My daughter Chloe is starting out in college in the fall. With her newfound independence will come the newfound responsibilities of dealing with money.
Now I have a few lessons I’d like to share with Chloe, and with anyone else starting out in college.
OK, this is almost the only lesson you need. The biggest reason you get into money problems is that you spend money you don’t really have. Then you end up in the hole, and it’s hard to get out of the hole. You work too many hours to keep up with your spending. And you end up with a life that’s about nothing but trying to pay for all the spending on something you don’t really need.
Make a very simple budget (预算). It’s a terrible thing for people who’ve never done a budget, but it’s not hard. If the bills add up to more than the income, remove some bills.
Pay bills right away. If you have the money, pay the bill as soon as it comes in. You can usually do this online, but if not, it’s just a matter of writing a check, putting it in an envelope, and writing out an address — two minutes. If you let the bill paying get pushed back, it becomes a terrible thing.
That’s all you need to know. If you save when you’re in college, avoid debt, and pay bills on time, you’re golden.
A.Spend less than you earn. |
B.List your income, then list your bills. |
C.So spend less, work less, worry less, be happier. |
D.Find ways to get things done you need to get done. |
E. If you spend less than you earn, you won’t be in debt.
F. Like many young people, she hates thinking about money.
G. Do this two-minute action at once, so you don’t have to worry about it later.