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Financial Literacy
Grade 6-9
Banking Basics for Teens Cheat Sheet
A printable reference covering checking accounts, savings accounts, interest, debit cards, fees, deposits, withdrawals, and account security for grades 6-9.
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Banking basics help teens understand how money moves, where it can be stored, and how to use accounts safely. This cheat sheet covers checking accounts, savings accounts, debit cards, deposits, withdrawals, interest, and common bank fees. Students need these skills to manage allowance, gifts, part-time job income, and future paychecks responsibly.
Key Facts
- A checking account is used for everyday spending, bill payments, deposits, withdrawals, and debit card purchases.
- A savings account is used to store money for goals and may earn interest over time.
- Simple interest can be found with the formula I = P x r x t, where I is interest, P is principal, r is annual interest rate, and t is time in years.
- Account balance after interest can be found with A = P + I.
- A deposit adds money to an account, while a withdrawal takes money out of an account.
- Available balance is the amount of money you can currently use after pending transactions, holds, and fees are considered.
- Overdrafting means spending more money than is available in an account, which can lead to fees and a negative balance.
- Strong banking security includes using a private PIN, creating strong passwords, enabling alerts, and never sharing login information.
Vocabulary
- Checking Account
- A bank account used for everyday spending, deposits, withdrawals, and debit card transactions.
- Savings Account
- A bank account used to store money for future goals and sometimes earn interest.
- Debit Card
- A card that lets you spend money directly from a checking account.
- Interest
- Money earned on savings or paid for borrowing, usually calculated as a percentage.
- Overdraft
- A situation where more money is spent than the account has available.
- Bank Fee
- A charge from a bank for certain services, mistakes, or account activity.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Confusing a debit card with a credit card is wrong because a debit card uses money already in your account, while a credit card borrows money that must be repaid.
- Ignoring pending transactions is wrong because your available balance may be lower than the balance you first see online or at an ATM.
- Forgetting to track small purchases is wrong because snacks, games, and subscriptions can add up quickly and cause overspending.
- Thinking all bank accounts are free is wrong because some accounts may charge monthly fees, ATM fees, overdraft fees, or minimum balance fees.
- Sharing a PIN or password is wrong because it can allow someone else to access your money or personal information.
Practice Questions
- 1 Maya deposits 45 dollars into her checking account. Her balance was 120 dollars before the deposit. What is her new balance?
- 2 Jaden has 200 dollars in a savings account earning simple interest at 3% per year. How much interest will he earn in 1 year using I = P x r x t?
- 3 A teen has 85 dollars available, then spends 18 dollars on lunch and 27 dollars on a game. What is the new available balance?
- 4 Why is it important to check your available balance instead of only remembering how much money you deposited?