Financial Literacy
Financial Resources and Economic Education (F.R.E.E.)
Online resources
Financial literacy blog
The goal of our financial literacy initiative is to give adult literacy students access to information so they can make informed decisions about managing their money. By delivering workshops to adult literacy practitioners and sharing resources for financial literacy education, we seek to create opportunities for adults to increase their knowledge of financial topics, such as opening a bank account, using an ATM, budgeting and saving.The more we understand basic concepts about budgeting, credit, and banking services, the more equipped we are to increase savings, improve financial health, and use banking services effectively. LVNJ is committed to supporting financial literacy education in the effort to foster financial stability for individuals and families in NJ.
Financial Resources and Economic Education (F.R.E.E.)
This curriculum is designed to help meet the needs of immigrants with limited English by helping them gain control over their own finances while improving their English skills. Developed by California Literacy with funding from the National Endowment for Financial Education.
Teacher Guide - Workbook Cover and Introduction
- Unit 1 - You and Your Money Unit 2 - Budgets
- Unit 3 - Banking: Opening an Account
- Unit 4 - Banking: Checking Accounts, Savings Accounts and ATMs
- Unit 5 - Tips for Saving Money
- Unit 6 - Assets: Buying a House-The Basics
Online Resources
Bankrate
This website has information on saving, investing, credit cards, buying a home, loans, and many other financial topics. Interactive tools and online calculators include ones for making a budget, creating savings goals and planning how to save for your future, figuring out your credit, and others. This site contains a lot of useful information but the pages are crowded with text and topics range from those for the beginner to those for the financially sophisticated: you will want to review this site carefully to find the most useful parts for your student.
The Beehive
This website has information on taxes, savings, banks, loans, buying a home, and more. There are also interactive tools to help you build a budget, learn how to use an ATM, and practice writing checks. Content on this site is clear and simple to read.
Feed the Pig
Find online tips, tools, and quizzes to help you learn to save money more wisely. Click on Resources to find a Lunch Savings Calculator, Personal Cash Flow Worksheet, a savings Facebook application, and more.
GCF Learn Free
Select the topic Money Basics under the Basic Math section. This is a self-paced online tutorial with three sections: Money Management, Banking and Retirement, and Money in the Marketplace. The course includes self-assessments and a final test of knowledge. From the GCF homepage you can also choose Everyday Life to explore a set of short lessons, many of which center on basic financial skills (such as using an ATM, making change, and depositing money in the bank). These modules are worth previewing since sometimes it is unclear which parts of the story are interactive.
Hands On Banking
Wells Fargo offers this free online software, or you can order a free CD. Download a teacher’s guide to accompany the lessons. In addition to the lessons (such as Managing your Money, Establishing a Small Business, Borrowing Money, and more) there is a set of tools. These include a dictionary, calculators, practice ATM machine, and online banking tour. You can also read along with the audio during the lessons.
Project Money
This resource was created by adult learners at Project Read, San Francisco Public Library. Topics on this website include saving money, bank accounts, credit cards, income tax, other resources, and teaching tools. You can download their savings workbook that includes setting financial goals and creating a savings and spending plan. The site has lots of information and tips. Stories from adult learners accompany each topic.
Building Strong Families: Money Matters
Activities are provided to help participants identify their own money styles and how they developed them, practice allocating resources within a simulated family unit, learn to negotiate with others about spending decisions, and get simple tools to help their families plan to have what they want and need. The curriculum includes overheads and handouts and is designed to be delivered in a group setting.
The Mint
This site is designed for K-12 students and their parents and teachers, but you can find clear information and helpful tools for budgeting, understanding credit, and decision-making .
Money Smart
The FDIC’s revised Money Smart curriculum is a computer-based adult education program. You can order a free set of CDs, which includes both versions for individual student use and an Instructor-Led curriculum. The curriculum consists of 10 modules: Bank On It, Borrowing Basics, Check it Out, Money Matters, Pay Yourself First, Keep It Safe, To Your Credit, Charge It Right, Loan to Own, and Your Own Home. You can also order Train the Trainer videos to support the program.
Practical Money Skills for Life
Choose Personal Finances to find information on financial topics relevant to adults. There are also lesson plans with overheads and handouts for learning about handling money, saving, and more. These are designed either for K-12 students or their parents, but some of the materials are appropriate for adults.
TV 411
Choose Math to see a list of online lessons, many of which relate to financial topics. Relevant lessons include How to Set Up a Budget, Making Decisions about Money, Mortgage Basics, Reading a Pay Stub, and more. Each lesson is introduced with a story and includes practice activities.
Are there websites you use that should be listed on this page? Let us know! Send an email to with your suggestions.
Click here to visit Diane's Financial Literacy Lessons blog.
Diane is a tutor with the Jersey City Library Literacy Program who has been teaching financial literacy with her students and is now sharing her lesson ideas online
Diane is a tutor with the Jersey City Library Literacy Program who has been teaching financial literacy with her students and is now sharing her lesson ideas online
