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28 THE COURIER SUN • KIDS & EDUCATION • SEPTEMBER 25, 2014 FOR BREAKING NEWS VISIT www.couriersun.com kids & education It’s never too early to start teens on a budget At some point, everyone will have to learn how to live on a budget, whether it’s at home, at work or with a nonprofi t organization. For teenagers with a limited income and plenty of interests that cost money, learning to manage a budget can never come too early. To help teens develop fi nancial skills, parents should work with their children to set a budget limit, create a list of wants and a list of needs, and look for ways expenses could be reduced. The following fi ve tips provide some ways to help a teen live within a budget. 1. Identifying technological wants and needs. It seems everyone has a smartphone these days, and teens often think they can survive only with the latest and greatest in cellphone technology. However, the cost of the device and service plans quickly adds up. Discuss with your teen how the phone will be used, and fi nd out if they are willing to reduce expenses to save money on cellphone technology. One way teens can keep this area of the budget under control is with Straight Talk Wireless. For only $45 a month, Straight Talk offers unlimited nationwide, talk, text and data - all without a contract or credit check, and with 4GLTE nationwide coverage on America’s largest and most dependable networks. Or, with the “Bring Your Own Phone” option, you can even give your teen your old smartphone and switch to Straight Talk service without having to buy a new phone. Parents will also be interested in the new Safe Driver Car Connection available through Straight Talk, which blocks texting while the teen is driving, tracks the vehicle in real time and monitors their driving behaviors. 2. Create a spending journal. Teenagers can keep a journal for one week on every item purchased during that week, as well as the item’s price. Once the information has been collected, divide it all into categories. How many of the purchases were needs and how many were wants? How many of the purchases were immediately consumed, and how many lasted for a couple of hours or days? 3. Develop a spending strategy. In some families, a teenager may receive an allowance designated for specifi c categories like transportation or clothing, for example. And in some families, teens are expected to work to earn the spending money they’ll use to pay for fun and those needed items. As the budget is being established, parents and teens should have a discussion about what parents will cover and what teens are expected to cover. This helps teens establish a spending strategy that will not overlap with funds already provided by parents. 4. Make a wish list. Wish lists can help teens set goals for what they will save their money to purchase, and they also give family members excellent ideas for holiday and birthday presents. Establishing savings goals early will help teens work toward purchasing that fi rst car, their fi rst house or something else that is very important. 5. Set up a savings fund. In relation to the wish list, teens should establish a savings fund. A discussion between parents and teens should be on how much money is put into the savings fund each week, when and for what reasons money can be withdrawn from the fund, and what the teen plans to use the fund for. For example, is it only to purchase items on the wish list, or is the teen looking ahead and saving for college expenses or rent for when they move out? Budgeting and wise money-spending skills will serve your teen well for the rest of his or her lifetime. It’s never too early to start teaching these lessons, so be sure to sit your teen down for a fi nancial discussion today. Courtesy BPT Advance In Your Career Today! The Borough of Manhattan Community College Center for Continuing Education has the right course for you. Are you considering career advancement or personal development? For the past two decades, the Center for Continuing Education at BMCC, has been offering an extraordinary array of courses and programs that will support either goal. Technology Want to become more computer savvy? Take our Cisco CCNA, CCNP or CompTIA courses. Interested in programming? We can teach you C++, Java or learn to query, analyze or visualize data with Sequel Query Language and Tableau Software. Are you more creative? Explore our Media Arts courses, including Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, In Design, and Final Cut Pro. Personal Development Ready to learn something new? BMCC offers Beginner or Intermediate Spanish, Wedding & Event Planning, Digital Photography, Creative Writing, Book Binding and Anti-inflammatory Nutritional Guidance to name but a few. Allied Health Are you seeking a career in the Allied Health sector? Have you thought about working in a doctor’s office, or providing assistance to children, adults or seniors with special needs? We will teach you how to perform the necessary duties of a Medical Assistant, Direct Care Counselor, EMT, Medical Billing & Coding or Electronic Health Records specialist. Want to effectively communicate with your peers and community? Learn the fundamentals in our Spanish for Health Care Workers program. Professional Development Educational Looking for additional educational assistance programs? Our quality ESL and GED classes are offered during the days, evenings and weekends. Check our web site for courses and assessment opportunities, as well as for CLEP and CUNY Assessment testing options if you have already applied to a CUNY college. On-Line Courses Want to take an on-line class? We offer a wide range of courses in collaboration with two leading adult instructional providers; Ed-2-Go and Gatlin Educational Services. Workshops & Open Houses Take the opportunity to visit our facility and meet our talented faculty at a BMCC Open House. Hear about our courses in depth and let us help you explore, dream and discover! Upgrade your skills and become proficient in Microsoft Office Technology, Excel or QuickBooks. Feel empowered by developing strong business writing, presentation or project management skills. Maybe an office job doesn’t suit you, but becoming a NASM Certified Personal Trainer is your idea of a winning concept! We have what it takes to help navigate your professional development! BMCC - We're About Fulfilling Careers, Not Just Good Jobs www.bmcc.cuny.edu/ce | 212-346-8410


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