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Learn how to track your spending, set financial goals, and create a budget to effectively manage your money. Discover the importance of separating wants and needs, identifying different types of expenses, planning for periodic expenses, and prioritizing goals. Take control of your finances with smart money management practices.
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Homework (Passport page 18)
Money Management • Tracking our Spending • Setting Goals • Creating a Budget
Let’s Talk About You
Did You Know? • 61% of U.S. households don't have a budget. • More than 11 million Americans have no idea how much they spend on food, housing and entertainment and don’t keep track of overall spending. • 24% of U.S. households report not paying all their bills on time. • 1 in 3 adults (34%) carry credit card debt from month-to-month. 15% or 35 million people carry $2,500 or more of credit card debt monthly. • 32% of U.S. adults do not save any portion of their income for retirement, and 34% have no emergency savings. Source: April 2014 Consumer Financial Literacy Survey by Harris Interactive, Inc
Tracking Your Spending • Write down where your money goes ~ every dime, every dollar. • Consider the automatic spending that you may have in place (payroll withholdings, EFT payments, child support, etc.). • Track it for a minimum of two weeks ~ preferably for a month. • Where are your temptations? What needs to be controlled? • Is it a want or a need?
Types of Expenses • Fixed • Variable • Periodic • Discretionary • Non-discretionary
Budgeting for Periodic • Identify the cost and the timeframe for the expense: • Example: Each June, I pay $360 in personal property taxes. • Quarterly, I pay $180 for car insurance. • Break the cost into monthly costs: Personal Property $360 for 12 months = $30 per month Insurance $180 for 3 months = $60 per month
Setting Goals • Short-Term Goals: less than one year • Long-Term Goals: more than one year • S.M.A.R.T. Goals
S.M.A.R.T. Goals • Specific: State exactly what is to be done • Measurable: Include how the goal can be measured • Actionable: Determine steps to reach the goal • Realistic: Do not set goals for something unrealistic • Time-Bound: State when the goal will be met
S.M.A.R.T. Financial Goals • Goal: I want to buy a new car • S.M.A.R.T. goal: • Specific: I want to save money for a down payment on a new car. • Measurable: I need to save $2,000 for the down payment. • Actionable: I will save $50 from every paycheck ($100 a month). • Realistic: I usually spend $200 a month on dining out and coffee drinks, so I’ll cut that spending in half and put the rest towards my down payment. • Time-Bound: I want to have the $2,000 saved in two years.
Budgeting for Goals • Identify the cost and the timeframe for the goal: • Example: I want to save $3,000 over the next two years for a down payment on a new car. • Break the cost into annual costs • $3,000 for 2 years = $1,500 per year • Divide annual cost by 12 to get monthly amount needed: • $1,500/12 = $125 monthly
Prioritizing Goals • Rank Goals in order of importance. • What is your number one priority? • Engage the entire family. • Prioritizing Goals helps when evaluating spending choices. • When there are conflicts among goals, highest priority wins.
Strategies for Goals When conflicts arise for achieving goals: • Evaluate: What is really most important? • Can one goal be adapted (modified) to allow both to be achieved? • Can I generate income or reduce expenses to make both goals possible?
Problem Solving Goal: Have $1,000 saved for holidays so that you can purchase gifts and visit family members in another state. Conflict: You also need $800 to purchase books for the January semester of college. You are working to complete your degree. It is currently September, and you don’t think you will have enough money for both. What are your options?
Creating YOUR Budget • Your spending trackers. • Remember, you’ll need at least two weeks worth of data, but more is even better. • Historical data from paystubs, bank and credit card statements. • Your S.M.A.R.T. goals and other priorities (paying off debt, vacation, etc.). • Be sure to record how much money you’ll need for these. • Your income and expenses ~ fixed, variable and periodic.
Homework (Passport page 22)