Start the School Year with a Solid Budgeting Strategy
You have a plan to get to class on time, complete your assignments, and make progress towards your academic goals, but do you have a plan to keep yourself on budget?
Keeping track of your spending and staying in line with your income can go a long way towards reducing a major form of stress...financial stress!
CASE Credit Union Budgeting Tips
The first step in budgeting is seeing your income and expenses laid out so that you can accurately calculate your budget.
To begin, use this one-month calendar to write down your expenses and income using this One Month Budgeting Calendar.
The 50/30/20 Rule
Using your after-tax income, your budget should be divided into three ways:
- 50% to needs: These are your essentials. Must-pay bills like rent, utilities, groceries, transportation (gas/bus pass), and minimum loan payments
- 30% to wants: This is your fun money! Dining out/take-out, hobbies, subscriptions (Netflix, Spotify), and entertainment live here
- 20% to long-term savings: This is your future self’s favorite category. This includes building an emergency fund, saving for spring break, and paying down credit card debt or student loans faster.
"Extra" Money
Make sure to put money that you receive as gifts, bonuses, tax returns, etc, into your budget instead of spending on unnecessary purchases.
Tight Budget?
Finding your budget a little tight? Make sure you are utilizing monthly subscriptions you are paying for. Cancel those that you are not using enough to justify the expense. Also, cut back on eating out and expensive activities. Look for local resources to find free or low-cost entertainment.
For a digital budget calculator, check out our free online budget calculator.
Note: For more assistance with mapping out your financial success, consider meeting with a Financial Counselor! Our financial counselors are a free resource for members and non-members. Check out the Financial Resources page for more information!
Zogo - It pays to learn about finance. Literally!
CASE Credit Union has partnered with Zogo, a fun mobile app, to help members of all ages learn the basics of personal finance. The best part? You get paid to use it!
Zogo is a financial literacy app that rewards users for completing bite-sized financial literacy lessons on intelligently saving, spending, and managing their money. The app includes over 800 modules in 54 different topics, from opening a bank account to saving for retirement - and everything in between.
By completing modules, taking interactive five-question quizzes, and participating in daily trivia games, you can earn virtual "pineapples" and work toward real-life rewards, like a $5 gift card to one of your favorite stores!
How does Zogo work?
The Zogo app is available at no cost on both the Apple App Store and Google Play Store.
- Use the CASE Credit Union unique access code to allow entry to the app (access code: CASECU)
- Register using your phone number
- Start each module by learning five concepts before taking a five-question quiz
- Completing each module earns points
- You can compete against other users and track your progress via leaderboards
- Points can be redeemed for a $5 gift card of your choice
Zogo covers a variety of different topics, starting with banking and budgeting, but growing more complex as you advance through the app.
Get Started Learning and Earning Today
It's easy! Simply download the app and register using our access code: CASECU
