Outline
Title: Saving Money
Topic: Personal Budget for students
Thesis: As college students we can all benefit from having a personal budget, it puts you in control of your finances, and can save money that can be used in case of emergency and finally can achieve your goals.
i. Introduction
a. What would you do if you had extra money? Would you take a trip somewhere far away? Would you go on a wild shopping spree? Would you buy yourself something you wanted for a long, long time?
b. I am also a struggling college student and need to know more about saving money.
c. As college students we can all benefit from having a personal budget, it puts you in control of your finances, and can save money that can be used in case of emergency and finally can achieve your goals.
d. The main topics that I will talk about are what is the best way to save money, why is saving money important, how long does saving money take, and finally how much should be saved. ii. Body
a. What is the best way to save money?
i. There are multiple ways to save money. Many people just put extra cash into a savings account. There is nothing wrong with that on principle, but many of these accounts do not earn a lot of money in interest. If you want a higher return on your investment, then you will need to put your money where there is more risk. The stock market is a popular choice for that. If you decide on a good mix of stocks, then you can have both higher and lower risk choices in your portfolio. ii. Bernard Condon author for CNN Money in 2015 wrote “Since the end of World War II, through many ups and downs, the average large stock has returned close to 10% a year -- well ahead of inflation, and the return of bonds, real estate and other savings vehicles. As a result, stocks are the best way to save money for long-term goals like retirement”.
b. Why is saving money important
i. It is important to save money. While you need it for bills and expenses, you may also want to have some extra on hand for a "rainy day." In other words, an unexpected expense could pop up, or you could decide to take a trip somewhere. Maybe a friend is getting married, and you need to buy a gift. Having money saved can also protect you and your family in times of crisis, and provide you with some peace of mind. When it comes to feeling safe and knowing that you can handle things, having extra money in the bank can really make a difference. ii. “The connection between the size of your savings account and your level of happiness may seem obvious. But here’s something that may surprise you: saving money actually affects happiness more than how much you earn” was what author Eric McWinnie said in one of his articles written in 2014.
c. How long does saving money take
i. When you are considering finance as a part of your life, saving money is a big part of that. You should make saving a lifelong endeavor. There is no reason to spend everything that you make unless you have no choice based on the bills that you have to pay each month. If you have money left over, then at least a portion of it should go to savings. ii. Author Liz Moyer in 2015 wrote “If you are saving for something specific, though, you can determine how long it will take by dividing the amount that you need to have by how much you can save per month, week, or other