Dr Dean’s Personal Finance Course
I have been working over the past couple of months on an online course. The course will teach basic personal finance to nurses. (not limited to nurses, per se-but directed at my target audience. Anyone watching Scrubs, NCIS, or CSI probably understands enough medical lingo to get my jokes and medical references….)
The course will consist of video’s, expert interviews, work-sheets, and action plans, along with a forum for interaction with me and course participants.
1960's Classroom, photo from Cushing Library-Texas A&M
What are your concerns in personal finance?
What do you consider BASIC personal finance?
Here is an outline of what I am covering. I want to get input from my readers- both nurses and non-nurses. And if you are in the personal finance blogging world, I would appreciate your input.
Areas of Personal Finance Included:
Theory of Personal Finance
- Relationship with money-why do you have trouble being successful? Do you sabotage yourself sub-consciously?
- Goal setting-why it is so important.
- Planned spending-why every dollar you make needs a pre-planned place to go. A place that will advance your goals.
- Money-what is it, and how your finances relate to the US, and world economy.
- Investing-outside of a formal retirement plan-when and how to.
- Frugality-lifestyle management
Mechanics of Personal Finance
- Planned Spending-How to do it. Pencil and paper, spreadsheets, money management software, and online choices all explained.
- Banking-Savings/Checking, Online or Bricks and Mortar? How to automate your money management-to make it less burdensome to succeed.
- Taxes-How to decide your withholding, and common tax mistakes. Do-it-yourself, or professional help?
- Retirement savings-The intricacies of 403b or 401k retirement plans.
- Retirement savings part two-Saving for retirement outside work-IRA’s, both Roth and Traditional.
- Credit Cards-Yes or No, how to resolve credit card debt.
- Investing-How to set up a brokerage account, and what to do with it.
Income
- How to improve your income
- Other income streams
Debt
- Good vs bad debt
- How to decrease/eliminate debt
- Student loans
Support areas of personal finance:
- Insurance: Life, health, liability, auto, and homeowners. How to decide the when, what and where.
- Housing-rent or buy, financing, selling, and making a good purchase.
- End of life-Will’s and Durable Power of Attorney for Health-care.
This outline covers the important basics of personal finance-my areas of focus.
Reader Questions:
- What would motivate you to take such a course?
- What are your personal finance concerns, or areas of interest?
- What is the area that most concerns you, or you think need the most emphasis?
- What mistakes did you make, and wish you had been taught earlier in your life?
Let’s get a dialogue going-help me help others- before their finances need a “Code Red!“
