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Introduction to Personal Finance
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Introduction to Personal Finance
A Step-by-Step Guide to Financial Freedom

First Edition
October 2024 | 440 pages | SAGE Publications, Inc
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Introduction to Personal Finance invites students to reflect on their values and behaviors with money and to set goals to reach financial freedom. Author Kristen Carioti provides clear, step-by-step guidance on the essential building blocks, from setting up an emergency fund, to navigating student loans and investing for retirement. Students are encouraged to evaluate their personal relationship with money and mindfully assess their behavior so they can set and reach achievable financial goals.

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Part I: Your Relationship with Money
 
Chapter 1: Your Money, Your Story
Your Money History

 
Money Scripts

 
Money Values

 
 
Chapter 2: Defining Financial Freedom
Your Money Future

 
Your Present-Self and Future-Self

 
Cash Flow Versus Net Worth

 
Paycheck to Paycheck

 
Inequities and Costs of Financial Hardship

 
Financial Freedom

 
Seven Steps to Financial Freedom

 
 
Appendix: Time Value of Money
 
Part II: The Basics
 
Chapter 3: Banks and Money
Types of Mainstream Banks

 
Types of Deposit Accounts

 
Setting Up a Basic Emergency Fund

 
Alternative Financial Services

 
Cryptocurrency

 
 
Chapter 4: Introduction to Credit and Credit Cards
Three Types of Credit

 
Types of Credit Cards

 
Credit Card Finance Charges

 
Paying a Credit Card Off

 
Alternative Uses of Credit Cards

 
Credit Card Statistics

 
Benefits and Costs of Credit Cards

 
 
Chapter 5: Credit History and Identity Theft
Credit History

 
Credit Report

 
Credit Score

 
Types and Signs of Identity Theft

 
Preventing and Reporting Identity Theft

 
 
Part III: Income and Expenses
 
Chapter 6: Income and Career Planning
Prioritizing Income

 
Research Yourself and Your Career

 
Test Drive Your Career

 
Navigating Job Offers and Promotions

 
Navigating Your Career

 
Self-Employment

 
 
Chapter 7: Expenses and Budgeting
Managing Expenses

 
Planning Large Expenses

 
Why You Need a Budget

 
Budgeting Tools

 
Creating Your Own Zero-Based Budget

 
Budgeting Examples

 
Assessing and Adjusting Your Budget

 
 
Part IV: Loans and Debt
 
Chapter 8: Consumer Loans
Consumer Loans

 
Monthly Payment and Total Cost of a Loan

 
Refinancing a Loan

 
Prepaying a Loan

 
Student Loans

 
Federal Student Loan Repayment

 
 
Chapter 9: Debt
Predatory Lending

 
Predatory Loans and Agreements

 
Paying Off Debt

 
Other Debt Payoff Strategies

 
Debt Relief

 
 
Part V: From College to Career
 
Chapter 10: Investing Fundamentals
Saving Versus Investing

 
Investment Securities

 
Alternative Investments

 
Understanding Your Risk Tolerance

 
Investment Portfolios

 
Exponential Growth

 
 
Chapter 11: Investing Applications
Investment Strategies

 
Investment Accounts

 
Employer-Sponsored Retirement Plans

 
Investing in a 401(k)

 
Individual Retirement Accounts

 
Investing in a Roth IRA

 
Investing Mistakes

 
 
Chapter 12: Taxes
Introduction to Income Taxes

 
Filing Your Tax Return

 
Calculating Your Federal Income Taxes

 
State, Local, and FICA Taxes

 
Filing Taxes When You're Self-Employed

 
Other Taxes

 
 
Chapter 13: Insurance
Health Insurance: How It Works

 
Health Insurance: Where to Get It

 
Life Insurance

 
Disability Insurance

 
Auto Insurance

 
Property Insurance

 
 
Chapter 14: Housing
Rental Housing

 
Rental Housing: Pros and Cons

 
Mortgages

 
Buying a Home

 
Home Ownership: Pros and Cons

 
Rental Property Ownership

 
 
Part VI: Pathways to Financial Freedom
 
Chapter 15: Your Money, Your Future
Retirement Planning

 
Estate Planning

 
Protecting Your Future

 
Money Mistakes and Stall Outs

 
Continuing Education

 

Carioti's Personal Finance textbook delivers key content on critical components of one's personal finance journey in a logically present/easy to understand format. Based on my 10+years of postsecondary experience teaching this course, I feel as though the students would easily relate to the presented content.

Mark Ryan
Hawkeye Community College

It is actually the best Personal Finance textbook I've seen. I don't even use a textbook anymore because I couldn't find one that I felt included all the topics I review in my class and that was easy to read for students. I think that students will find it an interesting read.

Tricia Hersel
Trine University

"Student performance after implementing Vantage is incredible...this is a really tangible way to see that."

Karen Deeming
Instructor, Merced College

"This is the smoothest student onboarding process I have ever experienced. Everything is syncing and the students were able to figure things out with almost no help from me."

Echo Leaver
Instructor, Salisbury University

This is an excellent introductory personal finance text. It meets students on an emotional level—dealing with that first before moving on to a task orientation.

Bruce Kline
University of Northern Colorado

"I am really excited to have tools that help motivate students to actually do the reading..."

Emily Hopkins
Instructor, University of Scranton

"My learners really enjoyed the SAGE Vantage experience. Many of them said it forced them to read, which aided in their comprehension…The feedback I received is that they all really enjoyed the interactive nature of the program, as well as the [number] of activities..."

Daniel Amoruso
Instructor, Boise State University

This book breaks complex topics down into manageable steps that students can integrate into their own financial planning. Students will enjoy the hands-on approach this book provides.

Dyan Pease
Sacramento City College

This a very good Personal Finance text. The material includes current thinking. There was a good bit of discussion about cryptocurrencies. Students need to be aware of these types of investments with a good amount of warning.

Walter F. Boyle
Methodist University

"I think that Vantage [is] an ideal system that will promote engagement of students."

Linda Trautman
Instructor, Ohio University
Key features
  • This text is available in Sage Vantage, an intuitive learning platform that integrates quality Sage textbook content with assignable multimedia activities and auto-graded assessments to drive student engagement and ensure accountability. Unparalleled in its ease of use and built for dynamic teaching and learning, Vantage offers customizable LMS integration and best-in-class support.
    • Flashcards and note-taking tools help students better prepare for class.
    • NEW! Audiobook Player allows students to listen to text content, boosting comprehension and retention. It offers flexible, on-the-go access, engaging both reluctant readers and auditory learners, improving the overall reading experience.
    • The Offline Reading option in the Student Dashboard offers greater accessibility to Vantage’s reading content, regardless of where students are or how strong their internet connection may be.
  • The Seven Steps to Financial Freedom framework provides a clear, ordered checklist of financial goals.
  • Financial Wellness Q & A boxes address emotional challenges related to personal finance. Sample topics include managing family expectations, dealing with familial identity theft, addressing money addictions, dealing with medical debt, and recognizing financial abuse.
  • Integrated throughout the chapters, Mindful Money provides actionable strategies for achieving financial goals and avoiding pitfalls.
  • Check Your Social features discuss the impact of social media on personal finance. Sample topics include implicit money messages, lifestyle creep, multi-level marketing (MLM) schemes, and no-spend challenges.
  • Each chapter ends with a summary, reflective and actionable homework questions, and two case studies, encouraging readers to apply and consider their own financial situations.

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