Articles ยท Topic
Articles about Unit 11
11 articles across 1 section
Section
Courses
Buying, Credit, Insurance & Consumer Decisions
Research a major purchase, read your credit report and score, understand credit card agreements, compare loans by APR and total cost, evaluate auto financing add-ons and insurance, read warranties and return terms, recognize scams and pressure, and resolve consumer problems. 10 guided modules building to your Household Consumer Record.
Auto Financing and Add-Ons
Auto financing as three negotiations at once, pre-approval, the F and I office and its add-on products, and auto insurance coverage types.
Comparing Loans
Compare loans by APR and total cost. The five Truth in Lending disclosures, how term length changes the total, and prepayment rights.
Credit Scores and Inquiries
What a credit score measures, the five factors that influence it, hard versus soft inquiries, and the rate-shopping window.
Insurance as Risk Management
How insurance transfers household risk: policy terms, the declarations page, replacement cost versus actual cash value, and common exclusions.
Reading a Credit Card Agreement
Read a credit card agreement: the Schumer box, the grace period, minimum payments, and what the terms cost in practice.
Resolving Consumer Problems
The four-level escalation for consumer problems, from seller to payment dispute to regulatory complaint to small claims court, writing effective complaints, and the purchase documentation checklist.
Scams, Subscriptions, and Pressure
Recognize the urgency, secrecy, and untraceable-payment scam pattern, understand payment-method risk, manage subscriptions and recurring charges, and build a fraud response plan.
Start with the Need
Start with what the household needs, not the product. Total ownership cost, separating what to buy from where and how to pay, and the decision record.
Warranties, Returns, and Cancellation
Full versus limited warranties, implied warranties, service contracts, return policies, the Cooling-Off Rule, lemon laws, and subscription conversion terms.
Your Credit Report
What your credit report contains, how to get it free from all three bureaus, how to check each section, how to dispute errors, and what a credit freeze does.
Also on NWS