5 Things You Should Do When You Get Your First Job

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You’ve nabbed your first big job! Congrats! It’s a huge milestone that calls for celebration. You’re finally earning “real” money – what a thrill!

Getting hired for your first job after college is a big deal. But don’t be foolish now that you’re making the big bucks. Setting yourself up for long-term success is essential. Here are five things you should do to get into tip-top financial shape so you can prosper and enjoy that hard-earned cash.

5 Things You Should Do When You Get Your First Job

Make A Financial Plan

The first big step to take once you’ve landed that first “real” job: make a plan for your life and your finances.

I know, BORING. But we all know people who float through life and don’t pay attention to their finances. They don’t have money when they really want (or need) it. That doesn’t have to be you!

Think about what you want for yourself next year. What about five years from now? Don’t just coast and go along with what your friends are doing. Take some time to plan and dream.

Is a pile of student loans crushing you? Is marriage, buying a house, or travel on the horizon? Making a game plan for your life will help you focus on what matters most and clarifies where you are now. Write down your financial essentials (rent, groceries, student loans) and your future goals and prioritize what you want and need to do. Create a monthly budget (which can include “fun” money) and then stick to it. You’ll appreciate yourself much later when you’re sitting on the beach or opening the door to your first house.

Build an Emergency Fund

You’ve likely heard that about half of Americans don’t have enough money for a small emergency. How stressful! We all have to be prepared for those little things that go wrong in life. Do you want a fender bender to rack up credit card interest? A minor medical bill to derail your budget for months?

Everyone needs an emergency fund. Even when you’re just starting and may not be making big bucks, it’s a necessary step. $1,000 is a great starter emergency fund, and you’ll eventually want to build that up to include 3-6 months’ worth of expenses.

Using a high-yield savings account is perfect for this. It helps keep your e-fund separate from your regular funds, plus the higher interest rate helps make your money work for you. So, get a savings account started immediately (like TODAY). It’s super simple to set one up online in minutes!

Don’t think you’re immune – emergencies will hit you, too! While you can’t always prevent them, you can ease the financial burden by socking away cash for those events.

Start Saving for Retirement

What? I just started my first real job, and you want me to think about retirement already?

Yup. You got that right. Starting your first job means it’s the perfect time to start planning for your future. In fact, socking money away in a work-sponsored retirement account is one of the best investments you can make!

Investing for retirement early in your career will set you up for success. Time is on your side, especially in your twenties! The magic of compound interest can turn your $10, $20, or $50 each month into serious money in thirty to forty years! If you save enough, you may even be able to retire early!

No matter how little the amount, when you give money time to grow in a Roth IRA or other investment account, every dollar multiplies. As your income goes up (and as you pay off debt), be sure to increase your investment contributions. And, of course, if your employer offers a 401(k) match, that’s a no-brainer benefit to snatch up! It’s free money!

Pay Off Student Loans Promptly

Another big step on the path to financial wellness is to pay off your student loans ASAP! With average loan balances in the tens of thousands, this aspect of your finances can’t be ignored.

The last thing you want to do is hang on to those babies for the next twenty or thirty years, right? They’ll hold you back from investing and serious fun. So, start paying a solid amount over the minimum on those loans right off the bat. Even an extra $5/month can shave thousands off your loans over time.

The sooner your loans are wiped out, the less you’ll fork over in interest payments. As your income increases, you should increase your monthly payment amount to knock out the debt faster.

Trust me, once your student loans are out of the way, the freedom will be intoxicating. No student loans in your name? Think what you could do with that money!

Act Your “Wage”

As an adult with a real job, you can use common sense with your money and not spend beyond your means. Act your “wage”, not just your age, by living a lifestyle that matches your income and financial situation.

So, your friends are beaching it up in Cancun next spring? That doesn’t mean you should be booking a ticket, too! Your college roomie just got a hot new car? That doesn’t mean you should saddle yourself with those hefty monthly payments.

Go back to that plan you made in the first step, and you’ll see what fits into your budget and what doesn’t. Someday, you’ll probably be earning more money than you are today, but you’ve got to live realistically in the meantime.

Create a reasonable budget that allows you to pay off debt and cover your basic needs. Then – here’s the key: follow the budget! Don’t be swayed into luxuries you can’t afford. (Hint: don’t let credit cards fool you into thinking you make more than you do!).

Some tips for keeping expenses low:

  • Choose affordable housing or split costs by having roommates
  • Drive an inexpensive used vehicle with good gas mileage
  • Make an expensive night out a rare treat that you’ll look forward to
  • Never say “but it’s only $20” (it adds up!)

Final Thoughts

It may feel impossible to squeeze a single dollar out of the budget after all the necessities. But trust me, you’ll thank yourself later if you get into the habit of saving and investing now.

Starting your first job can be daunting but putting a strong financial plan in place will be worth it!

Kate Underwood is a freelance writer and staff writer for Club Thrifty, a website dedicated to helping people dream big, spend less, and travel more.

Tell us your experiences with saving and investing after your first job (and give us your tips!) in the comments below!

3 Ways To Keep God In The Center Of Your Financial Chaos

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With the beginning of a new year, the internet is a-buzz with resolutions about saving money and getting out of debt. We have a few of our own goals, and since our savings challenge went well last year, we are doing it again this year with a few changes.

As Christians, we share a lot on this site about finance from a Biblical perspective. We believe the Bible has answers for many of the financial situations people find themselves in, and that God’s desire is for us to have a healthy relationship with money as a resource, while not allowing the love of it to take root in our hearts (1 Timothy 6:10).

3 Ways To Keep God In The Center Of Your Financial Chaos

When we are weighed down by financial stress, or are singular-minded in our desire to overcome debt’s hold, it can become easy to focus on our own abilities or helplessness and forget that we have a heavenly Father who sees our situation, is in control of it, and actively involved in working it out for His glory!

I have to be reminded that my finances are not separate from anything else in my life, and certainly not separate from my spiritual life. The same Biblical truths that govern everything else, should apply to how I view my financial situation.

1. Remember That God Cares About Your Situation

Whether I’ve made made poor financial mistakes and gotten myself into a mess, or am doing well and trying to decide what to do with the surplus funds I am taking in – God cares! In the sermon on the Mount, Jesus reminds the people that our Heavenly Father knows what we need and that he will take care of us (Matthew 6:28-33). While we should (prayerfully) plan and be diligent, those things should not lead to unhealthy anxiety and worry. Whatever is out of our control can never be out of His!

We are not alone in our sea of financial concerns just as we are not alone in our relationships, in our problems, in our struggles with sin. As you consider your next step on your financial journey, remember Who is walking with you, and already has the future all mapped out.

2. Remember That God Has Given You the Ability to Be Content in Any Situation

Many Christians struggle with contentment: the inward state of satisfaction (regardless of the outer circumstances), yet that is what God wants from His children. Contentment does not equate to complacency or surrender, nor does it mean that you have to put on a pretense of joy in times of hardship.

In Philippians 4:11-13, Paul says, “ Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”

In many places, including the passage above, the Bible exhorts us to look to Christ as the source of our strength and our joy. Your happiness shouldn’t be determined by whether you can afford a certain luxury, or pay off your student loan. Those things are nice, but the contentment in your heart should not be affected by them, not if the true source of your happiness is the Lord.

3. Remember That God Will Use Your Life For His Glory

One of my favorite passages, and one I’ve heard many times in my life is Romans 8:28 “And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose.” It used to make me feel great because it meant that eventually things were going to be okay.

But there is more than just the first half of the sentence, the last part is equally important  “called according to His purpose”. Being a Christian means that my life is not my own, I follow and serve Christ. There are other passages that talk about the need for our focus to be on God and glorifying Him, like 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, or the end of the passage from the sermon on the Mount that I mentioned earlier – Matthew 6:33 “But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you“.

Even though things may not happen in the time frame you’d like, or the way that you’d like them to turn out, remember that God’s plan for you is bigger than what you have for yourself. The things that we go through serve reasons that go beyond our temporal success or satisfaction. While we are alive, we are also being made holy, and sometimes that happens through trials (James 1:2-3). That is only one of many possible reasons,  we may never know the answer to until we meet the Lord.

As you go through your financial journey this year, whether with hope, gusto, or trepidation, please remember that God is your source. He is your strength, and your great reward.

Every Sunday I am blessed to look at this scripture on a banner in front of me during our service, and it is one I think of daily. I pray it will bless you also as you focus on God:

Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart And do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He will make your paths straight”.

5 Reasons Why You Need a Budget!

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If I asked you to tell me how much you spend eating out or buying gas each month, could you tell me? What about your household’s true cost of living?

This is the most basic reason you need a budget: To be able to plan and track where your money goes! Most people who I speak to about their finances have no clue how much they spend on a monthly basis. All they know is that by the end of the month, their bank accounts are nearly empty and they are waiting for their next paycheck.

Even if you don’t find yourself scraping together pennies at the end of the month, you still need to have a budget in place. In order to take control of your finances you need to come up with a plan. This means assigning a job to every dollar that you receive before you ever receive it.

How? You need to create and update a budget in order to plan and keep track of your spending. This goes both ways – if you don’t keep track of your spending, then creating a budget is pointless. You have to periodically evaluate your spending to ensure that you are staying on track.

Why You Need A Budget

Budgeting - You Need A Budget

You Need A Budget To Accomplish A Financial Goal

It will be nearly impossible to accomplish a financial goal without a budget – of course it can be done, but with a lot more hassle and waste. With a budget, you can allocate a specific amount toward your goal – whether it be savings or debt repayment – and ensure that it is reasonable.

It will also be easier to accelerate your plan by reducing spending in one or more areas and funneling that money into your “main goal”.

If you look at our 52-week savings challenge results, you’ll see an example of how budgeting can help you reach a financial goal.

You Need A Budget To Help Handle “Shocks” To Your Finances

If you find out today that your job will be cutting your salary, or implementing furloughs (mandatory, unpaid days off), how would you handle it? Would you be able to make the necessary adjustments?

If you keep track of your spending (which will be necessary to follow a budget), it will be easy for you to make these adjustments. You will be able to look at every area of spending and determine where you need to cut back – or even if it’s worth it to try to increase your income.

Learn how to set up a financial contingency plan (and no, it’s not as simple as having an emergency fund)!

You Need A Budget To Identify Areas Of Waste

Waste Money

Most people who make small daily purchases (like coffee, breakfast, or lunch), are shocked to see how much they’re really spending in these areas. It’s easy to spend $5 on a cup of coffee and a bagel in the morning, $3 on a candy bar and soda from the vending machine, and then spend $6-$10 on lunch without even thinking about it.

However, if you have established a budget, it will become increasingly difficult for these expenses to escape your attention.

The first month after you set up your budget will probably be a big eye-opener for you (it definitely was for me). Remember that coffee, candy and lunch from above? You would probably budget about $50 or $75 to that category. However, 22 days (the typical amount of work days in a month) of that type of spending will cost you nearly $400 every month!

Committing to (and adjusting when necessary) a budget will help you to evaluate this type of spending and decide if you should divert money from another category, or change your habits!

You Need A Budget To Ensure That Any Surplus Is Not Spent On Frivolous Items

Similar to looking for areas of waste, this will call for you to identify areas where you can reduce or eliminate spending. Once you allocate your income across living expenses, giving, debt repayment and savings, you may find that you have money left over (a problem that we all would love to have).

Instead of this money just being absorbed into your spending (something that usually happens without a budget), you will be able to give this surplus a new assignment. This, of course, depends on your exact situation and level of risk aversion.

You may choose to give more, accelerate your debt repayment, increase your savings, or master your investment strategy. The point is that having a budget will easily allow you to identify these opportunities.

You Need A Budget To Help Develop Discipline In Multiple Areas

Value of Time

This is accomplished in a few ways. First, you are forcing yourself to tightly control your spending, which will call for discipline – especially if this is the first time you have done this.

Secondly, by constantly monitoring your finances and having to make small adjustments, you are more aware of every financial decision you make.

By holding yourself accountable for every dollar that you spend, you will tend to evaluate your free time in the same manner. For instance, you will begin to consider the value of your time in terms of money and lost opportunity, which may cause you to re-evaluate your decisions.

These are just some of the reasons why you need to develop a budget. Over the next few days, we will look a few painless steps you can take to create a budget, and also to change your thinking about money!

Read The Rest Of The Series

Reader Questions

  1. What are some of the benefits that you see in having a budget?
  2. How often to you review your spending to ensure that you are within your budget?
  3. Have you ever discovered that your budget was unrealistic?

I look forward to your comments.

Should I Cosign For a Loan?

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A friend or family member needs a loan, but their credit score is not high enough (due to terrible or no credit history, or massive credit card debt), or they don’t have a large enough down payment or some other reason. So they come to you and ask you to be a cosigner on their loan.

 

What Does It Mean To Be A Cosigner?

To be a  “cosigner”, simply means that you agree to assume the responsibility of another person’s debt if they are unable to pay it. For example, if you are a cosigner on your brother’s $20k car loan, you have now agreed to pay the bank back that $20k (or whatever is left at the time of default) if your brother is not able to pay it back.

Many people will face this dilemma at one point in their lives. In fact, many people will actually cosign for loans even when they do not feel comfortable doing it. It is usually due to not wanting to be the bad guy, or is sometimes a genuine attempt to help someone. This is often viewed as a way to help out someone in need – such as a responsible, young person who just needs a chance to display or prove their credit worthiness; or a way to assist your child at the beginning of their “independent life”. But is this a wise thing to do?

What Does The Bible Say About Being A Cosigner?

Proverbs 17:18 tells us that,

A man lacking in sense pledges and becomes guarantor in the presence of his neighbor.

Right away we see that the bible describes one who becomes a cosigner on a loan as “senseless“! We can see that it is not a wise thing to make a pledge based on someone else’s ability to pay back a loan.

We also see such council in Proverbs 22:26,

Do not be among those who give pledges, among those who become guarantors for debts.

Not only are we instructed not to cosign for a loan, but we are also shown some of the dangers of doing so… Proverbs 11:15 tells us that:

He who is a guarantor for a stranger will surely suffer for it, but he who hates being a guarantor is secure.

So, we are actually told that we will “surely suffer” if we decide to pledge ourselves for another person’s debt; and that one way to stay secure is to “hate being a guarantor“! Those are very strong words to describe what has become such a common practice today.

Also in Proverbs 20:16 we find these words,

Take his garment when he becomes surety for a stranger; and for foreigners, hold him in pledge.

It was common to pledge a garment as security for a loan, but – according to Exodus 22:26-27 and Deuteronomy 24:10-13 – that garment had to be returned by sundown.

The idea here is that one who is foolish enough to pledge himself for the debt of a stranger will most likely never be paid back; so the one making the loan should demand the cosigner’s garment as security for the loan.

This shows the senseless and unpredictable nature of pledging your possessions or your life based on another person’s ability or willingness to pay their debts.

Also, one question that must be asked is, “Why does this person need a cosigner?”. The most basic reason is that their bank does not believe that they will pay back the loan.

They use their own experience, a few calculations and the potential borrower’s history with loans (usually expressed on their credit report) to make their decision regarding the loan.

When they request a cosigner they are basically saying, “We don’t trust this person to be able to pay us back, but if YOU are willing to take all the risk then we will give him the money!

What Should You Do If You Have Already Become A Cosigner?

Proverbs 6:1-5 gives us additional instruction. This time however, the instruction is given to one who has already pledged himself on behalf of someone else:
My son, if you have become surety for your neighbor, have given a pledge for a stranger
If you have been snared with the words of your mouth, have been caught with the words of your mouth
Do this then, my son, and deliver yourself; Since you have come into the hand of your neighbor; go, humble yourself, and importune your neighbor.
Give no sleep to your eyes, nor slumber to your eyelids;
Deliver yourself like a gazelle from the hunter’s hand and like a bird from the hand of the fowler.

As we can see from the strong language in this passage, it is a serious matter to pledge yourself on behalf of another. This is because you have essentially given up control of something that God has given to you as a stewardship, and have become “snared” by your pledge.

This situation is so serious that you must do everything that you can to free yourself from this arrangement and gain back control of your God-given resources. Look at how strong the language is here; you are told to “deliver yourself” and not to sleep until you have freed yourself (see Proverbs 22:7)! You are to act as a gazelle  or bird that is about to lose their life to the hunter!

So, if you are in this situation, it should be your highest priority to free yourself from this before you “surely suffer” (Proverbs 11:15; cf. Genesis 43:9, Genesis 44:32-33).

What can you do instead if you want to help?

If you still want to help while obeying God’s word regarding cosigning, there are a few things that you still can do.

Give Them An Interest-Free Loan:

If you know the person is in need, this is one way to help them that will honor God. Proverbs 28:8 assures us that,

He who increases his wealth by interest and usury gathers it for him who is gracious to the poor.

According to Deuteronomy 23:19-20, it was against the law for an Israelite to charge interest to fellow Jews (of course, loans were only to be requested in times of extreme need and poverty – not to fund frivolous, sinful spending like we see today), but many violated this command. As we see here, giving someone in need a loan and not charging interest is a way that you can assist the one in need and please God.

Give them the money that they need.

Proverbs 19:17 tells us that,

One who is gracious to a poor man lends to the Lord, and He will repay him for his good deed.

If you are able, giving your money to one in need – and only expecting repayment from the Lord – is another way to assist a brother in need and honor God with your finances.

Final Thoughts:

As mentioned earlier, since the bible teaches that debt is slavery (Proverbs 22:7), borrowing should only be done when one has a basic need that cannot be met by their income. It was usually a short-term loan, and the Israelites were commanded to forgive all debt every seven years (see Deuteronomy 15:1-15).

Much of the borrowing that we see today represents a person’s desire to live above their means, and I do not believe that type of borrowing (or giving) is what God is speaking of. Hopefully, I will have a chance to address this in much detail in a future article.

So overall we see that God is completely against the idea of one becoming a cosigner for the debt of another, even if we are really seeking to be a blessing to someone in need. However, the bible does teach us other ways in which we can assist others.

I mentioned stewardship earlier. I realize that this may not be a term or concept that is familiar to many modern readers, but this is a concept that God expects us all to understand. A steward is one who manages another person’s property, finances or other affairs. Here are several articles that do a good job of describing the concept of stewardship:

I would love to hear your thoughts on cosigning – even better would be your experiences with it. If you have any questions on this or other concepts, please leave your comment below.

photo credit: 4PIZON


How to Choose A Career Path

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When considering a career path, one can feel overwhelmed by the various choices. In order to help you narrow down your choices, some well-meaning friend will tell you, “do what you love”, while another will say, “choose a career that will pay a lot of money”. Who is right in this case? How can you determine what path to take?

 

I was reading an article titled, “Doing What You Love Versus Doing What Pays” that looks at common advice on the subject. In reading the comments to that article, it seemed as though most of the readers would advise someone to choose a career path based on the potential income. Others still stuck with the “do what you love” advice that many hold to.

But is it really that simple? Let’s take a look at a few of the pros and cons to both of these views, and also see if there isn’t some other choice that we can make.

A Career Path that you don’t love but pays well:

Pros:

  • You will make a good amount of money
  • You will more than likely avoid the stress that comes from having a lower income (of course this ultimately depends on your financial discipline)
  • The added income may give you the financial freedom that you need to pursue what you love, as a hobby – or at least to not focus on the income it generates
  • You may be able to retire faster and then do what you love full-time

Career Path
photo credit: HikingArtist.com

Cons:

  • If you dislike a particular field, it may be harder to gain enough of an expertise in order to be highly compensated (for instance, those who hate math will not make top notch engineers)
  • You may be required to give up quality time with family and friends in order to accomplish your salary goal
  • Some people with higher incomes find it harder to exercise financial discipline than those with lower ones
  • Many high paying careers paths are also considered to be the most stressful
  • This stress will impact your relationship with family and friends over the long run

A Career Path that you love, regardless of the pay:

Pros:

  • Your love of that field will make you a great student, and so you may excel to the point where you are a top earner in that sector
  • You will have a sense of fulfillment and happiness from your work
  • The lower salary may force you to develop financial discipline
  • You may have lower levels of work-related stress

Career Path photo credit: icadrews

Cons:

  • Lower salary – you may have to live a much simpler life
  • May take you longer to retire – this may not be a big issue for you if you absolutely love your job
  • If you lose your job, it may be harder to find a new one – although there are a few low paying jobs that are in demand

A couple of things to note. First, this is by no means an exhaustive list. Actually, I am counting on your comments below to help fill in the missing pieces. Second, you will notice that many of these points use uncertain terms like “may”, or “many”; this is due to the fact that many of these will not be true in EVERY case.

My take on choosing a Career Path is this:

I think that the answer to this question is different for everyone and is a matter of prospective. My initial reaction to this question was, “If you can get paid a ‘decent’ living wage for doing what you love, go for it! We wouldn’t have teachers, social workers, or pastors if people didn’t follow this line of thinking.” I also said to myself, “Money isn’t everything, and if you have to be miserable for 10 hours/day just to make a few extra dollars, it probably isn’t worth it.”

Do what you love, and if the pay isn’t great, lower your standard of living to match your pay. You can’t determine your standard of living apart from your income. In other words, LIVE WITHIN (or actually below) YOUR MEANS! This is true no matter what your income turns out to be.

However, for many there is little to no career opportunity in what they “love“. In that case, find a balance. Do something you like, and if it doesn’t pay enough to maintain your desired standard of living, try to make a few bucks from what you love. Like others have said, don’t choke the life out of what you love by focusing on money, but maybe you can be a consultant in that area or start a blog giving advice about it.

Ultimately, we should be content with whatever financial/work situation in which we find ourselves. In the words of the Apostle Paul:

Not that I speak from want, for I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me. ~ Philippians 4:11-13

We see from this passage that our situation should not be able to determine our satisfaction or contentment in this life – especially if we are slaves to Christ!

Personally, I happened to “like” a field that is in good demand (Economics & Finance). However, my true love is Theology, and that may be something that is in my future.

What about you? What choice did you make? Any regrets? How would you advise someone in choosing a career path? Would you tell them to look for money, happiness, or both?

To help you in your choice, Payscale.com has released it’s list of “Best Undergrad College Degrees By Salary”:

Degrees DegreesMethodology
Annual pay for Bachelors graduates without higher degrees. Typical starting graduates have 2 years of experience; mid-career have 15 years. See full methodology for more.

Not an engineer or an economist? Here is the full list: http://www.payscale.com/best-colleges/degrees.asp

Be sure to leave your comments below.

 

photo credit: jeremy.wilburn