found on the internet, newspaper, and mail.  Student will calculate savings for reference purposes

(Exemption: Vacations or business trips)

Exam grading: 6 base points plus 0.5 points for each day of coupon-only spending

Exam #2: No Spending Month

During this month the student practice living more simply by not accumulating any new physical possessions.  Spending will only consist of essential groceries, bills, medical expenses, and a limited Experiences budget.

(Exemption: Vacations or business trips; essential items that break and cannot be repaired)

Exam grading: 5 base points plus 0.5 points for each day of no spending

The date of the exams are listed on the class schedule.

Letter grades will be assigned as follows:

Class Schedule: