Financial literacy is one of the essential lessons every student must learn. Without knowledge of the basic principles of money management, young people risk returning to their parents immediately after graduation. The road to financial independence and success will become challenging and laborious.
So what is financial management? Financial management is a consistent activity to attract and effectively operate financial resources.
You can only manage your money reasonably by constantly analyzing, controlling, accounting, planning, and supervising your financial resources.
It is much easier to learn this while you are young because there will be much more chances to implement the skills.
This goal can be achieved by the student if he or she improves the following skills while still a student.
1. How To Schedule And Achieve Financial Goals
Goals are necessary because without knowing the endpoint, it is impossible to find the right road.
One way or another, almost all of our life goals are about money. Just someone will be enough for 1000 dollars, and for another one, a million dollars will not be enough.
Any financial goal should be formulated clearly and unambiguously. It must be real, achievable and preferably based on high income skills. This concerns both the amount of money you should save to achieve the goal and the time you can spend on it.
For instance, after graduation, you want to earn $1 million a year.
What does that money amount and time frame tell us? It allows us to set a clear plan of action.
There are about 1800-2100 working hours in a year. To achieve the desired result, you must get at least $50 for 1 hour of your work.
It is essential to understand what you should be doing to provide this income level.
Developing your talents and knowledge is the best investment in your future today.
We suggest that you pay attention to some high income skills that can help you quickly achieve the desired financial results once mastered as a student.
Each of them is already in high demand and will be in need for many years along:
- SEO or search engine optimization
- Software Development
- Copywriting
- Digital Marketing
- Business Analysis
- Program Management.
This list is not exhaustive. As you can see, learning and improving these high income skills is entirely up to you, and the income they can provide grows year after year.
Look for free information in the public domain, take paid courses, and find your teacher, mentor, and practice. That’s all you need.
2. How To Make A Personal Budget
Planning (budgeting) plays a huge role in financial success. A budget can have a strategy for allocating income and expenses for the day, month, year, or extended period.
You need a plan to keep track of your sources of income and categories of expenses. It helps determine how well your needs are being met and keep track of your progress toward your financial goals.
The information that the student can analyze when making a budget will help control the necessary payments if the education is financed by loans.
You can find many examples of personal budgeting on the Internet. The main principle is to show information about income and all categories of expenses and savings.
Once you start monitoring every type of spending in detail and discover the pointless ones, you’ll immediately notice new opportunities to use your freed-up finances. This skill will stay with you throughout your life.
3. How To Improve Your Credit Score
The main rule is to know that your credit rating is vital to you. A bad credit rating will bring big problems when renting a home, buying or renting a car, and more. For example, the interest rate on loan can be much higher than expected.
You need to know the key factors that affect your credit rating:
- History of all past credit card payments. The speed and number of repayments are taken into account.
- Amounts of unpaid loans or credits. Completeness and periodicity of repayments are essential.
- Number of new loans. A large number of new loans in a short period will express your unreasonable disbursement of funds.
- Types of loans. It is good to have different kinds of credit and pay them off responsibly and on time.
- Length of credit history. The earlier you start to manage your credit history – for example, when you are a student, the better for you.
4. How To Save.
Savings are a guarantee of financial stability and security. We believe that saving accounts for a student is the smartest way to provide a financial safety cushion. Moreover, these funds can later be effectively used for investing.
Remember that savings can only play an active role in your financial security if they are regular and stable. You should save at least once a month. Money from your savings account should not be spent on current expenses.
5. How To Analyze My Student Check Stubs
There are three basic types of student checks you should know about:
- Student Loan Disbursement Stub. When you receive your student loan money, you should also receive a paystub that will include information about the date of payment, loan amount, etc. It’s crucial to keep it for close monitoring of your loan.
- Tuition Payment Stub. Whenever you pay your college tuition, make sure you get a tuition stub. This document will prevent possible administrative errors.
- Employment paystub. This is the document you will get if you have a steady job while in college. The Real paystub is the primary document you need to plan your budget because it shows all your working hours, taxes, and income for the year. You’ll need this document to prove your solvency, such as when you’re renting.
6. How And What To Invest In
If you don’t have time to work during college, a good investment can be a great source of passive income.
It is better to contact a financial advisor who can select the most appropriate financial instrument for you, considering your investment goals to avoid losing money.
7. How To Pay Taxes
It is easiest for a student to understand all the tax processes and figure out how to pay taxes on their own while there are few sources of income. This is a great way to get used to counting and paying taxes periodically.
Having plenty of free time for the student should be used to build the aforementioned sustainable skills. This will be your best contribution to financial independence and security.
