Credit & Debt 101
What credit is, how credit scores work, and how interest quietly turns a small purchase into a big one.
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— About this course
About 1 hour 15 minutes across 5 lessonsCredit is the one part of money that follows you for decades — learned early, it's a superpower; learned late, it's an expensive lesson.
What you'll learn
- · What credit reports and scores are, and who's reading them
- · How credit cards really work — statement balance, APR, and the minimum-payment trap
- · Loans: principal, rate, term — and why longer usually costs more
- · Reading a real (sample) credit card statement
- · Comparing financing offers by total cost, not monthly payment
Skills you'll practice
- · Total-cost comparison
- · Statement reading
- · Borrowing judgment
By the end, you can
Read a credit card statement, compare financing offers by their true total, and explain why the minimum payment is a trap door.
What Is Credit?
Credit scores and credit reports — what they say about you and who's reading them.
Credit Cards and Interest
APR, minimum payments, and statement balances — the math that makes revolving debt dangerous.
Loans and Responsible Borrowing
Good debt, bad debt, and how to borrow without wrecking your future.
The Real Cost of Financing
Watch the same purchase financed three different ways — the price tag is only the beginning.
The Financing Face-Off
One $1,500 laptop, three ways to pay. Compare the real totals and defend your choice.