Financial literacy is important for everyone, but what does it mean to be financially literate? Simply put, financial literacy is the understanding of how to use money effectively to achieve financial stability.
So how does one get from basic skills like budgeting and building savings, to intermediate skills like understanding health benefits and retirement planning, to advanced skills like tax accounting and investing? We’ve got resources of all sorts on our Research & Learn page to support you throughout your financial literacy journey.
Beginner Resources
For those just getting started, the following e-resources can help you build a solid foundation of understanding how to budget, save and manage your money.
GFC Learn Free: Personal Finance – Online courses designed to take you from the basics of budgeting to investing. There are also courses for managing money online.
GetSetUp: Build Better Money Habits – Designed for older adults, these online classes cover a wide range of topics, including budgeting, building better money habits, money and jobs, health benefits, avoiding scams, veterans’ benefits, and Social Security and retirement income. GetSetUp also offers a wide range of brief articles on money topics, such as how to save on prescription medications and boost your home’s value.
HelpNow by Brainfuse's Skill Surfer: Life Skills/Financial Literacy – Quick lessons on the basics of financial planning, investing, insurance and taxes.
Intermediate Resources
As you become more comfortable with the basics of money, the following resources will help you use your money more efficiently and wisely.
Consumer Reports – Save money by ensuring the products you purchase will meet your needs and last a long time. Consumer Reports offers unbiased reviews and trusted buying guides to help you make informed purchases across thousands of products, from cars and appliances to digital security and travel.
Weiss Financial Ratings – Find the information you need to ensure you work with the best and most financially stable organizations. Get independent and unbiased ratings for insurers, banks, credit unions, stocks, exchange-traded funds and more. User-friendly guides and articles about financial literacy are also available.
Advanced Resources
If you’re feeling fully confident in money management, take your skills to the next level by learning about investments. The following resources will help you learn about investing and keep an eye on the latest market data.
Value Line Research Center – Access insightful investment research on companies, industries, markets and economies. Read unbiased stock market information and investment. If you’re just getting started with investing, watch educational videos to learn how to make your money work for you.
Morningstar Investing Center – View data on nearly half a million offerings, including stocks, mutual funds and real-time global market data. Visit the Investing Classroom to access a range of online courses so you can master everything from getting your taxes done to diversifying your investment portfolio.
Books
If you’d prefer to sit down with a book and do some deep learning, we’ve also got hundreds of books on all sorts of topics relating to financial literacy and money management for learners at all levels.
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