Financial Tips Poster
Based on 40 Tips
Budget, plan, and keep track of your money.
WRITE EVERYTHING DOWN. Keep track of the amount of money you receive each month and everything you purchase. Budgeting can be used to see where you can cut out some expenses you don't need, see where you're spending too much money, and other ways to save in the near future. Keeping everything organized will also help with financial deadlines and avoiding mistakes.
Protect your personal information.
Understand not to give away your Social Security, credit card, or bank account number to just anyone. Identity theft and credit fraud is everywhere so make sure you never lose any of this information.
Constantly look for financial aid and scholarships.
Always reapply for aid if your financial situation ever changes and be aware of all the deadlines. Always talk to your financial counselors in order to get as much help as you can. Look and apply for as many scholarships as you can find that apply to you and avoid scholarship scams as you look through them.
Use loans as a last resort!
Student loans will most definitely put you in debt. With constantly changing interest rates, you will be spending much more than you plan to; in order to graduate with as little debt as possible, concentrate on looking for more scholarships as well as financial aid.
Find jobs that are easily accessible and within your schedule.
Make sure that your schedule can allow a job and that it will not distract you from your studying. Before taking a job, make sure you can completely handle it without affecting your grades or other extracurriculars.
Make school your first priority and job.
Many students in both college as well as high school tend to work part or even full time jobs. Make sure your job doesn't get in the way of your studies or interfere with good grades.
Take time to prepare for your career.
Always look for career fairs and interviews that come along your school and take advantage of counselors that can help you find a career or internship and even help with a resume. Constantly research careers that interest you or even some you might have never considered.
Save money on food you don't necessarily need.
Choose a meal plan that works for you, and USE IT! Save on snacks and try not to purchase them individually when you can buy them in bulk for much cheaper.
Seperate your wants from your needs.
You probably understand the difference from your wants and needs but constantly make a conscious effort to separate the two when making purchases. Think about what's important in the long run rather than what you will only want for a short period of time. It also helps to write things you absolutely need vs. what you want and making financial choices based on these lists.
Build good credit for the future.
Good credit allows you to take out loans for big purchases such as a car or house later on. Good credit scores could also help you land a job or apartment. Make sure to pay your bills on time and repay your loans as promised.
Get help if you get into debt trouble.
Debt trouble can be very dangerous and can grow very quickly. Make sure that as soon as you realize that you may be in any financial trouble to get help as fast as possible. This could be letting anyone know whether it's a professional financial specialist or a roommate.
Get into the habit of saving.
Saving a little bit of money at a time can teach you how easy it is to put away a little bit of money which will grow significantly over time. You will eventually be able to save more and more and can use that money later on for a big purchase or emergencies.