Why is learning about your money important?
It's easier to begin healthy habits than to fix bad ones. That goes for personal finances as well as other facets of life.Try to get into a budgeting rhythm when you have control and not when it is forced upon you by your circumstances.
Starting now will put you on the path to a financially secure future. This website is a tool designed to offer you details about basic personal finance, laying the groundwork for your years in college and beyond.
We also offer links to favorite personal finance websites and tools, basics about financial aid from the U-M Office of Financial Aid and ongoing news of interest. Explore the information provided here to find out about basic budgeting, investing and the everyday pressures of college and how they affect your financial life.
We're here to help. Remember, this is your money and your life.
Associate Director Financial Literacy and Advising & Eligibility
U-M Office of Financial Aid
Strengthen your resolve...
Dreams are possible if you are savvy about managing your money. The process: Set a goal, make a plan and take action.
What’s at stake? Money, time, energy, family and friends. Prioritize everything and stick with your plan.
Goals take several forms: short-term, intermediate-term and long-term. Short-term goals equate to three months or less, intermediate are usually reached within the year and long-term goals are plans for those of more than one year. Make your goals meaningful and write them down so you can see them often and integrate them into your everyday life.
Visit the Personal Finance Topics in the navigation menu to explore tips about budgeting and managing your money.
Best Online Money Management Tools (Kiplingers)
Personal Finance on a Napkin (Financial Planner Carl Richards explains money basics, New York Times)
Helping Students and Families Access College Tax Benefits (U.S. Dept. of Treasury)
Paying for College -- Special Section (New York Times)
Student Loan Facts They Wish They Had Known (New York Times)
Putting a Dent in College Costs With Open-Source Textbooks (New York Times)
Top financial tips for college graduates (Washington Post "Color of Money")
Generation Z talks college and money (MarketPlace.org)