These are sample pages from the full workbook. The complete printed book has 36 pages. Free class sets available for teachers — request kits.
Your gross pay is what you earned before anything is taken out. Your net pay (take-home) is what actually lands in your account after deductions. The difference is mostly taxes: federal income tax, state income tax, and FICA — the 7.65% that funds Social Security and Medicare.
| Line | Amount |
|---|---|
| Gross pay | $1,000.00 |
| − Federal income tax | $100.00 |
| − Social Security & Medicare (FICA) | $76.50 |
| − State income tax | $40.00 |
| = Net / take-home pay | $783.50 |
A credit score is a number (roughly 300–850) that lenders use to guess how reliably you repay borrowed money. A higher score can mean easier approvals and lower interest rates on cars, apartments, and loans. Five things shape it:
| Helps your score | Hurts your score |
|---|---|
| Paying every bill on time, every time | Missing a payment or paying late |
| Using only a small part of your limit | Maxing out a credit card |
| Keeping old accounts open | Opening lots of new cards at once |
The sticker price is never the whole cost. A $6,000 used car still costs you every month in insurance, gas, and maintenance. And when it comes to college, the smart order is simple: free money first (grants and scholarships), then borrow only what you truly need.
| Cost | Your estimate (per month) |
|---|---|
| Insurance | $ |
| Gas / fuel | $ |
| Maintenance & repairs | $ |
| Loan payment (if any) | $ |
| Total monthly cost | $ |
The sticker price buys the car once. This total is what it costs to keep it.
Add up your free money and grants first, then figure out the real gap you'd need to borrow:
| Total yearly cost of school | $ |
| − Grants & scholarships (free money) | $ |
| − Savings & what you can earn | $ |
| = Gap you'd actually need to borrow | $ |
This was a peek at Launch. The full 36-page workbook digs into renting your first apartment, opening checking and savings accounts, filing a simple tax return, and building an emergency fund.
Teachers can request free printed class sets from Fort McClellan Credit Union.
Request free class sets →