Our New Beginnings financial training is a comprehensive approach to financial literacy. You can complete individual lessons within a course, move through one of the six chapters or complete the entire training in order.
Thousands of people have used this curriculum to manage their finances, and it has helped in countless ways, guiding families to save more and be able to plan for the future. One mom, Marie, in California, shared that New Beginnings was “the biggest single factor” to preventing eviction.
Getting Started
Below are the courses in the New Beginnings digital training program. You can begin with any chapter and complete any of the lessons contained within. It is best to begin with the “Introduction to New Beginnings” regardless of where you begin.
Introduction
This section gives you an overview of New Beginnings and financial capabilities in general. It is short and sweet, so begin here regardless of which chapter you go to next!
Chapter 1 – Budgeting
This section covers topics such as: budgeting, understanding your paycheck, calculating your income, determining your fixed and variable expenses, and the importance of saving receipts.
Be sure to check out the attached resources that include a budget worksheet that you can download and an audio recording that walks you through how to use the budget worksheet.
Chapter 2 – Smart Spending
This chapter reviews some great ways to stretch your budget including how to use unit pricing, a shopping list, and coupons while at the grocery store.
Chapter 3 – Borrowing and Credit
This chapter teaches about credit cards and the cost of buying on credit, interest, and ways to avoid high interest loans and scams.
Chapter 4 – Understand Your Credit Report
In this chapter you’ll have the opportunity to understand your credit report and learn how to correct it and strategies for debt repair if need be.
Chapter 5 – Banking & Savings
This chapter reviews the value of bank accounts, alternatives to banks, and how savings and checking accounts can work for you.
Chapter 6 – Taxes
This chapter will give you an overview of the importance of filing your taxes and tax credits for which you may qualify.
Bonus Chapter – Workforce Development
In this chapter, you will learn about employment taxes, various payment methods, employment benefits, and assistance programs. There is also a lesson on how to secure a job and how to obtain a better job.
Acknowledgements
Family Promise is thankful that Woodforest National Bank helped us create the original New Beginnings training program and that with additional assistance from Capgemini, this digital version was created. With this new online version, more families can build a successful financial foundation and a brighter financial future.