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This case series simulates the decision of choosing and financing a car. Reggie Fuller is a fry cook on the verge of losing his job if he keeps arriving late to work due to inconsistent public buses. Fuller's dream car, the Lincoln MKS, is priced far beyond his budget ($50,000), but Fuller wonders if he can afford other new cars like the Nissan Altima (which costs $17,445) or the Toyota Camry (which costs $20,306). Unsure of how to proceed, Fuller seeks the advice of a family friend and mentor, who agrees to teach him what he knows about the car-financing process. Accompanying the case is a handout that teaches students how to calculate monthly auto loan payments.

This case follows dance instructor Jackie McKenzie as she struggles to properly budget her expenses needed to support life with her youngest daughter, Millie. At the checkout aisle of her local grocery store, McKenzie becomes embarrassed when she discovers she cannot afford the $150 bill. Luxury purchases such as a red dress and McKenzie's bimonthly pedicures have maxed her credit card and strained her checking and savings accounts. Unfortunately, this is not the first time McKenzie has overspent her means. When McKenzie calls her oldest daughter, Kerry, to ask yet again for her financial help, Kerry challenges her mother to put together a budget.

This case follows a woman named Maria Alvarez as she explores financing options to cover costs for her young daughter's surprise respiratory illness. Alvarez has not opened a bank account since moving to the United States from the Dominican Republic two years prior and has little savings from her job. She lives paycheck to paycheck without a credit card or credit history, to her knowledge. Should Alvarez get the money she needs through a payday loan, which wouldn't require her to have a bank account, or should she explore what it would be like to join a financial institution and get a personal loan through it?