Course Overview &
Chapter Navigation Guide
Course Length: Approximately 7 Hours and 33 Minutes
Embedded Files
ABOUT THIS GUIDE
This guide provides an overview of the lessons, financial concepts, and practical activities included in the Financial Literacy From Scratch course.
Although individual chapters may be used to locate instruction on specific financial topics, the course was intentionally structured as a progressive learning experience. Each chapter introduces concepts that connect with and build upon information presented earlier in the course.
For example, a learner may go directly to the chapter covering compound interest, credit, loans, or equity. However, the learner should remain aware that these lessons are part of a larger financial framework involving the cost of living, cash flow, earning money, saving, investing, borrowing, ownership, and financial decision-making.
The course is designed to help learners do more than complete isolated financial tasks. Its purpose is to help them understand how the different parts of the financial game work together throughout the wealth-building process.
Educators, parents, mentors, and community leaders may use this guide to identify relevant subject matter, navigate directly to specific lessons, or lead participants through the complete course in its intended sequence.
COURSE PURPOSE AND OPENING GEMS
COURSE PURPOSE AND OPENING GEMS
Course Purpose: 1 Video | 2 Minutes and 19 Seconds
Opening Gems: 2 Videos | 9 Minutes and 10 Seconds
The course begins by explaining its overall purpose: to provide learners with a practical understanding of money, cash flow, debt, saving, investing, business, and the financial systems that affect everyday life.
Before entering the formal chapters, learners are introduced to two foundational Gems:
• Twelve Things That Money Cannot Buy
• The Heart of Financial Literacy
These opening lessons establish that financial education is important, but money is not the only measurement of wealth or success. They prepare learners to study finances while maintaining the proper perspective on character, relationships, purpose, health, time, and other valuable parts of life.
Connection to the Course:
These lessons establish the course’s balanced philosophy. Learners are encouraged to understand money as a necessary and valuable tool without treating money as the sole purpose of life.
The INTRO: THE COST OF LIVING
6 Videos | 23 Minutes and 20 Seconds
Overview:
The Introduction establishes the financial conditions that affect everyone participating in the “Game of Life.” Learners examine cash flow, recurring expenses, the relationship between money and time, inflation, purchasing power, and how long available money can support a person when income stops.
Core Lessons:
• Cash Flow
• Money Versus Time
• Inflation
• The Time Value of Money
Key Concepts:
• Money coming in and money going out
• Positive, negative, and break-even cash flow
• Daily spending budgets
• Monthly and weekly financial obligations
• Savings runway
• Inflation and purchasing power
• The effect of time on money
Connection to the Course:
The Introduction establishes the financial environment in which every learner is already operating. After recognizing that living creates recurring financial obligations, Chapter 1 explains why money became a necessary tool for meeting those obligations within a monetary trading system.
Related Website Tools:
• Check-for-Check Page
• Numbers Page
Use This Section When Looking For:
Cash flow, cost of living, daily budgets, spending limits, inflation, purchasing power, savings duration, or the time value of money.
CHAPTER 1: THE REASON WHY MONEY IS A NECESSARY TOOL
CHAPTER 1: THE REASON WHY MONEY IS A NECESSARY TOOL
7 Videos | 16 Minutes and 20 Seconds
Overview:
Chapter 1 explores how exchange existed before modern currency and explains society’s transition from barter trading to a monetary trading system. Learners examine even exchange, products, services, the limitations of barter, and why money became a necessary tool for accessing goods and services.
Core Lessons:
• Let’s Start Here
• The Barter Trading System
• The Inconvenience of Barter
• The Monetary Trading System
• The Inevitable Cost of Living
Key Concepts:
• Even exchange
• Products and services
• Barter trading
• Problems with direct exchange
• Currency
• Monetary trading systems
• Money as a tool
• Continuing financial obligations
Connection to the Course:
The Introduction shows learners that the cost of living continues over time. Chapter 1 explains why money is necessary for meeting those costs. Chapter 2 then examines the role money plays as it flows into and out of the lives of individuals, businesses, and countries.
Use This Chapter When Looking For:
The history and purpose of money, barter trading, monetary trading, currency, exchange, products, services, or why money is necessary.
CHAPTER 2: THE ROLE THAT MONEY PLAYS
CHAPTER 2: THE ROLE THAT MONEY PLAYS
6 Videos | 12 Minutes and 10 Seconds
Overview:
Chapter 2 explains the relationship between inflows and outflows of money. Learners examine how the strength of the money coming in affects the ability of an individual, business, or country to meet the obligations requiring money to go out.
Core Lessons:
• The Flourishing Phase
• The Pre-Bankruptcy Phase
• Survival Mode
• The Rock Bottom Phase
Key Concepts:
• Inflows and outflows
• Sustainable and unsustainable financial conditions
• Strong and weak cash flow
• Financial flourishing
• Pre-bankruptcy conditions
• Underfunding and survival mode
• Financial depletion
• The need to establish income before maintaining expenses
Connection to the Course:
After Chapter 1 establishes why money is necessary, Chapter 2 shows how financial conditions are created by the relationship between money coming in and money going out. Chapter 3 then shifts the learner’s attention toward recognizing the economic opportunities that can create an inflow of money.
Use This Chapter When Looking For:
Inflows, outflows, financial conditions, financial stability, survival mode, bankruptcy risk, or the relationship between income and expenses.
CHAPTER 3: SEEING THE MONEY THAT IS ALL AROUND YOU
CHAPTER 3: SEEING THE MONEY THAT IS ALL AROUND YOU
10 Videos | 22 Minutes and 53 Seconds
Overview:
Chapter 3 helps learners recognize the economic activity and income-generating opportunities that exist around them. It explains how products, services, businesses, employment, customers, and currency work together to create opportunities for money to move.
Core Lessons:
• The Income-Generating Approaches
• Product and Service Approaches
• The Check-for-Check Approach
• The Key Components Behind Financial Activity
Key Concepts:
• Making, saving, and investing money
• Selling products
• Providing services
• Employment and the Check-for-Check approach
• Investing and collecting returns
• Business ownership
• Customers and currency
• Time, effort, skills, and energy as employee contributions
• Recognizing economic activity
Connection to the Course:
Chapter 2 establishes that an inflow of money is necessary before money can flow out. Chapter 3 helps learners identify the different systems and approaches through which that inflow can be created. Chapter 4 then pauses the financial discussion to examine the mindset, character, and principles needed to pursue these opportunities successfully.
Use This Chapter When Looking For:
Ways of earning income, employment, products, services, business systems, customers, economic activity, or how jobs connect to businesses.
CHAPTER 4: MORALS AND PRINCIPLES — BEING WEALTHY
CHAPTER 4: MORALS AND PRINCIPLES — BEING WEALTHY
6 Videos | 26 Minutes and 51 Seconds
Overview:
Chapter 4 explains that financial knowledge alone does not guarantee long-term success. Learners examine how mindset, discipline, character, decision-making, perspective, and the foundation upon which success is built influence their ability to prosper.
Core Lessons:
• The Fuel to Productive Motion
• The Mindset
• The Characteristics
• The Foundation
Key Concepts:
• Goals, priorities, purpose, and vision
• Reasoning, logic, and rational thinking
• Foresight and optimism
• Discipline and consistency
• Perseverance through challenges
• Humility and continued learning
• Integrity and accountability
• Short-term success versus long-term prosperity
• Succeeding the right way
Connection to the Course:
After helping learners recognize financial opportunities, the course establishes the personal qualities needed to pursue those opportunities responsibly. Chapter 5 then returns to the financial process by teaching Step 1: making money.
Use This Chapter When Looking For:
Character development, mindset, discipline, integrity, accountability, perseverance, humility, decision-making, or the difference between succeeding and prospering.
CHAPTER 5: STEP 1 — MAKING THE MONEY
CHAPTER 5: STEP 1 — MAKING THE MONEY
7 Videos | 30 Minutes and 40 Seconds
Overview:
Chapter 5 teaches the financial formulas behind different methods of generating income. Learners examine how money is made through services, products, and employment and how expenses, repetition, saving, reinvesting, and scaling affect financial outcomes.
Core Lessons:
• Make a Dollar
• Providing a Service
• Selling a Product
• Calculating the Price Per Unit
• The Check-for-Check Approach
Key Concepts:
• Revenue and expenses
• Gross profit
• Providing a service
• Selling a product
• Retail and wholesale prices
• Product bundles and unit costs
• Repetition and scaling
• Employment income
• Cash flow
• Daily spending budgets
• Saving from earned income
Connection to the Course:
Chapter 3 introduces the different approaches to creating income, and Chapter 4 establishes the principles needed to pursue them properly. Chapter 5 applies those ideas to the formulas behind making money. Chapter 6 then teaches learners how to manage and save a portion of what they make.
Related Website Tools:
• Providing a Service Page
• Selling a Product Page
• Check-for-Check Page
Use This Chapter When Looking For:
Making money, employment income, service profit, product profit, wholesale and retail pricing, unit costs, scaling, cash flow, or daily spending budgets.
CHAPTER 6: STEP 2 — BUDGETING AND SAVING THE MONEY
CHAPTER 6: STEP 2 — BUDGETING AND SAVING THE MONEY
16 Videos | 37 Minutes and 39 Seconds
Overview:
Chapter 6 explains that saving money is the result of maintaining positive cash flow. Learners compare the long-term effects of breaking even, spending more than they earn, and consistently retaining a portion of their income.
Core Lessons:
• Save a Dollar
• Running in Place
• The Savings Account and Running in Place
• Getting Rich
• The Savings Account and Getting Rich
• Going Broke
• The Savings Account and Going Broke
• Rich but Not Free
Key Concepts:
• Budgeting
• Necessary expenses versus wants
• Positive, negative, and break-even cash flow
• The Law of Equilibrium
• Running in place financially
• The Law of Depletion
• The Law of Accumulation
• Discipline and spending behavior
• Saving at different income levels
• Financial stability versus financial freedom
Connection to the Course:
Chapter 5 teaches learners how money is generated. Chapter 6 explains what happens after the money is earned and why maintaining positive cash flow is necessary for saving. It also establishes that saving alone does not create financial freedom, preparing learners for Chapter 7 and the investing process.
Use This Chapter When Looking For:
Budgeting, saving, cash flow, financial progress, financial stagnation, financial decline, spending habits, positive cash flow, or why saving alone does not create freedom.
CHAPTER 7: STEP 3 — INVESTING AND MAKING THE MONEY WORK FOR YOU
CHAPTER 7: STEP 3 — INVESTING AND MAKING THE MONEY WORK FOR YOU
10 Videos | 44 Minutes and 40 Seconds
Overview:
Chapter 7 introduces learners to investing, reinvesting, interest, compound growth, assets, and financial freedom. It explains how money can be positioned to generate additional money without depending exclusively upon continued physical labor.
Core Lessons:
• Interest
• Investing and Reinvesting
• Simple Interest and Compound Interest
• The Compounding Effect
• Financial Freedom
• Assets
• Seeking Financial Knowledge
• Every Penny Counts
Key Concepts:
• Earning interest versus paying interest
• Return on investment
• Simple and compound growth
• Reinvesting profits
• The snowball effect
• Investment size, return, time, and consistency
• Income-producing assets
• Stocks, mutual funds, index funds, real estate, bonds, royalties, and other investments
• Financial freedom
• Lifelong learning
• Starting with small amounts
Connection to the Course:
Chapter 6 establishes that positive cash flow creates the opportunity to save. Chapter 7 shows how saved money can be placed into productive assets and compound investments. Chapter 8 then brings the making, saving, and investing framework together.
Related Website Tool:
• Keys to Wealth Page
Use This Chapter When Looking For:
Investing, reinvesting, interest, compound interest, assets, financial freedom, returns, investment vehicles, the snowball effect, or starting an investment journey.
CHAPTER 8: BRING IT HOME AND MAKE IT MAKE SENSE
CHAPTER 8: BRING IT HOME AND MAKE IT MAKE SENSE
7 Videos | 10 Minutes and 51 Seconds
Overview:
Chapter 8 reinforces the financial laws and relationships introduced throughout the earlier chapters. Learners compare running in place, going broke, and getting rich while connecting cash flow, saving, investing, and the cost of living.
Core Lessons:
• Running in Place
• Going Broke
• Getting Rich
Key Concepts:
• Cash flow as a financial report card
• The Law of Equilibrium
• The Law of Depletion
• The Law of Accumulation
• Financial security versus financial freedom
• The continuing cost of living
• Saving as a bridge to investing
• Compound investing
• Starting the wealth-building process
Connection to the Course:
Chapter 8 serves as a checkpoint. It combines the course’s first major financial sequence—making money, saving money, and investing money—into one understandable framework. Chapter 9 then encourages learners to reflect on time, priorities, preparation, and generational responsibility.
Use This Chapter When Looking For:
A concise explanation of the overall wealth-building framework, cash-flow direction, running in place, going broke, getting rich, or financial freedom.
CHAPTER 9: SOME QUICK WORDS AND SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
CHAPTER 9: SOME QUICK WORDS AND SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT
5 Videos | 10 Minutes and 42 Seconds
Overview:
Chapter 9 encourages learners to reflect on the role of time, priorities, preparation, and legacy within their financial journeys. It emphasizes that wealth-building requires patience, intentional focus, applied knowledge, and preparing loved ones to manage what may eventually be passed down to them.
Core Lessons:
• Patience Is a Virtue
• What Are You Chasing?
• Will Your Loved One Be Ready?
Key Concepts:
• Patience and long-term thinking
• Using time wisely
• Applying knowledge
• Financial progress versus appearance
• Chasing positive cash flow
• Preparing future generations
• Passing down knowledge, habits, and principles
• Generational wealth
Connection to the Course:
After learning the mechanics of financial progress, learners are encouraged to consider what they are pursuing and why. Chapter 10 then moves into the practical mechanics and long-term consequences of borrowing money.
Use This Chapter When Looking For:
Patience, priorities, time, financial goals, legacy, generational wealth, preparing loved ones, or passing down financial knowledge.
CHAPTER 10: BORROWING MONEY TO BUY HOUSES, CARS, AND Etc.
CHAPTER 10: BORROWING MONEY TO BUY HOUSES, CARS, AND Etc.
10 Videos | 1 Hour, 5 Minutes, and 11 Seconds
Overview:
Chapter 10 explains how fixed loans work and how principal, interest rates, loan terms, and payment strategies affect the true cost of borrowing. Learners examine amortization schedules, loan balances, extra payments, underwriting, and the tradeoff between lower monthly payments and higher total interest.
Core Lessons:
• Fixed Loan Payments
• Loan Amortization
• Ending Balances
• Early Payoff Calculations
• Reducing Monthly Payments
• Underwriters and Loan Approval
• Decimal Precision in Financial Calculations
• Using the Fixed Loan Tools and Research Links
Key Concepts:
• Principal and interest
• Fixed monthly payments
• Loan terms
• Down payments
• Amortization schedules
• Ending balances
• Extra principal payments
• Interest savings
• Early loan payoff
• Longer terms and total borrowing costs
• Underwriting
• Credit, income, expenses, and cash flow
• The lender’s profit
Connection to the Course:
Earlier chapters explain cash flow, interest, inflation, and financial decision-making. Chapter 10 applies those concepts to borrowing for major purchases. Chapter 11 continues the borrowing discussion by examining revolving credit, credit-card payments, and financial reputation.
Related Website Tool:
• Fixed Loan Payments Page
Use This Chapter When Looking For:
Mortgages, automobile loans, fixed payments, principal, interest, amortization, extra payments, early payoff, underwriting, down payments, or the true cost of borrowing.
CHAPTER 11: CREDIT AND HOW TO USE IT
CHAPTER 11: CREDIT AND HOW TO USE IT
10 Videos | 53 Minutes and 41 Seconds
Overview:
Chapter 11 explains how credit cards, minimum payments, interest, debt, credit reports, and credit scores operate. Learners are encouraged to evaluate credit decisions based on their cash flow, financial goals, borrowing costs, and ability to repay.
Core Lessons:
• Minimum Credit-Card Payments
• Calculating Minimum Payments
• Whichever Amount Is Greater
• Total Interest Paid
• Good Debt Versus Bad Debt
• Credit Bureaus
• Credit Reports and Credit Scores
• Who Is Playing the Wealth Game?
Key Concepts:
• Annual percentage rates
• Credit-card agreements
• Minimum-payment formulas
• Credit limits and balances
• Interest charges
• Debt and cash flow
• Good and bad uses of debt
• Credit bureaus and reports
• Credit scores
• Payment history
• Financial reputation
• Interest working against or in favor of the participant
Connection to the Course:
Chapter 10 explains fixed installment loans. Chapter 11 expands the borrowing discussion to revolving credit and financial reputation. It also reconnects credit to the larger wealth-building framework by showing how lenders earn interest and how learners can eventually position interest and compounding to work in their favor.
Related Website Tool:
• Credit Payment Page
Use This Chapter When Looking For:
Credit cards, minimum payments, APR, total interest, good debt, bad debt, credit bureaus, credit reports, credit scores, payment history, or credit agreements.
CHAPTER 12: MAPPING OUT THE LIFE YOU ENVISION FOR YOURSELF
CHAPTER 12: MAPPING OUT THE LIFE YOU ENVISION FOR YOURSELF
3 Videos | 15 Minutes and 47 Seconds
Overview:
Chapter 12 brings the course’s financial concepts together by helping learners attach realistic numbers to the lives they envision. Learners explore careers, income, housing, transportation, insurance, investing, emergency savings, and everyday living expenses to determine what may be required to support a desired lifestyle.
Core Lesson:
• Paint the Picture
Key Concepts:
• Career exploration
• Expected income
• Lifestyle planning
• Housing and transportation costs
• Insurance
• Credit payments
• Emergency savings
• Investing goals
• Hidden expenses
• Connecting career choices with financial responsibilities
• Intentional financial planning
Connection to the Course:
This chapter transforms the course’s earlier concepts into a personal financial roadmap. Learners use cash flow, debt, credit, saving, and investing principles to evaluate the future they want to create. Chapter 13 then applies many of those same principles to business and entrepreneurship.
Related Website Tools:
• Paint the Picture Page
• Credit Payment Page
Use This Chapter When Looking For:
Career planning, lifestyle costs, salary comparisons, financial goals, housing, transportation, insurance, emergency savings, or connecting income to a desired future.
CHAPTER 13: BUSINESS AND BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR
CHAPTER 13: BUSINESS AND BEING AN ENTREPRENEUR
6 Videos | 33 Minutes and 22 Seconds
Overview:
Chapter 13 applies the course’s financial and character principles to starting, operating, and growing a business. Learners follow the movement of money through startup funding, expenses, revenue, profits, retained earnings, reinvestment, and business cash flow.
Core Lessons:
• Starting a Business
• The Financial Mechanics of Operating a Business
• The Value Chain
• Value Chain Summary
Key Concepts:
• Startup funds and startup costs
• Operating and unexpected expenses
• Revenue
• Gross and net profit
• Retained earnings
• Reinvestment funds
• Accessible business cash
• Business cash flow
• Personal draws and nonbusiness expenses
• Customer value
• Integrity, communication, accountability, and quality
• Repeat customers, referrals, and recurring income
Connection to the Course:
Chapter 13 demonstrates that the same principles governing personal finances also govern businesses. Income must be generated, expenses must be managed, positive cash flow must be maintained, and remaining profits must be allocated wisely. It also reconnects financial success with the character principles introduced in Chapter 4.
Related Website Tool:
• Starting a Business Page
Use This Chapter When Looking For:
Entrepreneurship, startup costs, operating expenses, revenue, profit, retained earnings, reinvestment, business cash flow, customer value, or the financial mechanics of running a business.
CHAPTER 14: CALCULATING EQUITY AND UNREALIZED GAINS OR LOSSES
CHAPTER 14: CALCULATING EQUITY AND UNREALIZED GAINS OR LOSSES
8 Videos | 37 Minutes and 14 Seconds
Overview:
The final chapter brings many of the course’s concepts together through calculators and practical financial tools. Learners examine equity, market-based gains and losses, percentage changes, savings goals, debt-payoff plans, business calculations, economic indicators, and the financial information available to the public.
Core Lessons:
• What Is Equity?
• Unrealized Gains and Losses
• Using Financial and Economic Information
• The Numbers Page: Savings and Debt-Payoff Tools
• The Numbers Page: Income, Service, and Product Calculations
• The Numbers Page: Percentage Increases and Decreases
Key Concepts:
• Equity and ownership
• Appraised value
• Outstanding principal balances
• Unrealized profits and losses
• Market value
• Percentage returns
• Savings goals
• Debt-payoff planning
• Lump-sum income management
• Hourly wages
• Service and product profits
• Percentage changes
• Economic calendars
• Interest rates and monetary policy
• Using public information and technology to continue learning
Connection to the Course:
Chapter 14 serves as the course’s practical conclusion. It shows learners that the concepts discussed throughout the course can be calculated, measured, tracked, and applied. The final lesson is not to memorize every formula, but to become comfortable using numbers, asking questions, locating information, and continuing the financial-learning process.
Related Website Tools:
• Numbers Page
• Keys to Wealth Page
Use This Chapter When Looking For:
Equity, ownership, unrealized gains, unrealized losses, market value, percentage returns, savings goals, debt-payoff plans, income calculations, business profits, economic information, or practical financial formulas.
The Sitting with Wisdom Method:
The Sitting with Wisdom Method:
We call our basic learning approach the "Sitting With Wisdom Method."
The idea comes from the experience of sitting down with an OG, elder, mentor, teacher, or wise and experienced person.
When you have an opportunity to sit with someone who possesses knowledge and experience, your first responsibility is to listen.
You must be attentive.
You must pay attention to what is being said.
You must be willing to receive the information before you can understand it, apply it, or pass it to someone else.
The Financial Literacy From Scratch course creates a modern opportunity for someone to sit with wisdom.
The learner does not have to be in the same physical room with Professor G. Through the videos, they can still sit down, listen, receive the information, think about what was said, and begin applying it to their life.
We encourage people to treat every short lesson like completing a repetition in the gym.
Five minutes today.
Seven minutes tomorrow.
Ten minutes another day.
Every time a person sits down and listens, they complete another learning repetition. As those repetitions accumulate, their understanding becomes stronger.
The "Sitting With Wisdom Method" can be summarized through four actions:
LISTEN.
Give the lesson your attention and receive the information being shared.
DISCUSS.
Talk about what you heard. Ask what the learner thought and what they understood from the lesson.
APPLY.
Use the website, workbook, or a real-life example to put the information into practice.
SHARE.
Introduce the information to the next person and continue the cycle.
The Call to Help Us Circulate the Information
The Call to Help Us Circulate the Information
No single person and no single organization can reach everybody.
However, all of us can help echo the same message.
We have created the information.
We have organized it into short, digestible lessons.
We have made it accessible online.
We have developed practical financial tools.
We have created an optional workbook to support comprehension and application.
We have also created a character-development resource to help people understand the principles required to use the information responsibly.
Now we need help circulating it.
We are not asking parents, educators, mentors, or organizations to recreate financial education from the ground up.
We are asking them to help us circulate the financial education we have already created.
If you are a parent, sit down and watch a lesson with your child.
If you are an educator, introduce a lesson to your students.
If you are a mentor, discuss the information with the young people you serve.
If you lead an organization, help us place the information in front of your community.
If you understand a lesson, share it with someone who may not have received that information before.
You do not have to purchase the workbook to participate. You do not have to teach the entire course yourself. You do not need to be a financial expert.
You only need to be willing to introduce the information, encourage someone to listen, and begin a conversation about what they learned.
Our vision is simple:
We share the information with you.
You share it with the next person.
They share it with someone else.
That is how the information travels.
That is how understanding grows.
That is how we begin closing the financial-education gap.
And that is how we begin strengthening households and communities—one lesson, one conversation, and one person at a time.
LEARN IT. UNDERSTAND IT. APPLY IT. SHARE IT.
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