As the title suggests, this website's mission is to educate underclassmen on budgeting, credit, and insurance. Students will learn about everything from setting goals to picking out the right investment. You may read a simple definition of each topic below, then visit a specific section to delve more into a particular topic. At the end of each section, you could test your knowledge with a self-paced Kahoot.
Importance of goal setting- it is key for your future, helps with accomplishments and figure out what you want to achieve
Tips for goal setting- plan it out- make a list or start making choices that will lead you to your goals
Goal setting and budgeting relationship- these two have a relationship because budgeting depends on if you can accommodate and come to a conclusion on your priorities
Benefits of budgeting- being financially stable will benefit with you getting more than what you need
Managing checking or savings account- monitor your balance often to avoid overdrafts, use online banking resources to track spending and set up alerts for low balances, avoid using checks for purchases unless necessary to minimize fees and delays.
Set up automatic transfers to contribute to savings regularly, keep your savings separate from your checking account to avoid impulse spending, use savings accounts or consider certificates of deposit (CDs) for higher interest rates.
Checking accounts helps budgeting- emergencies, tracking, separate money, a tool.
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As stated above, credit is an agreement between a consumer and a lender in which the consumer borrows a sum of money. There is a contractual agreement in which the consumer will pay back the lender the exact amount borrowed by a specific date. Some advantages of credit include convenience of spending borrowed money that could be paid back later, and encouragement in the building of credit score through paying off the borrowed money periodically. However, credit also has potential for risks, including hidden costs and fees, accumulation of debt on late payments, and possibilities of overspending.
A credit score is a prediction of a consumer’s credit behavior based on their previous credit history. In order to build it, a consumer must provide consistent proof of on time payments of the borrowed money such as loans, credit card bills, or payments made with a credit card. It is also a consumer’s responsibility to track their spending and statements provided by their lender to report fraud when necessary. A consumer can ruin their credit score by consistently demonstrating bad financial responsibility; missing payments on loans or other expenses, or maxing out credit cards to name a few examples. Different companies may calculate a consumer’s credit score differently, but there are some key factors most consider. This includes bill paying history, current unpaid debt, the amount of available credit a consumer is using, and more. Credit scores are usually measured in a range from 300-800. The high 500’s are considered fair, the high 600’s are considered good, and anything above 700 is excellent. A good credit score provides proof to lenders that a consumer is a reliable buyer. A lender will be more willing to lower interest rates, approve loans, and offer career opportunities to a consumer with a higher credit rating.
A credit card is a small card allowing a consumer to make purchases with a set amount of borrowed money with the trust it will be paid back by a specified date. Benefits of using a credit card include convenience when making cashless payments and an easy opportunity to improve a consumer’s credit score when spending is managed. A drawback consumers face when using a credit card is high interest rates, which can cause an accumulation of debt if spenders do not track their spending and savings. Credit card interest is the extra amount of money a consumer must pay back to a lender when the initial agreed upon balance isn’t retuned by the previously specified date. A standard way to measure this loan cost is APR, or annual percentage rate. An ideal APR rate for consumers is 14-18%. Knowing this and that late fees can start as high as $32, it is logical to conclude that a consumer should prioritize making on time payments and track spending to optimize the use of their credit card.
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