Financial Education

Six Week Series: 

• Financial Life Skills for Teens or Young Adults: This class is for teens, young adults, or those just starting their financial journey. Classes cover goal setting, overview of credit scores, first paychecks and taxes. Each of these classes can also be provided as a stand-alone class.

• ​Job Prep Course: Six lessons that cover resumes, interviewing techniques, and professional communication. Participants take part in mock interviews. Each of these are typically an hour.

*Note-  we can do tailored one-off sessions if preferred

Three Week Series:

• Money 101: Money Management Series for Young Professionals

Stand-Alone Classes:

• Paying for College or Technical School: In this class you’ll learn what to consider when paying for college or technical school with an introduction of student loans and scholarships.

• Understanding Student Loans: Participants will learn about types of student loans, loan servicers, repayment options, payments, and interest with information on current loan programs. Typically, 1.5 hours.

Please see the Financial Simulations section for information on youth simulations.

If there is a topic you are interested in that isn’t listed, please let us know and we can determine if we can tailor a class to your needs.

Six Week Series:

• Money Smarts Pay (MSP) series
  • This six-class series focuses on budgeting basics, goal setting, credit and debt Management, savings strategies, identity theft, and choosing a banking institution. Each class is 1.5 hours long and can include 1x1 financial coaching.
•  Money Talk: Financial Series for Women 
  • This six-week course is designed to increase financial knowledge & empower women to make savvy financial decisions. Topics include: financial basics, insurance, investing basics, retirement planning & planning for future life events. Course content can be modified for coed audiences.  

Stand-Alone Classes:

• Controlling Clutter: 
  • A workshop about tackling clutter and becoming organized. Participants learn how to organize papers and what documents to keep or shred. 
• Values and Goals/Money Habits: 
  • This class focuses on the difference between needs and wants and setting goals and discusses money habits and values. 
• Living Well on a Fixed Income: 
  • Learn how to economize on spending, budgeting tips, and living well on a fixed income. This class is great for anyone on limited income, including ways to live well during retirement. We’ll provide some factors to consider when planning for living on a fixed income and strategies to save money.  
• Credit/Credit Reports: 
  • This class discusses what makes up a credit report and credit score, which website to use and which to avoid, and how to correct errors on one’s credit reports. This class can be divided into two sessions and include a game.
• Financial Scams: 
  • Just Say No!: This session covers common financial scams & how you can protect yourself, especially if you suspect family is the fraudster.
• Identity Theft: 
  • This course covers how to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft & what steps to take if you think you are a victim. 
• Tax Basics: 
  • This class will help participants understand the basic tax forms, what documents they need to prepare tax returns, and tips to reduce tax bills.
• Understanding Your Utility Bills:
  •  Learn how to read your utility bills, get some energy savings tips, and learn about some local financial assistance programs for utility bills. This class is taught by Energy Masters or Master Financial Educators.
• Retirement Planning: 
  • Retirement planning often depends on goals, lifestyle decisions, work plans, health and life expectancy, and employer benefits. Get an overview of retirement planning basics and tips for retirement planning.
• Investing Basics: 
  • Learn about setting financial goals, the benefits of saving and investing, and types of investments. 
• Small Steps to Health & Wealth: 
  • Learn 25 strategies for improving both your physical & financial health. A great program to tie to new year's resolutions.
• How to Use Financial Apps: 
  • Learn about popular financial applications and how to use them for budgeting, investing, and money management. 
• Budgeting for the Holidays: 
  • Learn some ways to budget and save for holidays. 
• Traveling on a Budget: 
  • Learn some tips and tricks for traveling on a budget within the US and internationally.

If there is a topic you are interested in that isn’t listed, please let us know and we can determine if we can tailor a class to your needs.

Each activity, depending on the class size, can last 1.5-2 hours. Great for schools, homeschoolers, after school programs, nonprofits working with kids, and youth groups as well!

Kids Marketplace: for elementary school students

• Kids Marketplace is a financial simulation adapted for elementary and middle school-aged children. Students receive a job and a monthly income in play money and decide how to spend it at the animal shelter, fun station, grocery store, bank, and other expense stations. Students are encouraged to save a portion of their income and to contribute some to charity.

Reality Store: for middle and high school students

• It is becoming more important than ever for high school graduates to have sound money management skills and a clear understanding of financial decision making. Reality Store is a simulation in which students receive a hypothetical family situation with a monthly income and are then required to make spending decisions on housing, transportation, groceries, clothing, medical care, entertainment, savings, and other expenses without running out of money or going into debt. This activity has been popular in Arlington and Alexandria middle and high schools.

Poverty Simulation

• In this virtual activity participants are faced with difficult decisions while maintaining a budget. Our in-person simulation will be available soon. Note-- This activity is geared toward adults.

Become a Master Financial Education Volunteer!

Do you have a passion for sharing your financial knowledge with others? Would you like to give back to your community in a meaningful way? Consider our Master Financial Education Volunteer (MFEV) program and join the ranks of others who have made a difference in others’ lives.

Master Financial Education Volunteers help individuals and groups reconcile debts, set goals, budget their spending, save money, organize financial records, and learn sound money management skills. Volunteers can choose to work one-on-one with individuals and/or teach money management classes to groups such as senior citizens, new immigrants, teens, residents at affordable housing complexes, and many others.

Volunteers receive a training manual with information on budgeting, retirement planning, home buying, and many other finance topics, instruction in counseling techniques, and lists of other community resources of use to clients.

Read our Frequently Asked Questions (PDF) to find out more.

Volunteer Information and Required Forms

• Volunteer Description (PDF)
• Counseling Opportunities (PDF)
• Volunteer Application Form (PDF)
• Volunteer Contract (PDF)

Still want to help, but can’t commit to the next MFEV training?

We offer a few programs  where we accept any and all volunteers, whether they’ve gone through training or have never volunteered with us before (our youth simulation programs). We also allow volunteers to shadow with us until they can complete the training.  For the Kids Marketplace and Reality Store programs, you must go through a background check if the program is held at a school. For more information, visit: https://ext.vt.edu/family/mfev.html or email asalazar@vt.edu

Next Master Financial Education Volunteer Training

When: TBD 

Application Fee: The cost for the training is $80 which covers the cost of supplies and mandatory Background Check. Payment is not due until applicant is accepted and confirmed for the training.  Please note that all Virginia Cooperative Extension volunteers must undergo a background check. Scholarships are available!