Tag Archives: College graduate financial advice

What College Grads Need to Know About Money

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College graduation is a big milestone to feel good about. And as you head out into the world, you’ll be learning new things, facing new challenges, and making big financial decisions. One of the most helpful skills to have as you get older, is being able to manage your money. And luckily, you don’t need a class to learn financial management – you can get familiar with these skills through educational resources like ours! Keep reading for our top money management tips for recent college grads.

Learn how to budget

Budgeting is one of the most important financial skills you can learn. Maintaining a budget can help you be smart about your spending and plan for your financial future. We recommend using the 50/30/20 strategy as a rough guide for how you should spend your money. This means you should aim to spend 50% of your budget on essentials, 20% on savings and investments, and 30% on other remaining expenses.

Calculate your expenses (rent, student loans, utilities, food, transportation, etc.) and variable costs (dining out, vacations, shopping), and make sure your expenses do not exceed your income.

Start saving money

No matter what your financial goals are, opening a savings account is always a good idea. You can start by dedicating a certain amount of your paycheck toward your savings. While it’s recommended to keep 20% of your income for savings and debt repayment, you’ll need to evaluate what works within your budget and when you’ll need the funds. Even if you’re starting small, you’ll be surprised how quickly the account can grow!

Want to open a savings account?* We’re here for you! Contact us or stop by your local branch to speak with a representative today.

Plan for retirement

It may seem too early to start planning for your retirement, but it will make a big difference to start saving right out of college. For example, a 22-year-old who starts investing is going to have nearly twice the amount of money saved by 67 than someone who starts at 32. Most employers offer a retirement plan match program like a 401(k) or 403 (b) that is typically deducted straight from your paycheck. If your employer offers matching contributions like this, make sure to take advantage – since it’s essentially free future savings.

Pay off student loans

According to Forbes, there’s currently $1.75 trillion in total student loan debt with an average of $28,950 owed per borrower. And while graduating and starting your career may be exciting, paying back student loans can be daunting – to say the least. When it comes to paying off your student loans, you should take the time to look at your budget and determine how much you can afford to pay toward your debt payments. It’s recommended to start paying off the debt with the highest interest rates first, and then focusing on the debt with lesser amounts or lower rates like federal student loans. There are sure to be plenty of repayment options to choose from based on your current income and budget.

Don’t forget about your credit score

Having a decent credit score is going to be very important throughout your life. A credit score essentially is a rating that financial institutions use to determine how likely you are to pay off your debt. Whether you’re renting an apartment, opening a new credit card, or buying a car – your credit score will play a factor in what you’ll be able to obtain.

A credit score is determined by:

  • Your payment history
  • Your amounts owed
  • The length of your credit history
  • New credit
  • The variety of credit products you have

As a new college graduate, understanding financial management can feel overwhelming – but you’re not alone. Our financial experts can give you advice based on your situation. Contact us to get started, or stop into your local branch to speak with a representative today!

*A $5 deposit in a base savings account is required for credit union membership before opening any other account/loan. All personal memberships are part of the Rewards First program and a $5 per month non-participation fee is charged to the base savings account for memberships not meeting the minimum requirements of the program. Click here to view full Rewards First program details. Some restrictions apply, contact the Credit Union for more information.

 

 

 

4 Crucial Money Tips for Your First Job

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Recently graduated college? Before you come face to face with the real world and your first job, be sure you review the following important money tips.

1. Keep your debt limited.

When you’re starting out in your first job, you will quickly find yourself probably making about five times what you were making from your part-time college gig. That account balance can look quite enticing. Try your best to not let debt grow. Tackling debt can take years, and you don’t want to add to it.

2. Start a savings account/emergency fund.

When you’re young, you tend to push things off because you think you’ll have plenty of time. When it comes to saving, the earlier you begin, the more you’ll appreciate it later. If you save $100 a month, during the first 5 years after college, you will have created a $6,000 fund that could come in handy when you need to make lemonade out of the lemons that life will inevitably throw at you from time to time.

3. Stick to a budget.

This may be one of the harder tips to stick with, especially when you have more money than you’ve ever had in your life. Buying every meal from your favorite restaurants is tempting, and the sooner you curb that habit the better. By budgeting, you can see how you’re really spending your money. Try not to look at it as restricting your spending, but rather a guide to help you spend confidently.

4. Don’t forget about retirement.

Retirement seems like it’s 40 years away (and maybe it is), but it’ll sneak up on you. Putting your money in an IRA early is one of the best decisions you can make. There’s a little thing called compound interest that wants to be your best friend. Read about it and you’ll be happier than a kid in a candy store.

Article Source: John Pettit for CUInsight.com

How to Survive Real World Budgeting for the First Time

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One of the most exciting times in life is entering the real word as a young adult. Finishing school, getting that first full-time job, and venturing out on your own is always an important milestone. However for many, the excitement wears off pretty quickly and you then get hit with one of the harshest realities of being an adult: managing your own finances.

Why is it so hard? Budgeting and learning how to spend your money wisely for the first time is a challenge for everyone. And you’re bound to make mistakes. To make your transition easier, here are four tips to help you survive budgeting in the real world for the first time:

1. Know Your Take Home Income

When you get your first job, you will get a salary offer. Let’s say you’ll be making $20 an hour or roughly $40,000 annually. Does that mean you’ll be taking home a little over $3,300 a month?

Wrong! When you get your first pay stub, you’ll see that many expenses are deducted from your paycheck, such as state and federal taxes, social security income, and health insurance (just to name a few). This can take up a very large percentage of your gross pay, on average 25%. It’s important to know what your true net or take home income will be so that you can properly budget.

2. Understand All Your Expenses

Living away from your parents for the first time can be a real eye opener. You start realizing how many things you actually need to pay for that you didn’t necessarily think about before. Make sure you really understand what all your expenses will be – from the big items like rent, all the way to the little things like paper towels. If you’re trying to figure out how much to spend on rent, a good rule of thumb is no more than 30% of your gross income.

Also think about your food costs, which will probably be your second biggest expense. If you’ve never had to do grocery shopping before, a good first step is to just hit the grocery store with a list of necessary items you need to buy weekly. Get a gage of how much everything costs so that you can better budget for this in the future. Remember, all the little things add up – so make your budget as detailed as possible.

3. Be Organized, Track Everything

One of the most important things about managing your finances successfully is organization. Once you have that down, you’ll have an accurate snapshot of how you’re spending and what you should cut back on. Many people forget the little things, like a daily cup of coffee, but even a small expense like that can actually add up in the long run.

Make sure you’re keeping track of everything. The easiest way to do so is by starting a spreadsheet where you input your expenses. Tools such as Mint.com are also great to use, because you can integrate it with your bank and credit card accounts to help you track your purchases.

4. Save, Save, Save

Being on your own for the first time is exciting, and you’ll want to do everything and spend on everything. But remember that it’s important to live within your means, because not doing so will get you in financial trouble down the road. Start good financial spending habits now. Have a small budget for discretionary spending, but for the most part: save, save, save.

Start an emergency fund as soon as possible—because you truly never know what can happen in life. It’s also never too early to start thinking about retirement. With the power of compound interest, the earlier you start saving for retirement, that more you’ll see later on when you need it.

Article Source: Connie Mei for Moneyning.com