Who We Are

SavingandBorrowing.org is a registered Texas Education Agency (TEA) CPE provider that specializes in teaching high school level hands-on, real-life consumer finance (Financial Literacy) problem-solving skills. These skills are taught in a non-intimidating manner, using only the most basic math, and based on understanding the 5 elements of “Time Value of Money” (TVM) . These elements are: Number of Payments, Interest Rate, Payment Amount, Present Value, and Future Value.

Our Secret Sauce? First, a simple explanation/discussion of the 5 elements of “Time Value of Money” (TVM) as stated above. Next, a very simple platform as described below will be introduced to engage each attendee and monitor their progress real-time as we solve a number of problems in a step-by-step fashion. This repetitive pattern technique virtually eliminates any required memorization and quickly deepens understanding of the concepts. We are also striving to incorporate humor into the presentations as an additional avenue to connect with the audience. To date, every participant taking the course “gets it” by the time they’re finished. A pdf of the presentation is available for downloading under the “Presentations” header at the top of this page. If you would like the actual PPT, please contact us to arrange a phone call to determine which version would best suit your needs.

Reviews? Read our 50-plus most current Reviews! Do participants rave about the non-intimidating feel, and the real-life problem-solving skills learned in the SavingandBorrowing.org session? To find out, just click on “Reviews” in the header at the top of the page (or possibly the “hamburger menu” on a mobile device) to see actual Feedback Forms from both high school teachers and students.

What Platform? The platform used to solve problems in class was selected after comparing it against Excel, Google Sheets, Apple’s Numbers, Desmos web-based, TI BAII Plus, TI 84 Plus, TI-Nspire CX, HP 12C, HP 17bII+, and the Casio FC-200V calculators. And the winner is: The extremely easy to learn HP 10bII+ financial calculator. Each participant will be provided one to use during the session. Problems you will learn to solve are shown below, and additional ones may be viewed by clicking on the “Sample Problems” header at the top of this page. Many thanks to the eBay sellers who have donated their HP calculators to this cause, or discounted the purchase price. This program is also being sponsored in part, thanks to support from the NHP Private Operating Foundation (of Texas).

Our published session description:

Saving and Borrowing: Fun with Real World Consumer Finance, Part 1

Come ready to learn a new hands-on skill that is portable, so the technology is always available whenever you need it!  No jargon, no math, just practicing a new skill that will make a difference in both your and your students’ financial future.  In this lively session you will learn and retain how to solve a wide variety of consumer finance problems dealing with saving, borrowing, and retiring.  

The most valuable part of the session is that you will come to understand the 5 elements of “Time Value of Money” (TVM), which are: Number of Payments, Interest Rate, Payment Amount, Present Value, and Future Value. After explaining these concepts, we will practice, practice, practice solving problems using the most user-friendly platform available today, an HP financial calculator. We will make sure you “get it,” and can see the possibilities of sharing this new life skill with your students. A smartphone app which emulates this calculator is available separately for Apple and Android smartphones as well as Chromebooks, and iPads for $6, should you decide to carry this new skill with you at all times. It is also available for the Windows OS at a slightly higher cost. The content and instructional methodology used in class has been adapted from post-secondary courses and is being offered on a widespread basis at the secondary level for the first time.

Experience and Program Goal

During 15 years of combined experience as an adjunct faculty member teaching Finance at Austin Community College where he attained the Master Teacher classification, and at the Concordia University Texas MBA program where he was commended by Concordia for his exceptional performance as an instructor, Dean Harris, CPA (ret.) developed engaging, hands-on sessions to teach students to understand time value of money concepts and to solve a wide range of problems encountered at various life stages. Mr. Harris is also a licensed Texas Real Estate Broker and, previously, a Texas Certified General Appraiser and REALTOR®.

Since developing this TVM session for high school students and teachers, and beginning live presentations in spring 2024, Mr. Harris has given over 20 sessions for Round Rock ISD students. Presentations at teacher conferences, which is becoming our focus, includes the Career and Technical Association of Texas (CTAT), Family and Consumer Science Teachers Association of Texas (FCSTAT), and DECA Collab conferences. His goal for this program is to share the material and techniques he developed with all high school teachers interested in financial literacy, budgeting, and giving their students one more portable skill to help them throughout life. He is interested in reaching young adults, particularly those challenged by socioeconomic status, who might not otherwise be exposed to these concepts and problem-solving skills. A current project underway is obtaining approval from a local school district to offer the app free to students who make a written request. This project includes submitting to the school district a completed Student Data Privacy Agreement, Software Vendor Registration, and Purchasing Department Vendor Registration. The estimated approval date is December 15, 2024.

Content Contributors

This program is grateful to have been developed with assistance from:

• Melissa Thomas, Round Rock ISD, CTE Specialist
• Randy Jasek, Dave Ramsey volunteer, technical review
• NHP Private Operating Foundation, support
• Vi Snell, National Business Educators Assoc. (NBEA), PPT review
• Kay Norton, support associate
• Rene Gonzales, Virtual-Enterprises.com, technology consultant
• Taylor Tackitt, webmaster and creative consultant
• Marisa Brice, Exec. Dir., Family and Consumer Science Teachers Assoc. of Texas

We are currently in the process of initiating discussions with the National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE), Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Operation Hope, Financial Beginnings, YWCA Economic Empowerment Program, Future Business Leaders of America, and Business Professionals of America for possible sessions. If you are aware of any groups serving motivated youth who are trying to better themselves in life, feel free to mention this website to them. We can accommodate groups of up to 50.

Event Schedule

February ’25: Tentative presentations for Round Rock ISD dealing with credit and payments.

January ’25: Tentative presentation for Family and Consumer Science Teachers Association of Texas (FCSTAT) virtual Midwinter Conference. This will be our first virtual session, with promo codes for financial calculators to be distributed in advance so each participant may download the app in preparation for the session. This experience may help launch us on a path to offer training to audiences beyond central Texas.

November ’24: Began scheduling repeat session dates for Round Rock ISD presentations. Teachers have requested the current sessions to focus on compounding and compound interest. To paraphrase Einstein, “Compound interest is the eighth wonder of the world. He who understands it, earns it; he who doesn’t, pays it.” Enough said? Can’t wait to see how we adapt that idea to the classroom! After November’s presentations, we will have presented to over 500 students since the program’s inception in February ’24.

October ’24: Presented at the Texas DECA “Collab” conference in Round Rock, Texas. Also went live with the website

September ‘24: Began discussions for initial sessions with Florence ISD. Launched the beta version of the savingandborrowing.org website.

August ’24: Presented at the Central Texas Table of Grace, a non-profit in Round Rock, Texas, and became a TEA-approved CPE provider.

July ’24: Presented at the Career and Technical Association of Texas (CTAT) and the Family and Consumer Science Teachers Association of Texas (FCSTAT) conferences in D/FW, with a goal to raise teachers’ awareness of high school students’ ability to learn these concepts and to provide a pathway to incorporate these skills into their curriculum.

Feb-April ’24: Program was launched with Time Value of Money (TVM) presentations to seventeen “Money Matters” financial literacy classes district-wide for Round Rock ISD (RRISD), reaching 300 students.

Sample Questions

1. How much of a car loan can you get today if you make a $300 monthly payment, and are considering a 36-month loan at 7.24% annual interest?
2. How much do you have to save per month starting at age 18 to have $1,000,000 at age 60 if you invest in a stock index fund that averages 10% APR?
3. Suppose you walk into Yuddy’s Rent-to-Own store in Round Rock and see an HP refurbished laptop you want. Today’s cash price is $1,299.99. If you don’t have the cash today, they do advertise a financing plan. The Number of payments you will make is 18, in the amount of $107.99 per Payment. What Interest Rate (APR) are you paying? Answer: 54.13% APR
4. What amount will you need in the bank when you retire in order to make withdrawals of $2,000 monthly for 20 years if interest rates are 4% APR?
5. And of course, a simple payment… What would the payments be on a $15,000 car loan for 48 months at 7.42% APR? But what if you could only afford $300 per month, how many months would the loan need to be for?
6. You are at a car dealer considering a vehicle with the following loan terms: $10,000 loan, 36 monthly payments, 6.5% interest. The salesperson quotes a monthly payment of $321.82. How much of a (likely) unauthorized purchase price for an “add-on” (such as a “paint and wheel protection plan”) have they “packed” into your monthly payment? Answer: $500.18

Reviews