Budgeting Your Expenses

[Arday]

Once you track your spending habits, you’ll be prepared to create a budget. Also, it provides clarity on your needs versus your wants. It is important to distinguish the two categories. Needs are rent, meals, and electricity (e.g. utilities) and ordering help me write my argumentative essay. Wants are luxuries such as lunch at Chipotle. Are you spending too much on the wants or got-to-haves?

Whether living at home or on your own, a budget will help you stay on track. First, you need to know your monthly net income (amount received after taxes and deductions), scholarship or stipend amount. Second, think about your expected monthly expenses. For example, rent…This is a fixed expense; it doesn’t vary from month to month. Some expenses fluctuate, like groceries. These are called variable expenses. Third, research areas where you can spend less such as having a roommate to share the cost of rent, and taking your lunch to work as opposed to eating out. Buying lunch everyday can quickly add up, so can a Starbucks latte in the morning.

Here are 4 budgeting resources to help you stay on track:

1. CashCourse—A free online financial resource for Wake Forest students. Learn to manage money and financial literacy through a variety of fun interactive tools such as videos, calculators, and worksheets. Manage your budget using the budget wizard by tracking your expenses. The information will help you make informed financial decisions throughout your college years and into your professional life. Available when you want to manage your money!

2. Mint—See all your balances and transactions together, on the web or your phone. Mint automatically pulls all your financial information into one place, so you can finally get the entire picture. Mint automatically updates and categorizes your information, and suggests ways to help you save. Mint sends automatic alerts—like bill reminders—to your mobile phone or email. Set a budget and create a plan to reach your personal financial goals. You can track your progress online or stay up-to-date with monthly emails.

3. Bank Rate—A comprehensive, objective financial literacy site providing information on financial news, money management and calculators for budgeting.

Personal Finance—Budgeting Calculator

Student Loans—Student Loan Calculator

4.Hands on Banking—Access free online financial courses that are self-paced with information and tools, such as calculators, glossary, worksheets, money management tips, and helpful links. The program provides the essentials of financial education, real-world skills, and knowledge through interactive lessons based on age appropriate groups.

Get more:
Why is Mathematics and Science important in Engineering?

Global Educates is the torch bearer of a student’s future professional life

[shwon]

I read somewhere along the line that online college courses are looked down at by companies hiring by perspective employers due to fact you did not attend the school physically.

[potluck6]

Trying to stay on a budget its hard. Take out food for 3 people no more then 40.00 a week. Restaurants are raising prices. Went to ihop 3 people 50.00 for breakfast,made me want to through up my pancakes.
.

[plennis]

Staying on a budget is getting harder and harder lately.  The price is going up so much on everything.  We are looking at ways to cut back and have decided this is our last month for cable TV.   We were excited to be able to go out to eat again, but the prices have went up so much we will/can not.   Mu guilty pleasure has always been a cleaning lady and we have had to let her go.

[dsawan]

If you dont have the job to have a budget then you in trouble esp with rent;landlords dont care; i work in retial so its very ahrd to keep up.

[Jsnugs]

I do the mind thing here I look at my bank statement that I make sure I got the money, if not I would sell my blood. I really have to see closely because my  and others went up.

[sipingyu]

I don't track it systematically if it's within a range that I am comfortable with and is okay in aggregate.

[cathy37]

Staying on a budget is getting harder each day.  I pay all my bills, but little left over for eating out.  The cost of everything is going up every day.

[Slee800w]

A budget is necessary if your going to be doing anything financial, it's a must

[plennis]

It has been really tough lately to keep a budget.  Our income did not go up, but everything we need groceries, fuel, utilities has gone up.  I heard a news story about Netflix losing so many customers in Europe, but they are paying 13 to 14 per gallon of gas, plus everything else going up.  You have to be able to cut something out and not necessary/fun expenses are where most people cut,

[dsawan]

udgeting is very important but when there are rent increases and other increases without compensation for those increases then it becomes a problem and *bleep* to budget.

[sipingyu]

I try to buget my expenses with an excel spreadsheet which works for the most part.

[ssarber]

we stay on a pretty strict budget. Thankful for my husband's job, but it is getting harder to stick to a budget. I fear that it will just keep getting worse. I am glad that my husband works for a company that make sanitized wipes for big companies. Actually Covid gave them a lot of business, although it wasn't a good thing for those that suffered from the disease.

[mrisha]

I read somewhere along the line that online college courses are looked down at by companies hiring by perspective employers due to fact you did not attend the school physically.

That is not true.  Getting your degree online or in person is treated the same.  Sometimes I think it's little harder when trying to get your degree online.

[mrisha]

I have a budget that works for me. With inflation, it's hard to stick to it.