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Off to college: Build your first budget
By
Bankrate.com
The biggest financial challenge
facing you is to learn how to manage your cash in, cash out.
If you get in the habit of budgeting your income, you'll always
be able to scrape together a little play money. Create a flexible
spending plan that can be revised as needs and goals change.
Just keep your finances simple and clean. Nip bad money habits
in the bud.
Links:
Budgeting
101, College
budget worksheet, Stretch
your summer income,
Check
out your savings options,
Find
the best CD rate,
Find
the best money market rate,
Watch
your savings grow with regular deposits
Master your checking account
It's easier to track your spending if you
keep your earnings in a checking account. The bank will send
monthly statements for you to check against your checkbook
ledger, or you can check your balance online. Look for a free
checking account. Most likely you will have a debit card to
use with your account. A debit card looks and acts like a
credit card, but is tied to your checking account.
Links:
Choose
the right account, Anatomy
of a checking statement, 10
must-know checking account terms, 7
ways to avoid a bounced check, The
ins and outs of debit cards
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