

Chapter 23 covers credit cards and debt management. We start with the basics to help students understand what debt is and how some debt is good and other debt is bad. We give students tools and strategies to keep track of their debt, tips on managing debt (including credit cards), and resources that can help them if their debt is out of control.

Online Resources
CNN Money’s Money 101 Lesson 9 covers the basics of debt and credit cards. It’s a great supplement to Chapter 23. It also includes a quiz students can take to assess their understanding of the topic.
What will it take to pay off my credit card? Plug in a few details—balance, interest rate, payments—and this calculator will answer that question.
This Channel One game might be a little young for the college student, but it does illustrate how credit cards’ interest rates and minimum monthly payments affect the overall price the consumer pays.
Frontline’s documentary, The Card Game, is a fascinating look at the credit card industry.
This companion page to Frontline’s documentary, The Card Game, provides timely information and advice about credit card use and bank fees. It includes informative charts and graphs.
Another Frontline documentary, The Secret History of the Credit Card, examines how credit cards became such a major force in our society. The website includes links to lesson plans and discussion questions.
The Federal Trade Commission’s Money Matters website is a good resource to have on hand. It has links for step-by-step directions for dealing with debt and how to protect yourself from scams.
The National Foundation for Credit Counseling is another first-stop resource for people in need of financial and debt advice.

error: Content is protected !!