Build, Grow, Protect

April is National Financial Literacy Month, which signals a great time to build confidence in your financial decisions, whether you’re just getting started or planning for what comes next.

Weiss Financial Ratings

A fantastic financial literacy tool that we provide here at the library is Weiss Financial Ratings: a trusted resource that provides independent, unbiased ratings for banks, insurance companies, and investment options. Beyond their ratings, Weiss also offers clear, practical consumer guides designed to help you navigate real financial decisions at all stages of your life.

Their consumer information book collections break down complex topics into manageable steps, covering everything from budgeting and managing debt to choosing insurance and planning for major life milestones. Each guide is about 50-80 pages and is packed with straightforward explanations, expert insights, and helpful financial tools to put what you learn into action.

Here are just a few:

The Foundation: Start with strong habits

If you're just starting on your financial goals or you're looking to build better money habits, the Financial Literacy Basics collection in Weiss Financial Ratings is designed for people at that particular stage. Whether you're managing money on your own for the first time or just trying to get a better handle on your finances, these guides break things down in a way that’s clear, practical, and approachable. They walk you step-by-step through how to make the most of your money, which pitfalls to avoid, and what to watch out for. They also provide a plethora of worksheets and additional online resources to actually put those ideas into practice.

One standout guide, How to Make and Stick to a Budget, turns something that can feel overwhelming into something manageable. It shows you how to track your income and expenses, understand where your money is going, and build a plan that works for your real life. Instead of framing budgeting as a restriction, it presents it more as reallocation: a way to reduce stress, stay on top of bills, and start working toward your goals.

On the right is an example from the book, demonstrating a quick, doable method that can get you budgeting without complex spreadsheets. The 50/30/20 rule is a simple framework that helps you divide your income into three categories (p. 22):

• 50% for needs like housing, groceries, and bills
• 30% for wants like dining out or entertainment
• 20% for savings and paying down debt

What makes this especially helpful in the guide is that it doesn’t stop at percentages. It also includes a handy breakdown showing what those percentages actually look like in real dollars at different income levels, so you can see exactly how your budget might take shape (p. 75).

It’s flexible, easy to remember, and gives you a clear starting point, even if you’ve never budgeted before. 

The Growth Phase: Planning for what's next

The Planning for the Future collection of consumer guides is designed for those who are ready to take the next step in their financial journey: whether that means starting a family, buying a home, exploring insurance options, advancing your career, or saving for a child’s education. These guides focus on the bigger picture, helping you navigate major life decisions that come with real financial impact.

One standout guide, Living Together, Getting Married & Starting a Family, focuses on how finances evolve when your life becomes more interconnected with others. It emphasizes that major milestones like moving in together, getting married, or having children aren’t just emotional decisions; they’re financial ones too.

A key takeaway from the guide is the importance of open conversations about money (p. 4). It walks readers through what those conversations should actually include, like discussing debt, reviewing credit reports, setting shared goals, and deciding how to split expenses. While those conversations can feel uncomfortable, the guide stresses that they are essential for avoiding conflict and building a strong financial foundation together.

It also highlights just how much finances can change when starting a family. For example, the guide notes that raising a child can cost over $200,000 through age 17 (p. 20), with additional ongoing monthly expenses that can quickly add up. Seeing those numbers laid out helps readers understand the importance of planning and adjusting their budget early.

The Horizon: Choosing coverage with confidence

Weiss Ratings doesn’t just evaluate banks and investment products; it also provides detailed ratings and guidance for insurance companies, helping you make informed decisions when it matters most. Their Consumer Guide to Medicare Supplement Insurance is a great example of how these resources go beyond basic information to truly support real-life decision-making.

This guide walks readers through one of the most important (and often confusing) financial decisions later in life: choosing the right Medicare Supplement (Medigap) policy. It breaks down what Medicare does and doesn’t cover, clearly illustrating the “gaps” that many people face, like deductibles, co-pays, and services that aren’t covered at all (p. 26).

From there, the guide provides step-by-step support on how to choose a plan. It explains how different Medigap policies work, what benefits to look for, and how to compare premiums across companies, while also emphasizing the importance of selecting insurers with strong safety ratings (see on the right).

What makes this collection especially useful is that it doesn’t stop at explanation; it helps you take action. In addition to expert recommendations and company ratings, the guides include practical worksheets and planning tools, such as their Medicare Supplement Insurance planner, to help you organize your options, compare policies, and move forward with confidence.

Try it out today

Accessing the database is easy!

1. Visit the library website and navigate to the Online Library navigational tab.

2. Find Weiss Financial Ratings under Business & Finance or in our A-Z Resources list.

3. Log in using your Clark County Public Library card and pin/password.