[Like2Plan]

How about a unit in credit cards and the sneaky ways CC companies lure consumers into big debts they can't possibly pay off in a month and then have to pay high rates of interest until (and if) they ever get caught up. (Pinocchio and Pleasure Island would be great illustrations, eh?)

How about banks who advance folks money and then hit them with high overdraft fees on their checking account?

How about a unit on how to never write a check that bounces? You could include the following techniques:

1. Maintain a minimum balance in your account equal to your biggest monthly bill.
2. Always record your transactions-- Use software such as Quicken where you can program your repeat transactions using scheduled transactions.
3. Figure out how much cash you will need for the week and only make 1 ATM withdraw per week. (And Record it! Use scheduled transactions, if possible)
4. Always reconcile your account with your monthly statement.
5. Use a credit card for all your day to day transactions (do not charge anymore than you can pay off when the bill comes in).
6. As a last line of defense, get overdraft protection.
7. Understand the fees involved with the account.
8. Find out the policy for when deposited funds are available to be spent.
9. Check and see if you qualify to join a Credit Union that may have cheaper fees and may offer overdraft protection from your savings account or linked to your CC for free.

How about a unit on identity theft and how to protect yourself from it (as much as possible).

Then, a unit on saving money and the different categories of saving. Start with an emergency fund and start saving for retirement from day 1 (and the benefits of a Roth and establishing it ASAP). How to calculate your rate of return.