Banking Basics
Checking, savings, debit cards, and ATMs — how banks actually work, and how to keep your money (and your info) safe.
Join Early Access — Free0 of 6 lessons mastered
— About this course
About 1 hour 30 minutes across 6 lessonsA bank account is the first financial tool you'll own — this course makes it work for you instead of quietly costing you fees.
What you'll learn
- · What checking and savings accounts are each built for
- · Why your app's balance sometimes lies — pending charges and deposit holds
- · The fee menu: maintenance, ATM, and overdraft — and how to avoid every one
- · Keeping your account safe from phishing, skimming, and fraud
- · Running a full month of account management, including reconciliation
Skills you'll practice
- · Account management
- · Statement reconciliation
- · Fraud prevention
By the end, you can
Open the right account, keep it fee-free, reconcile a statement, and shut down fraud before it spreads.
Checking vs. Savings
What each account is for and why you probably want both.
Cards, ATMs, and Everyday Transactions
Deposits, withdrawals, debit cards, and how pending transactions can fool your balance.
Fees, Overdrafts, and Statements
The fees banks charge, how overdrafts happen, and how to read — and reconcile — a bank statement.
Keeping Your Account Safe
Protecting your account info, setting up direct deposit and autopay, and what to do if something looks wrong.
Banking Simulation
Run a fictional account for a month — deposits, swipes, fees — and finish in the green.
The Month Everything Happens
A check hold, a pending charge, a mystery fee, and a repair — run the month where nothing goes smoothly.