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Harper College/Student Success/Money Management

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Introduction

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As you are going through college, there is one thing you can never have enough of. It is used everywhere, and you need it to get things you want and require. Money! College students, more than anybody, have financial issues and that is because they need to be taught about how to manage their money more efficiently. There are things that can affect their spending. For example, we should examine the secret spending of college students or how much they spend on a daily basis when it comes to food and drinks. Sometimes students even spend money on substances to help them feel better when they are depressed or anxious, but they still have to monitor their spending. Despite the issues, you must be aware of the importance of tracking and regulating your spending when it comes to an everyday thing.

What is the purpose of managing your money? Some people ask themselves where does my money go? Well, it all adds up on how we spend it, on what we spend it, and how I manage it. My part that I research is how do we spend it on what we spend it. A college student is always going to be on a tight budget at all costs. We have things that we pay which are things, in reality, we don't need. For example, we all listen to music, some of us pay for Spotify or apple music, Netflix, HULU, etc. The number one common thing we all spend our money on is food and coffee. Last year I took home a decent amount of money and I blew it all of on food. I(Adam) was spending about $40 on coffee and about $80 of food a week. That is $120 a week if you multiply that by 54 weeks in a year it adds up a lot. So how can we control all this spending that we don't need? Obviously managing your money by creating a savings account, instead of buying out food all the time go grocery shopping and make your own lunch at home. Buy things that you need, not things that you want. Don't get me wrong it’s okay to spoil yourself here and then but if you want to be able to manage your finances and spending you have to be persistent about it. Our job is to be able to provide you with information to help you out, that is why what the first choice picked by our class, we all want to spend but we all want to save it is one of the other.

Readings

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USCurrency Federal Reserve

Student Spending: Adam Cervantes

What is the purpose of managing your money? Some people ask themselves, "Where does my money go?" Well, it all depends on how we spend it and how we manage it. The part that I researched is how do we spend it. A college student is always going to be on a tight budget because most college students are literally trying to get an education at all costs, meaning they will spend whatever they have to in order to get a degree. Many must take on debt, but the amount of debt can be minimized with smart choices. We have things that we spend money on that, in reality, we don't need. For example, we all listen to music and watch online shows and movies; some of us pay for Spotify or Apple music, Netflix, Hulu, etc. Not only can that media cost money, but it can also take up a lot of our time if we are not cautious. Other students may spend money on additional forms of entertainment such as video and computer games as well as electronic equipment. College students should evaluate whether they need to spend so much money on entertainment during the semester when they should be focusing on school. The number one common thing we all spend our money on is food and coffee. The main thing that busy students, especially those who also work many hours, spend their money on is coffee and eating out rather than eating at home or packing food. For example, many college students take home a decent amount of money but then blow it all of on entertainment and food. Some spend as much as $40 on coffee and about $80 on food a week. That is $120 a week; if you multiply that by 52 weeks in a year, it adds up to $6,240, which is much more than they would spend if they budgeted carefully by taking advantage of free entertainment and planning ahead for meals. According to an article from marketwatch.com, most Americans spend a minimum of $4,000 a year on eating out (Sullivan, 2017). If we buy our own groceries, we spend about $1000 a year on our own food. What we do know is that we are spending $12 on a burger plus a drink when we can make it at home multiple times for about $6. If an average person spends about $6-7k a year on eating out and we spend about $1,000 a year if we buy groceries most of the time instead, you can do the math on how much can be saved through careful planning.

So how can we control all this spending--especially for things that we don't need? Obviously managing your money by creating a savings account and making sure that money is going in it for emergencies. Also, changing behaviors by making time for grocery shopping instead of buying food out all the time and making your own lunch and coffee drinks at home. Buy things that you need, not things that you want. Don't get me wrong it’s okay to spoil yourself here and then but if you want to be able to manage your finances and spending you have to be persistent about it. Our job is to be able to provide you with information to help you out, that's why is what the first choice picked by our class, we all want to spend but we all want to save it is one of the other.


References

Sullivan, B. (2017, December 13). This is what Americans are really spending their money on. Retrieved from https://www.marketwatch.com/story/postrecession-this-is-what-americans-are-really-spending-their-money-on-2017-12-13

https://www.moneyunder30.com/the-true-cost-of-eating-in-restaurants-and-how-to-save


Mental Illness and Self Medication: Tavo Flores

Managing money is a problem for many people but for people with mental illness, it becomes a lot more complicated. The American Psychological Association has been running a survey since 2007 to find out what stresses out Americans and for many years running, money and finances have come out on top. (Awosika,2017) People often assume that if they had a job with a higher salary or if they had more money they will be free from stress, anxiety, or depression. Having more money would be nice, yes, but it wouldn't necessarily mean having less stress. The bills you worry to pay weigh into your mind and it affects you mentally. Your mental health affects more in your life than you think. Poor mental health can make managing money harder and having to worry about money can make your mental health worse. Financial issues can cause mental illness itself such as stress, anxiety, etc. When an individual feels stressed and feels anxiety, fear, or shame they feel off-balance and the human brain will attempt to repair or re-balance it by seeking out substances or behavior, which may include food, nicotine, alcohol or a wide range of human behavior, including financial behavior. (Sages, Britt, Cumbie. 2013). People with mental health are most likely to be in debt, also people who commit suicide are eight times more likely to be in debt. People with mental disorders may be prone to making irresponsible money decisions, like overspending or ignoring late bills. For example, someone suffering from anxiety may decide that paying loans is too stressful and they decide to ignore the deadline. The worst thing is when someone losses motivation and that is because when they lose the motivation it affects everything they do. Such as getting a job, or they don't put as much effort they should be putting in school or work, and they don't find a point in controlling their finances. Energy also plays a role in the money management situation. Losing sleep affects your mood and energy levels. So if you lack the energy it makes it harder to keep track of the money you have. Like I stated before the motivation and energy go side by side because without energy you are going to take time off of work and that can affect your income drastically. When you have a difficult time making decisions about money it is called dementia. Debt can be considered a burden, and it is worse if you deal with it alone. You may spend money to make yourself feel better but that is only a temporary high. So you have to be smart with your decisions when it comes to spending your money. You have to make sure you still have enough to pay for the essentials. Money problems can affect relationships and your social life, which can have a knock-on effect on your mental health.

References:


Savings: Azjargal Batzorigt

  • College students tend to think we are too young to save for the future? Think again... Many college students struggle to save, balancing school, work, social life can be pretty time-consuming. Time is real money when you are young in the early twenties even in early teens. Choose the right saving plan can be very helpful.

Hitha Herzog wrote an article about how college students can save up in 6 steps.

  1. Create budget
  2. Setup a checking account
  3. Use, don’t abuse credit cards
  4. Do your homework on loans and financial aid
  5. Shop smart for textbook
  6. The bottom line
  • Let's start with emergency funds. The standard financial advice is that you should at least have 3-6 months of savings, saved up for emergency funds.
  • Only 39 percent of Americans can pay out unexpected 1000$ charge out from their savings, according to Bankrate survey. Americans are struggling to earn more than their income.

References



Steps to Success David Zdzichowski

  • They say, money can’t buy you happiness, but it sure can buy you things to make you happier. In society today, you hear almost everyone complaining that they don’t have money and that they can’t save money. Everyone needs money to be able to live and unfortunately, nothing nowadays is cheap. Paying for gas, groceries, taxes, and other living expenses leave lots of people with little money to spend on themselves or for a vacation perhaps. All these necessities leave people with little to no money at all just because they can’t manage their money. People waste their money on things they really don’t need. Wasting money on unnecessary things only leads people to debt and being broke. After college, many people are left with thousands of dollars’ worth of student debt. Many people don’t get out of school debt until they are much older. Many people can’t enjoy life to the fullest by having all these outrages payments due. Money management helps people regain money and save lots of money. By learning to be patient and not spend money on things you don’t need will eventually save you a lot of money. Managing money is an important skill everyone needs in order to live a successful relaxing life. Money management can be achieved only if the person is determined to do so. The best ways to manage money are, commit to a savings goal, implement a cool off period, find simple alternatives, and lastly reminding yourself of the end goal.
  • The first way to successfully manage money is, committing to a savings goal. Committing to a savings goal will help you save more money over time. Starting a small savings goal rather than a large one will help students to stay more motivated. If you create a large savings goal, you will lose motivation more quickly due to not reaching the goal you created for yourself. Slow and steady wins the race so starting off with a small goal, will help you reach your result more effectively. Instead of creating a mass money goal, start by committing to smaller goals and turn them into weekly goals. Creating a goal of how much money you want to save and put away will help you manage money easier. Each pay period you should set aside a certain amount of money into a savings account and force yourself not to touch it. As the month's progress, you will see a rise in money in that savings account just by setting aside a certain amount of money every paycheck you receive. Having a main goal as to why you’re managing money will help keep you motivated to continue to save money. Nerd wallet stated, “think about why you’re saving… keep that picture in mind. It’ll help keep you motivated. Then set a specific but realistic goal… little steps add up”. This meaning, by creating The main purpose as to why you want to save money it’ll motivate you more to set that money aside. Next, start by saving a small amount first, it will take time to see your money grow but it's more realistic than to create an unachievable goal that you can’t achieve. Managing money takes time and lots of effort, being patient is a key aspect to successfully managing your money. As mentioned previously, slow and steady wins the race.
  • The second way to successfully manage money is, implement a cool off period. A cool off period is very necessary, especially to impulsive buyers. One of the best ways to change your spending habits is implementing a cool off period. Creating a cool off period will also result in you saving a lot more money due to not spending it on unnecessary things you don’t really need. If you see something you like and must have, don’t buy it right away. Wait it out for as long as you can. By setting aside something you want to buy, it will not only help you save lots your money but as time progresses you will most likely forget about the item and how much you really wanted it If you still desperately are desiring the item go ahead and wait a month or a week before purchasing it. By creating a cooling off period, you will find yourself desiring fewer things and wanting to buy it right away. This is an effective tool to end impulsive buying and a faster way of managing your money since it's not being spent unnecessarily.
  • The next way to successfully manage your money is, finding simple alternatives. Finding simple and other alternatives will result in you managing your money better. Technology is such a big part of society nowadays and you can find almost anything on the web. The internet has made finding alternatives to almost anything, simpler and cheaper. Finding cheaper alternatives to things you like to do will result in you managing your money better and successfully. The internet gives access to so many inexpensive things to do and finds you cheaper ways to do things. For example, the internet is full of tips and ways to do things for cheap such as, saving money on a phone, getting cheaper movie tickets and even ways to save tons of money at big theme parks like Disneyland. Many cities also offer free days to residents to attend museums, national parks, and even the zoo. Many places also offer military, senior and student discounts which would save you some money due to not paying the full price of whatever you desire to do. Groupon is another powerful resource to getting discounts on almost everything, it’s a great source to use when you’re trying to manage money. And the last major alternative is using a streaming source to watch movies and TV besides cable. Cable is utterly expensive, and many people don’t use it up to the full ability which ultimately is wasting their money. A cheaper alternative to cable is Netflix, HBO, Hulu, Showtime and Amazon prime video. All these alternatives cost under twenty dollars a month. Many streaming services also offer free trials for up to a week or even a whole month free. Streaming services also provide other amazing amenities, a website stated that “the ability to watch your shows anywhere you have internet access is another perk the streaming services provide. Some companies, like Netflix, even let users download content so they can keep watching on the subway or an airplane” (Bankrate). These services provided by these streaming outlets let people enjoy life better. Having to constantly worry about expensive cable bills that don’t get used to the full potential, it’s a waste of money and will not help you achieve your goal of managing money better. By finding cheaper alternatives for things to do will help you manage your money even better and result in you saving up much more.
  • The last way to successfully manage money is reminding yourself of the end goal. Before beginning your journey with managing money, it is important to have a reason as to why you’re doing this. By having a strong goal in mind, it will motivate you more to manage your money better and effectively. Having a set goal and then an end goal is what is going to reach you to that ending goal. It is easy to lose patience quickly when trying to manage your money. Managing money is a long process. Depending on your specific goal, some goal might be easier to achieve than others but either or, it still is not a fast process and does take a lot of patience. The journey of money management has only begun, and it is a challenge. You will encounter many obstacles, but you must remind yourself of why you started this process in the first place. Being patient is key to staying in line with your goal of money management. Getting your money set up the way you want will take time and effort. Don’t get discouraged by lack of progress, you simply must remind yourself why you started this journey.
  • To conclude, money management isn’t easy but can be done if you have the right goals set in place. Reminding yourself daily as to why you choose to do this will result in better progress. Being patient is key when dealing with money, it won’t come easy but when achieved it will be worth it. Managing money is an important skill everyone needs in order to live a successful relaxing life. Money management can be achieved only if the person is determined to do so. The best ways to manage money are, commit to a savings goal, implement a cool off period, find simple alternatives, and lastly reminding yourself of the end goal.


References Garcia, A. D., & Garcia, A. D. (2019, January 08). Cable TV vs. Streaming: Breaking Down The Costs. Retrieved from https://www.bankrate.com/personal-finance/smart-money/cost-of-cable-tv-vs-internet-streaming/

Interesting Facts

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  • Banking with the bank of America. What they provide is a credit card, it has a limit of $500, to begin with. This credit card is provided for you it is optional, interest-free. You get money back in cash rewards for spending money at grocery stores, if you bank with them it gives you a list of places that you get money back like Walmart, Olive Garden, Starbucks, Wholefoods, etc. You get money back from them for spending it on things you need but it also gives you the opportunity to increase your credit score or begin your credit score. This is something I use here and then. (Adam)
  • The little things matter. the $2 chips, $5 burgers, $3 drinks, $10 gas, and imagine having these spending on a daily basis, everything adds up. That's $20 now sometimes adding that up daily. (Adam)
  • "Money is dirty. We’ve all heard how dirty money is and how reportedly there are traces of cocaine on 90% of paper money, but did you know that money is dirtier than a household toilet?"
  • There is more monopoly money printed every year than actual money.
  • The typical lifespan of a $1 is 18 months while the $100 lifespan is 9 years.
  • Less than 30% of U.S. adults view their personal financial knowledge as very good or better.
  • All of our money goes to food, you can ask any teenager or adult they’ll tell you the same things.
  • On average people spend about $400-500 a month on food and going out to eat

Activities

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Surveys

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Activities/Surveys

1st. How often do you purchase coffee or other energy drinks or stimulants each week?

2nd. How often do you eat out each week?

3rd. What other unnecessary items do you purchase on a weekly or monthly basis?

4th. How much extra gas or Uber trips do you purchase (other than for work or school)?

5th. How many unnecessary bills do you have to pay (subscriptions, games, etc.)?

6th. Are you accruing debt because of any of the above or other unnecessary spendings?


After you have answered these questions, brainstorm ways you can reduce your spending. Think of three ways you could save money each week.

Intriguing Quotes

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  • "Every time you borrow money, you're robbing your future self." ― Nathan W. Morris
  • "Another day, Another dollar"
  • "Never Spend Your Money Before You Have Earned It" - Thomas Jefferson
  • "A penny saved is a penny earned." - Benjamin Franklin
  • "A wise person should have money in their head, but no in their heart."-Jonathan Swift
  • “Money is a terrible master but an excellent servant.” —P.T. Barnum
  • "So many people spend their health gaining wealth and then have to send their wealth to regain their health."- A.J. Reb Materi
  • "Health is like money we never have a true idea of its value until we lose it."- Josh Billings
  • "It costs money to stay healthy, but it's even more expensive to get sick."- Gecko & Fly

Multimedia

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The video above gives you a handful of helpful tips so you can begin to save money. For example, some of these tips are "The 24-hour rule", "No-spend month", "Buy and Save". What do they mean? Check out the video and find out.

Economist Shlomo Benartzi explains the biggest obstacle when it comes to saving money. Explains how easy it is to start saving up now instead of a week from today.

They talk about how debt can destroy your mental health. It provides a website to help. Explains basic financial literacy and how it isn't hard at all.

A person who starts investing just a few years earlier could end up with many times more money when it comes time to retire than they would have had if they started later in life.

It provides useful facts about the correlation between money and health issues.

Summary

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When it comes to money and how we spend it,it's completely normal to spend because whats the purpose of having money? We are always going to spend money either when we want to or either when we have to. But there is always a way for a person to control themselves, in this case managing your money. Instead of buying Starbucks or Dunking' Donuts, why not make coffee at home, that helps you save around $25 best estimate, $100 a month multiplied by 4. Buying groceries and making a bit of effort to pack your lunch the night before wont hurt either. Making your own lunch saves you around $70 a week, $10 a day. Being able to manage money is difficult because we always want something, it is the little things that matter, stated before the little things add up. We have to be able to learn to buy the things that we need and not the things that you want in order for you to be able to save money. If it's college than that is something that is going to benefit you in the future, school is key. Some others often get stressed and depression starts to kick in. Some just say screw it and go out and buy alcohol, nicotine products, drugs and leads them to the wrong path. The key to being able to manage money is setting your own rules and boundaries and being strict about it. Creating a savings account, taking a break in all spending that doesn't benefit you and have you go broke. Take care of your responsibilities first and your spending's later. Stated before you can spoil your self here in then, go out and have fun, just have a limit were you have to come to conclusion to stop. Our job is to able to provide information on how to be able to manage money for us young adults, the key to saving up is to be consistent in our word of saving and being strict and dedicated to the process and you'll save if not ask Adam.

Key Terms

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-You can always save.

-Money's always spent on food.

-Organize yourself

-Think twice before final answer (Adam)

  • Income- Money received, especially on a regular basis, for work or through investments.
  • Deduction- The action of deducting or subtracting something.
  • Income Tax- Tax levied by a government directly on income, especially an annual tax on personal income.
  • Gross Pay- A term used to describe all of the money you've made while working at your job.
  • Net Pay- The amount of pay remaining for issuance to an employee after deductions have been taken from the individuals gross pay.
  • Expenses- The cost required for something; the money spent on something.
  • Checking Account- An account at a bank against which checks can be drawn by the account depositor.
  • Establishing Credit- The beginning of your credit history by obtaining a loan or line of credit.
  • Cash Rewards- A perk offered by many credit card companies on some of their rewards credit cards.
  • Accountant- A professional money manager who can help you with all or part of your personal financial management strategy.
  • Assets- Any item that has significant cash value to the extent it could be sold for a notable payout or used to settle a debt.
  • Bonds- This is a type of investment where you effectively loan money to a government or other entity at a fixed interest rate for a certain period of time.
  • Budget- This is a formalized data-driven overview of income and expenses over a set period of time.
  • Checking account- A standard bank account that you use to deposit money and make withdrawals.
  • Credit- This can mean several different things in personal finance. But its more commonly used to refer to money a consumer can access in order to purchase goods; its paid back over time.
  • Credit Card- A financial tool that consumers can get based on their credit rating. A financial institution agrees to extend certain amount of money to you based on your credit score.
  • Debit Card- A financial tool tied to your bank account(s) that allow you to withdraw money from an ATM or make purchases using money you've deposited into the account.
  • Interest Rate- A certain percentage of a debt owed that gets added over a set period of time. The interest rate on a debt means that for each pay cycle that passes, the lender multiplies the remaining balance owed by the rate.
  • Investment- This is any good that is purchased with the intention of earning a profit or getting an eventual payout. This can be a financial entity, such as a stock or bond, or a physical entity such as a piece of property.
  • Loan- A set amount of money borrowed from an individual or company that must be repaid over a certain period of time, usually with interest and fees added.
  • Mortgage- A loan taken out on a piece of property. It allows consumers to purchase property and pay for it over a period of time- usually anywhere from 15 to 30 years.
  • Money Management- The daily oversight of finances. For individuals, this is the day-to-day process of making deposits and payments in order to support yourself and your family.


References:

Resources

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  1. Explains what money management is.
  2. Has numerous ways to help you with your spending's.
  3. He helps you set realistic goals for your future.
  1. A beginners guide to manage your money.
  2. He uses 3 easy steps to help you with your financial issues.
  3. Seperates the wants and the needs.
  1. They have a video attached to the website where they explain it further more.
  2. It has two different categories one with the best savings account & rate and the other one is best CD rates.
  3. It has all the banks in those categories amd they are rated on a five star ration.
  1. You can email the customer support and they can assist you with anything you need.
  2. They offer advice to help with your credit score.
  3. They have a lot of coupons for many stores at your expense.
  1. They offer multiple articles to help you save from a student perspective.
  2. They shows charts of multiple loan rates and offer "side hustles"
  1. They offer free counseling 24/7.
  2. They have inspirational stories.
  3. They can teach you how to budget and other things such as saving money in different situations.
  1. It provides multiple steps into helping with money management.
  2. Also provides suicidal help based on people stressing over debts.
  1. This chart states how an average american spends their money on expenses. As you can the biggest percent at 23% in food wise.

References

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