Project Money Getting Started Assessment



Project Money

Getting Started

You already know a lot about money. You use it every day, right? But maybe you would like to learn more. Maybe you have some questions that this project can help you answer. This form will help you to think about what you already know and what you want to learn. Use it to make your Project Money Learning Plan.

Directions: Read each statement. In each row, circle the box that best shows your skills. Under Comments, write what you want to learn.

(Note to tutors – Please choose the section you want to use and you can cut and paste that for your learner. We find it works well to use just three or four rows at a time.)

|Focus |Ready to Learn |Beginner |On my way |Experienced |What I want to learn |

|SPENDING AND SAVINGS PLANS | | | | | |

|Financial Goals |I never think about |I have financial goals,|I have reached some goals.|I set realistic financial | |

| |financial goals. |but I don’t know what |I want to do some more, |goals and I reach them. | |

| | |to do about them. I |but I don’t know what to |I’m ready to help others | |

| | |don’t know how to reach|do. |learn. | |

| | |them. | | | |

|Setting up a Savings and Spending |A budget! What’s that?|I know how to make a |I have a budget. |I have a budget and it | |

|Plan (budget) | |budget. I don’t have |Sometimes it works, |works well for me. It | |

| | |one. |sometimes it doesn’t. I |helps me to reach my | |

| | | |need help. |goals. | |

|Savings Choices |I keep my money at |I have money in my |I have a savings account |I know how to save my | |

| |home. It’s what my |savings account. |that earns interest. I am |money with different types| |

| |family has always done.| |learning about other plans|of accounts. I know some | |

| | | |that may pay more |ways to invest my money. | |

| | | |interest. | | |

|Investment Choices |I do not know anything |I know people who |I know about investments |I invest my money and I | |

| |about investments. |invest their money. I |and I know a little about |understand the risks and | |

| | |want to invest my |their risk. I have |the benefits. | |

| | |money, but I don’t know|invested a little bit of | | |

| | |where to start. |my money. | | |

|Spending Less |Why should I spend |I look for sales to |I know how to find the |I always find the best | |

| |less? If I have the |save money when I shop.|best prices in shopping. |prices for what I buy. I | |

| |money, I will spend it.| |I do what I can to save |know how to manage my | |

| | | |money. |money to save the most | |

| | | | |possible. | |

|BANK | | | | | |

|ACCOUNTS | | | | | |

|Benefits of banks |I have never used a |I have a bank account. |I have a bank account. I |I use my bank account to | |

| |bank. I’m not sure I |I do not know if it has|know the basics about how |help me manage my money. | |

| |even want to. I don’t |the best bank services |to handle my account. I |I get the most out of its | |

| |know how to choose one.|for my needs. |use a bank that is good |services. I checked other| |

| | | |for my needs. |banks and know this one is| |

| | | | |the best for me. | |

|Using a |I have never written a |I write checks. |I write checks. I balance| | |

|checking account |check. | |my checkbook. | | |

| | | | |I keep my checkbook | |

| | | | |balanced. I compare my | |

| | | | |statement to my checkbook | |

| | | | |every month. | |

|Using an ATM |I know nothing about |I need help to use an |I use ATMs. | | |

| |ATMs. |ATM. | |I use ATMs and I know when| |

| | | | |I pay an extra fee to use | |

| | | | |it. I always save my ATM | |

| | | | |receipt and enter it in my| |

| | | | |checkbook. | |

|CREDIT | | | | | |

|CARDS | | | | | |

|What credit costs |Isn’t credit free? | |I use credit cards. I |I use credit cards. I pay| |

| | |I use credit cards when|understand they are a loan|off the full balance each | |

| | |I don’t have the cash. |which is paid back with |month, or at least within | |

| | |I pay the minimum |interest. |three months. | |

| | |balance each month. | | | |

|Reading credit card statements |I have never seen a |I open my credit card |I read my credit card |I read my credit card | |

| |credit card statement. |statements. I do not |statements. I make sure I|statements and make sure | |

| | |understand them. |am not charged for |they are correct. I | |

| | | |anything I did not buy. |understand the information| |

| | | | |on the statement. | |

|How to build and improve credit |I do not know if I have|I have a credit | |I know my credit rating. | |

| |a credit history. |history. I don’t know |I know my credit rating. |I have a plan to keep it | |

| | |how good it is. |It has some problems, but |great or make it better. | |

| | | |it’s not too bad. | | |

| | | | | | |

|INCOME | | | | | |

|TAX | | | | | |

|Understanding my tax bracket |I do not know what |I know my filing |I know my filing status, |I know how to file my | |

| |determines what I pay |status. I know how to |how to fill in my W-4, and|status, my W-4, my | |

| |in taxes. |fill in my W-4 form. |what deductions I can |deductions and I know what| |

| | | |take. |credits I can get. | |

|How to file taxes |I do not know when or |I know when to file. I|I know when and how to |I know how to file taxes. | |

| |how to file my taxes. |know how to file and |file my taxes. My taxes |I use the correct forms. | |

| | |where to get help. |are filed on time and |I take all of the | |

| | | |correct. |deductions I can, and I | |

| | | | |know where to get help | |

| | | | |when I need it. | |

( 2004 Project Money

................
................

In order to avoid copyright disputes, this page is only a partial summary.

Google Online Preview   Download