BU8241
Money 101
COURSE DESCRIPTION AND SCOPE
This course is designed to equip students with the knowledge and lifelong skills in personal
financial management. Course topics include financial goal setting and budgeting; personal life
cycle; personal income tax planning; debt and credit management; saving and investment;
retirement planning; personal risk (life, health, disability and property insurance) management;
and estate planning. In this course, students will learn to prepare their own personal financial plan;
manage their resources; make sound personal financial decisions, gain control of their life
financially and achieve financial independence.
COURSE LEARNING OBJECTIVES
Upon the completion of the course, students should be able to:
 Understand why personal financial planning is important.
 Have a working knowledge of analytical tools to develop and implement sound financial
strategies.
 Develop personal financial goals and create personal financial statements and budgets.
 Understand the importance of tax planning and their impact on financial planning.
 Understand basic concepts in consumer financing (consumer credit; housing; and
purchase of a vehicle).
 Understand the basics of home, auto, life, health, and disability insurances and their
relevance to financial planning.
 Understand the basics of different investment alternatives (including stocks, bonds, and
mutual funds) and their relevance to financial planning.
 Understand the complexities of retirement and estate planning, and their relevance to
financial planning
 Prepare their personal financial plan.
COURSE ASSESSMENT
Components
Marks
Individual/Group
Coursework
Quiz
15
Individual
Assignment
5
Group
1
Project
10
Group
Class Participation
10
Individual
Final Examination
60
Individual
Total
100
TEXTBOOK
Kapoor, J., Dlabay, L., and Hughes, R., Tenth Edition (2011) International Edition, Personal Finance.
New York, NY: McGraw-Hill, ISBN: 978-0-07-131566-1
PROPOSED LECTURE SCHEDULE
Week
Topics
1
Course Overview, Personal Financial Planning, and Time Value of Money
2
Time Value of Money
Money Management :
 Financial Statements and Budgeting
Money Management
3


Planning Tax Strategies
Saving and Payment Services
4
Money Management
 Introduction to Consumer Credit
5
Money Management
 Choosing a Source of Credit and the Cost of Credit / Alternatives
6
7
Money Management
 Consumer Purchase: Vehicle and Other Major Purchases, Buying
Your Home
Investments
 Fundamentals
 Stocks
2
RECESS WEEK
8
Investments
 Bonds
 Mutual Funds
 CPF investments
9
Investments
 Real Estate, High Risk, and Alternative Investments
10
Managing Risk and the Role of Insurance
 Property and Motor Vehicle Insurance
11
Managing Risk and the Role of Insurance
 Health and Disability Insurance
 Life Insurance
12
Retirement Planning
13
Estate Planning and Course Wrap Up
Final Exam (2 hours)
3