The Change Engine
Financial Foundations
Money can be stressful, but it doesn't have to be scary. This path teaches you how to budget, save, build credit, and plan for the future — one step at a time. With videos, tools, and music to keep you motivated.
Beginner 215 min 6 modules
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Modules
6 modules1
Every dollar in your pocket is a promise. Let's learn what that promise means.
Understanding Money Basics
Money is something we all use every day, but most of us never learned how it actually works. This module helps you understand where money comes from, what gives it value, and how it moves through your life. Once you see the big picture, everything else makes more sense.
Two Cents (PBS) — Money: A Global Game of Trust Schoolhouse Rock — Tyrannosaurus Debt (national debt explained) Khan Academy — Full Financial Literacy Course (free)Alright — Kendrick Lamar
30 min introductory
Objectives: Explain what money is and why it has value, Identify the difference between income expenses and net worth, Understand how money flows in a household, Recognize your own relationship with money
2
A savings account isn't just where money sleeps — it's where your future wakes up.
Banking and Saving
Having a safe place for your money is the first big step toward financial confidence. This module walks you through checking accounts, savings accounts, and how to make your money grow even while you rest.
Two Cents (PBS) — Budgeting Basics (pay-yourself-first) Clever Girl Finance — Build a Savings Plan (free course) NerdWallet — 50/30/20 Budget Calculator$ave Dat Money — Lil Dicky ft. Fetty Wap
35 min practical
Objectives: Understand checking vs savings accounts, Know what FDIC insurance means, Learn what a high-yield savings account is, Set up a simple system to save from every paycheck
3
Your credit score is just a story about your past with money. The good news? You get to write the next chapter.
Credit and Debt
Credit is a tool, not a trap. This module teaches you what a credit score really is, how it gets calculated, and how to build credit even if you are starting from zero. You will also learn smart strategies for paying off debt.
Two Cents (PBS) — How Are Credit Scores Calculated? Two Cents (PBS) — Fastest Way to Pay Off Debt AnnualCreditReport.com — Free Credit ReportsRun This Town — Jay-Z ft. Rihanna & Kanye West
40 min explainer
Objectives: Explain what a credit score is and five factors that determine it, Understand good debt vs harmful debt, Learn Avalanche and Snowball methods for paying off debt, Check your credit report for free
4
A budget isn't about saying no to yourself. It's about saying yes to what matters most.
Budgeting That Works
Budgeting is not about cutting out everything fun. It is about making a plan so your money goes where YOU want it to go. This module teaches you simple methods that actually stick.
Two Cents (PBS) — 3 Steps to a Bulletproof Budget Clever Girl Finance — 4 Best Budgeting Methods NerdWallet — Free Budget Worksheets & TemplatesIndependent Women Part I — Destiny's Child
35 min interactive
Objectives: Create a monthly budget using the 50/30/20 framework, Understand reverse budgeting, Choose between budgeting apps spreadsheets or paper, Build a monthly check-in habit
5
There is money and help already set aside for you — you just have to know where to look.
Benefits and Assistance Programs
Hundreds of programs exist to help people with food, housing, healthcare, childcare, and more. These are not handouts — they are resources your community created for exactly this moment. This module helps you find what you qualify for.
USAGov — Benefit Finder (interactive) 211 Texas — Guided Search for Local Programs FindHelp.org — 770+ Houston Financial ProgramsGood as Hell — Lizzo
35 min resource
Objectives: Identify major assistance programs (SNAP Medicaid TANF WIC CHIP), Use online benefit-finder tools, Understand how to apply for benefits in Texas, Know Houston-specific resources like 211 Texas
6
Wealth is not about getting rich quick. It is about planting seeds today that grow into something beautiful tomorrow.
Building Wealth Over Time
Building wealth is for everyone, not just people who already have a lot. This module introduces compound interest — the idea that your money can make money all by itself. Small consistent steps today create real security tomorrow.
Khan Academy — Introduction to Compound Interest
Federal Reserve — No-Frills Money Skills: Compound Interest SEC Investor.gov — Compound Interest CalculatorGirl on Fire — Alicia Keys
40 min explainer
Objectives: Understand compound interest and why starting early matters, Know the difference between saving and investing, Learn about index funds and retirement accounts, Create a simple long-term wealth goal
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