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Money · Guided lesson

Stabilize cash flow and minimums

About 28 minutes
Work at your own pace. Optional videos take extra time.
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Before you begin

The idea in everyday life

Prevent late fees, service loss, and fresh borrowing before accelerating payoff.

The idea

First stop the boat from taking on water; then row faster.

Try it

One step at a time.

Use the sample or information you have permission to use. Keep your work as you go. You can pause between steps.

  1. 1

    List essential living costs and income by actual date, not just monthly totals.

  2. 2

    Place every contractual minimum on a bill calendar with processing buffers and low-balance alerts.

  3. 3

    Choose optional costs to pause. Keep paid-down credit out of the spending budget. Set a small emergency reserve for a likely unexpected cost.

  4. 4

    If minimums do not fit, contact creditors early and seek a reputable nonprofit credit counselor before moving money from protected essentials.

Example

See how it works.

Jordan moves two due dates closer to payday, cancels three unused subscriptions, and keeps a $500 repair buffer instead of applying the entire checking balance to debt.

Check your work

Did you cover these?

  • Your work includes a 30-day cash-flow calendar that funds essentials, a starter buffer, and every feasible minimum payment.
  • Check this common mistake: Sending all available cash to one card while rent, utilities, insurance, or another required minimum becomes late.
  • You can identify the lowest-balance day of the month and show which funds cover every payment before it clears.
Your work

What to finish

A 30-day cash-flow calendar that funds essentials, a starter buffer, and every feasible minimum payment.

Common mistake

Watch for this

Sending all available cash to one card while rent, utilities, insurance, or another required minimum becomes late.

How can I tell I understand it?

You can identify the lowest-balance day of the month and show which funds cover every payment before it clears.

Try 3 questions

Quick knowledge check

Answer all 3 questions. Get at least 2 right and the lesson completes automatically.

Not yet passed

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1Which step is part of “Stabilize cash flow and minimums”?
2What should you have made by the end of this lesson?
3Which mistake should you watch for in this lesson?
0 of 3 answeredApply the lesson to a short question, then review the explanation.
2
Finish this lesson

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Answer all 3 questions above and get at least 2 right. You can review the explanations and try again.

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Optional course overview video · same video as Lesson 1
Khan AcademyDebt PayoffYouTube
Optional course overview

Debt Payoff

From Khan Academy. Watch here or open it on YouTube .

Watch for an idea you can use in the practice below. You can pause or skip this optional overview.
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Sources and further reading

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