Personal Finance Course Outline

Course Objectives:

  • Understand the fundamentals of personal finance.
  • Learn to create and manage budgets.
  • Gain knowledge about saving, investing, and retirement planning.
  • Develop skills to manage credit and debt.
  • Learn about insurance and risk management.
  • Understand the basics of tax planning and filing.

Course Schedule:

Month 1: Introduction to Personal Finance and Budgeting

Class 1: Introduction to Personal Finance

  • Importance of personal finance
  • Financial goals and planning
  • Overview of the course

Class 2: Income and Expenses

  • Understanding sources of income
  • Identifying and categorizing expenses
  • Difference between fixed and variable expenses

Class 3: Budgeting Basics

  • What is a budget?
  • Steps to create a budget
  • Tools and apps for budgeting

Class 4: Advanced Budgeting Techniques

  • Adjusting and maintaining your budget
  • Dealing with irregular income
  • Budgeting for special occasions and emergencies

Month 2: Saving, Investing, and Credit Management

Class 5: Saving and Emergency Funds

  • Importance of saving
  • How to build an emergency fund
  • Strategies for effective saving

Class 6: Introduction to Investing

  • Why invest?
  • Types of investments (stocks, bonds, mutual funds, etc.)
  • Risk vs. return

Class 7: Investing in the Indian Context

  • Overview of Indian stock market
  • Popular investment options in India
  • Regulatory framework and taxation on investments

Class 8: Credit and Debt Management

  • Understanding credit scores
  • Types of credit (credit cards, loans, etc.)
  • Strategies to manage and reduce debt

Month 3: Insurance, Retirement, and Tax Planning

Class 9: Insurance and Risk Management

  • Types of insurance (life, health, property, etc.)
  • Importance of insurance
  • Choosing the right insurance policy

Class 10: Retirement Planning

  • Importance of early retirement planning
  • Types of retirement accounts and schemes in India (EPF, PPF, NPS, etc.)
  • Strategies for retirement savings

Class 11: Tax Planning and Filing

  • Basics of income tax in India
  • Deductions and exemptions
  • How to file income tax returns

Class 12: Course Review and Case Studies

  • Review of key concepts
  • Analyzing personal finance case studies
  • Q&A session and feedback