At the Bay Area Financial Education Foundation (BAFEF), we believe that financial literacy is a vital skill for success in today’s world. Our Student Workshop is designed to equip students with essential knowledge and practical skills in personal finance. If you’re interested in hosting a workshop for your organization, please Request a Workshop today!

Each module is a focused session that covers a range of important topics:

Module Overview

1. Budgeting 101

In this session, students will learn how to leverage a budget effectively. They will explore:

• The purpose of a budget and how to track income and expenses.

• The difference between wants and needs.

• Strategies for managing debt.

• Practical activities to create a budgeting habit, using modern tools and tips to track real-life spending.

2. Understanding Credit

This session covers the fundamentals of credit, including:

• Key concepts such as credit cards, debit cards, and interest.

• Common types of loans and how they work.

• Responsible credit usage, credit score calculations, and pitfalls to avoid.

• Strategies for young individuals to manage credit responsibly.

3. Basics of Investing

Students will dive into the world of investing in this session, learning about:

• Foundational investing principles, including stocks, bonds, index funds, and exchange-traded funds (ETFs).

• Long-term investing concepts like the time value of money and compound interest.

• Risk, diversification, and practical application through an interactive investment game facilitated by our volunteers.

4. Taxes and Your Paycheck

In this session, students will gain insights into:

• The reasons behind government taxation and major tax categories relevant to young adults.

• How taxes are deducted from paychecks, including understanding paystubs and taxable income.

• Engaging activities that reinforce their knowledge of tax withholdings and financial responsibility.

5. Paying for College

This session prepares students for the financial aspects of attending college, covering:

• Saving strategies and financing options for college education.

• Understanding the financial aid process and best practices for students.

• Key terms in student loan documents and an interactive activity to help assess manageable levels of student debt.

6. Buy Now, Pay Later & Understandig Financial Influencers - NEW

The financial landscape is changing fast — new payment products and new sources of financial advice have emerged in just the last few years, often outpacing the guidance young people receive on how to navigate them. This session gives students a practical understanding of how Buy Now Pay Later (BNPL) works and how financial influencers ("fin-fluencers") on social media are motivated to create content, helping students build critical thinking skills for both checkout decisions and online financial advice.

• Students learn how BNPL companies make money (merchant fees, late fees, and interest) and experience the concept of "loan stacking" through a hands-on activity showing how multiple small payments can quickly become unmanageable.

• Students see how a fin-fluencer's incentives — platform view counts and sponsor payments — can push content from balanced and honest toward extreme and misleading over time.

• Students leave with a critical viewing framework (who's paying them, is it sensational, is it emotional, would a real advisor agree) to evaluate financial advice they encounter on social media, along with practical guidance on when BNPL is and isn't appropriate to use.