On October 7, Viewpoint English and Personal Finance Teacher Jake Cousineau released his second book, “Face Your Financial Fears.” The new release speaks to readers who have already faced financial setbacks and provides clear, practical steps to get back on track.

“People assume everyone else has it figured out. Most don’t,” Cousineau said. “This book shows it’s not as scary as it seems and gives you steps to act.”

That uncertainty is something Cousineau once lived through himself, before turning his own financial struggles into a foundation for teaching others.

“I grew up really poor and knew nothing about money,” Cousineau said. “By the time I finished college, I had borrowed $30,000 and maxed out credit cards. I finally decided to start reading everything I could, and that’s when I realized finance wasn’t as complicated as I thought.”

One of the turning points came when he discovered “I Will Teach You To Be Rich” by Ramit Sethi, a book that made personal finance feel approachable rather than intimidating. With that foundation, Cousineau began to build his own knowledge, eventually reaching a place where he felt confident enough to share what he had learned with others.

“I’ve been teaching personal finance since 2018,” Cousineau said. “When I got to Viewpoint, it started as just one trimester. Now I teach nearly every eighth grader, and we’re adding an Upper School class for juniors and seniors. I think it’s only going to keep growing.”

His teaching experience also sparked his first book. What began as a short guide for graduating seniors in 2021 grew into a full manuscript, resulting in “How to Adult,” which has since been adopted by schools and colleges across the country. The book is now taught in places such as NYU, Rutgers, UCLA, and Santa Monica College, as well as in districts that have ordered thousands of copies for use in their classrooms.

At Viewpoint, every senior receives their own copy of “How to Adult” as part of the school’s commitment to teaching real-world financial skills.

Now, with “Face Your Financial Fears,” Cousineau hopes to reach readers who feel stuck or ashamed of past mistakes and show them a path forward. The book builds on the foundations of “How to Adult” but dives deeper into the myths, fears, and psychology that keep people from addressing money problems.

“As an example, in just 20 minutes you can go from thinking you’ll never retire to realizing you actually have a plan,” Cousineau said. “That’s the shift I want readers to experience, from feeling hopeless to seeing a clear path forward.”

For his students at Viewpoint, and for readers across the country, Cousineau’s message is simple: financial literacy is not out of reach, and it’s never too late to start.