<prompt> Human: I have literally no idea what 90 of people are talking about on here. But I want to know, desperately. My financial situation is horrible. I have been making it up as I go because I have never been taught about how money works. Not even in school. I know banks offer a checking, a savings, and loans, and I havent a clue how any of those work. Im desperate to build a realistic budget, start investing, and pay off everything on my credit. Which is in ruins, at the moment. I picked up a book on personal finance for people in their 20s, and I was lost by page 10. Its called, Personal Finance in your 20s for Dummies by Eric Tyson. I have two car loans and a small credit card on my credit. My parents convinced me to cosign for a car for my father, because their credit is worse then mine, and now I cannot get anything else put on my credit. Not to mention the fact they fell completely behind on payments. The car even got repossessed at one point, and we were given 10 days to get it back before they put a note on each of our credit scores. We literally got it back the next day, and when I checked my credit, they put a note on it. Im looking for any sort of bookwebsiteadvise that can explain finances to me, and how I can get my two car loans paid off fast, as well as my credit card. My parents have lived in financial ruin their entire lives personally, I dont think they ever learned finances either, and I am scared to death I will end up living like them. Edits: I wasnt finished but it posted anyways . I currently live at their home and am a student worker at my college. Luckily, FAFSA has covered all of my student expenses, so I have no student loan debt. I consider myself unemployed, even though I work at my college library and am paid through FAFSA. Also, itd be a bonus if somebody can explain to me how to get and pay for Health Care. I am going to be bounced from my parents health insurance on my 21st Birthday, which is the end of this year. They have Tricare.  <response>: Some good advice posted so far. Youre not alone in feeling lost and confused - a lot of us here started out that way. One of the best things you can do though is remove those words lost and confused from your financial vocabulary. You said you were lost by p. 10 of your personal finance book - pick it up and read those 10 pages again. And again, if need be. Google terms you dont understand and ask about them here. Think of it like your classes in school. You dont take the final exam on day one - you start with the basics and slowly understand more and more. If you get frustrated take a break but keep at it. If youre like a lot of us here, it will go from being mysterious and scary, to mildly interesting, to a personal hobby and next thing you know youre on Reddit trying to help other people with their questions: 