Mastering Personal Financial Management: Essential Tips & Strategies

1. “The entire essence of America is the hope to first make money—then make money with money—then make lots of money with lots of money.” Paul Erdman

2. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT Personal financial management: the process of controlling your income and your expenses

3. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENTIncome Income: money coming in Income may come from: Parents Grants Student loans Job After college, your income most likely will increase

4. FINANCIAL MANAGEMENTExpense Expense: money going out Common college expenses include: Tuition Text books School supplies Housing Transportation Hobbies and entertainment These are life needs

5. PERSONAL FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT AFFECTS WORK PERFORMANCE Finances help you reach life goals Keep debt under control Begin a savings and investments plan now Protect yourself from identity theft Personal financial management can affect your work situation

6. YOUR PAYCHECK Do not overdo spending Now is the time to manage your money Create a budget to help you reach your goals Financial success begins with discipline and planning

7. MONEY MANAGEMENTBudgeting Budget: a detailed financial plan used to allocate money for a specific time period Reflects your goals Controls and prioritizes spending Be honest and precise when creating a budget

8. MONEY MANAGEMENTCash Management Cash management is the key to good budgeting Carry a small amount of cash Be careful about using debit cards Reduce trips to the ATM Write checks instead of using cash Record all transactions

9. MONEY MANAGEMENTSteps to Creating a Budget Identify goals Attach financial goals to personal goals Determine monthly income (money in) Determine monthly expenses (money out) Budget on a monthly basis Keep track of all spending Reduce money wasters

10. MONEY MANAGEMENT Fixed expenses: expenses that do not change from month to month Flexible expenses: expenses that change from month to month Money wasters: small expenditures that you do not realize are actually using up a portion of your income

11. WISE USE OF CREDITManage Your Credit Managing credit is the best way to stay out of debt Do not abuse the privilege of credit and credit cards Spend wisely and pay off the balance each month Use credit only for items you can afford Try to stay away from taking out loans

12. TALK IT OUT Identify potential terms and conditions that you should consider before getting credit from a lender

13. DEBT MANAGEMENT Debt management involves: Debt Interest Net worth Assets Liabilities

14. DEBT MANAGEMENTDebt, Loans, and Interest Debt: money you owe Debt vs. expenses Debt is usually a larger amount of money that is paid over a period of time Expenses are bills that come regularly Loan: a large debt that is paid in smaller amounts over a period of time and has interest added to the payment. Interest: the cost of borrowing money This is extra money paid to the lender

15. DEBT MANAGEMENTTotal Net Worth Total Assets – Total Liabilities = Total Net Worth Assets: what you own Car, home, furniture Liabilities: what you owe Car loan, home loan Net worth: the amount of money that is yours after paying off debt

16. DEBT MANAGEMENTSteps to Get Out of Debt Do not create additional debt Prioritize your debt Pay off the smallest amount or the amount with the largest interest first Take the extra cash from a paid-off debt and apply it to the next debt on your priority list

17. TALK IT OUT What are warning signs that you may be getting into debt?

18. CREDIT REPORTS Credit report: a detailed credit history on an individual Details credit cards and loans you have Shows if you have paid debts on time and if you are late with payments Includes all personal identification information Previous names, addresses, and employers Liens, foreclosures, or bankruptcies will show

19. SAVINGS AND INVESTMENTS Do not wait Rule of thumb: Have at least five months’ income saved for emergencies Have savings in a bank Determine if you should use a regular savings account or a Certificate of Deposit Start investing now

20. IDENTITY THEFT Identity theft is when another individual uses your personal information to obtain credit in your name Prevent by: Disposing of junk mail properly Shred or cut up any mail that includes your social security number, date of birth, credit card numbers, etc. Keep copies of important information in a safe place

21. IDENTITY THEFTTips to Remember Do not give out your social security number over the telephone or Internet without verifying the authenticity of the company and individual requesting the information Document all important numbers and keep them in a safe place Practice good personal financial management Remove your name from credit card and marketing lists

22. IDENTITY THEFTIf You Become a Victim of Identity Theft File a police report Contact your bank, credit card companies, and cell phone provider Do not change your social security number, contact the Social Security Administration Fraud Department Contact the credit reporting agency fraud lines Document everything you do