Money | Family and Consumer Sciences

We help families increase savings, decrease debt, spend wisely, and plan for the future.

Through research-based education, coaching, and community engagement, UT Extension Department of Family and Consumer Sciences delivers consumer solutions that help Tennessee families spend, save, borrow, and protect their assets.

Resources and Programs in Your Community

We offer the following research-based programming to our Extension county agents for use in communities across Tennessee. To learn more about these resources and which programs are offered in your community, contact your county Extension Office.

To learn more or to find out if this program is available in your community,

contact your local FCS Extension Agent.

County Extension Offices

Educating Others

Training teachers to deliver quality financial education

Expand the selections below for information on these programming opportunities.

Money Week provides teachers the tools to deliver financial education to elementary school students. The education aligns with state standards for mathematics and National Jump$tart standards while also incorporating literacy as a key component of the program. Utilizing in-class instruction, read-aloud activities, and parent newsletters, Money Week covers essential topics such as understanding wants and needs, using money, and managing money.

UT Extension is an approved provider by the Tennessee Department of Education to provide high school teachers the required fourteen hours of continuing education in order to teach personal finance. The half-semester of personal finance is required for high school graduation. Extension educators offer two-day workshops across the state to meet this need.

Personal Finance Teacher Training Registration Site

couple with concerned faces looking at a budget

Managing Money

From building a budget to protecting yourself from fraud and scams

Expand the selections below for information on these programming opportunities.

America Saves uses principles of behavioral economics and social marketing to motivate, encourage, and support everyday Americans to save money, reduce debt, build wealth, and create better financial habits. America Saves encourages individuals and families to take the America Saves pledge, a tool that empowers them to commit to save successfully with a plan. UT Extension is a partner with America Saves through our Tennessee Saves program. New materials are added yearly.

Extension agents across the state offer THDA/NeighborWorks-Certified programs to prepare first-time homebuyers to successfully manage home purchase and ownership. THDA is the Tennessee Housing Development Agency. This program is required for homebuyers wanting a home loan through THDA lenders.

Love Your Money is an online college student financial education program accessible to universities across the US. It encourages students to build solid financial skills early in life and includes a classroom management site for instructors, a dashboard for class management, and a student dashboard for setting and achieving financial goals.

Looking to learn more about managing your money? If so, PACE: MoneyWise is for you. In this program, you will learn easy steps for setting money goals, stretching your dollar, developing a spending plan, understanding credit, and saving.

Pass it On is a financial fraud education campaign developed by the Federal Trade Commission. It reinforces what older adults already know about some of today’s most common scams and some they don’t. This program gives short and straightforward ways to share knowledge with family members, friends, and communities. The topics in the program include imposter scams, identity theft, charity fraud, health care scams, paying too much, and “you’ve won” scams.

Planning for Life

Preparation for your life's work and beyond.

Expand the selections below for information on these programming opportunities.

Everybody Gets Older consists of six lessons designed to help adults as they navigate aging. Lessons topics cover Exiting Gracefully, Fraud and Scams, Food Security, Health Care Choices, Housing, and Social Security.

On My Own is a fun and engaging financial education simulation for junior and senior high youth. Students imagine that they are adults with the responsibility of being the major income provider for a household that may include a spouse and/or children. Using a hypothetical occupation and income, participants work through a month of household purchases including housing, utilities, transportation, insurance, food, childcare, clothing, entertainment, and unexpected expenses.

A career development curriculum for middle to high school students consisting of instructional units, focusing on five aspects of career selection and development: trends, interest, relocation, education and training, and salary (TIRES).

Skill Up Tennessee is UT Extension’s SNAP Employment and Training program. The purpose of the program is to assist eligible SNAP participants in gaining skills, training, work, or experience that will increase their ability to obtain regular employment. The ultimate goal is self-sufficiency. In Tennessee, the program is administered by the Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development through a partnership with the Tennessee Department of Human Services. UT Extension provides Skill Up Tennessee as a SNAP E&T partner. Visit SkillUp.Tennessee.edu for more information.

To learn more about programs and resources offered in your community, contact your county Extension Office.

County Extension Offices