PEM Life- A Review – The Delight Directed Homeschooler

Disclaimer: I received a FREE copy of this product through the HOMESCHOOL REVIEW CREW in exchange for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review nor was I compensated in any other way.

My oldest has been asking for a practical class or training in real life math and finances. He is thinking ahead and wants to be prepared when it comes to how to manage his financial life. I have definitely wanted him (and all my kids) to take such a class… I have just been waiting until he is done with Algebra to even think about it. Well… I no longer have to think about it or weigh the different options out there because we were blessed with the opportunity to review the Personal Finance Illustrated® Homeschool Edition from PEM Life.

The Personal Finance Illustrated® Homeschool Edition is a comprehensive online program that provides practical financial understanding for the real world. The program is divided into units. Each unit contains one or two primary instructional videos, several additional videos, instructions and practice on one or two digital tools. Assessments for each unit include a concept quiz, vocabulary quiz, writing assignment, discussion question, and a reflection question. There is also a digital textbook with reading assignments for most of the units. The quizzes are graded, but you will have to look over the writing assignements.

The units included are:

Unit 1: Personal Economic Model

Unit 2: Time Value of Money

Unit 3: Lifetime Capital Potential

Unit 4: Opportunity Cost

Unit 5: The Tax Filter

Unit 6: Lifestyle Regulator

Unit 7: Temperament & Financials

Unit 8: The Importance of Protection

Unit 9: Debt-What Is It, What Is It Not

Unit 10: Pay Cash or Finance?

Unit 11: The Investment Tank

Unit 12: The Saving Tank

Unit 13: Access to Capital

Unit 14: Qualified Plans

Unit 15: Mortgages, The Right Choice

Unit 16: Why Go To Work?

Unit 17: Principles of Work

Unit 18: The Dangers of Riches

I’m thinking maybe I need to do this course as well. I’ve spent so much of my adult life just surviving financially… I’d like to thrive now. I want my kids to have the tools to thrive. I look at my goals for them… my vision and hopes. I want them to be solid, decent humans who love Jesus first and foremost. I want them to be able to function in the world…. however that may look. They may not all be destined for college and that is ok. I want to know that I can launch them into the world and they won’t crash and burn. They will be able to live and thrive in our society. To know there are companies like PEM Life out there with amazing resources makes me happy and gives me great tools to pass on to my children. And bonus- the course is from a Biblical worldview!

When you log on, you’ll see your dashboard over to the left. Everything is accessible. In other words, you don’t have to complete Unit 1 to open Unit 2. A student can complete the course at their own pace. It is meant to be taken over the course of a high school semester. The course is packed with awesome resources which means I don’t have to be financially competent to facilitate this course. If you look on the left of the picture above, you’ll see different folders. The folder labeled “Personal Finance Illustrated” is the entire course… all the resources, etc. It can be a little overwhelming. You can choose to spend all your time in that folder or utilize the individual Unit folders below.

Truthfully, this is a little intense for my 10th grader. My husband and I were saying it would be a better option for him to take when he is a senior. There is so much good stuff here. I want him to really get it… you know? When he is a senior, he will likely have a car, a job, and aspirations of either going to college or getting a job. Personal finance will make much more sense to him (in my opinion) when he is closer to living in the real world and not under mom and dad’s roof.

The Interactive Resource Library is really cool. There are several ways that the concepts of personal finance are illustrated and several tools to make real life comparisons. My personal favorite is the budget builder. It reminds me of the episode of the Cosby show when Cliff is teaching Theo about real life… he gives him a handful of monopoly money and by the time he is finished taking back the monthly expenses, Theo is left with barely anything. A great visual aid can really go a long way!

The course is designed for students to move through without much assistance from parents. However, there is an instructor’s guide should the parent want to be more involved.

If you are looking for a complete Personal Finance course with TONS of real like application, PEM Life’s Personal Finance Illustrated® Homeschool Edition is pretty amazing. I am thankful for the 6 month’s access we were given. I am always pleased when I’m able to meet my kid’s request. It gives him ownership in his school and therefore causes him to be much more invested. My kid is going places and now he has some tools under his belt to get him there… and for real… I’m going to watch the videos too!