Save Smart
Banking Basics
Fees & Cards
Money Moves
Money Reality Check
100

You put part of every paycheck into savings before spending on extras. What savings strategy is this?

Pay Yourself First

100

Which account is built for everyday spending with a debit card and bill payments? 

Checking Account

100

What kind of card lets you spend money loaded onto it, but generally does not build credit

Prepaid card

100

Your employer sends your wages electronically straight to your bank account. What is this called?

Direct Deposit

100

What is one common challenge for people without a bank account? 

Cashless purchases can be harder, paying bills can take extra time, and access to credit may be limited.

200

You want to lock away money for a few years and earn a strong interest rate. Which type of account is this?

Certificate of Deposit (CD)

200

Which type of account is meant for money set aside and may earn interest? 

Which type of interest do you want?

Savings Account


Compound Interest

200

Name one way to help avoid overdrawing a checking account.

Use low-balance alerts, track spending, or keep enough money in the account.

200

What is one reason to review your bank statement each month? 

How often do you receive a bank statement?

To spot errors, unauthorized charges, and check balances.

Once a month

200

Why might an online savings account appeal to someone comparing banks? 

It may offer a higher interest rate.

300

A student wants an emergency fund equal to six months of $2,000 expenses. How much would that be?

$12,000

$2,000 x 6 = $12,000

(You want 3-6 months of your monthly expenses in your emergency fund)

300

What organization protects eligible bank deposits up to $250,000 per depositor, per insured bank, per ownership category?

FDIC (Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation)

300

You have $10 but try to make a $12 debit purchase. If you opted out of overdraft protection, what may happen?

The transaction may be declined.

300

You notice ATM withdrawals you did not make. What should you do first? 

Contact your bank immediately and report the suspicious activity.

300

True or false: A regular savings account has historically tended to earn more than stock-market investments

False.

Savings account typically less than 1%

Stock Market Investments ~6%

400

You save $400 each month toward a $12,000 emergency fund. About how long would like that to achieve this goal?

30 months

$12,000 / $400 = 30 months

400

What is one key benefit of online banking tools? 

You can transfer money, pay bills, and automate savings without visiting a branch.

400

You have $10 and make several debit purchases totaling more than your balance. With overdraft protection, what will happen?

Your transaction will get approved but one or more overdraft fees may apply, and you must repay the overdrawn amount.

400

If inflation is higher than the interest rate on your savings, what happens to your money's purchasing power?

It decreases / you lose purchasing power.

400

Why might a prepaid card be useful to someone without a bank account, even though it has drawbacks?

It can help make purchases online or anywhere the card network is accepted; fees may apply.

500

Why can starting retirement savings early make a big difference?

Your money has more time to grow through compound interest.

500

A household is living paycheck to paycheck. What does that usually mean?

Most or all pay is used for expenses, leaving little or no savings.

500

A worker gets paid on a payroll card. Name one potential benefit and one thing they should check?

Benefit: access to pay on payday

Check: fees and terms

500

Which type of payment app is best suited for splitting a bill with a friend rather than paying by check or cash?

A person-to-person (P2P) payment app.

- Venmo

- Paypal

- Zelle

- Cash App

500

Most people need to save for retirement only after paying off every debt. True or false?

False. Starting early can give savings more time to compound.