How Do I Budget? All of Sharon’s friends know who to turn to if they have money questions. Sharon attributes her financial savvy to the summer jobs she has held over the past four years. These jobs helped her save a few thousand dollars for college to minimize her student loans. Her friend, Alana, approaches her the summer before their Senior year of high school, confessing she has a whopping $56.47 saved for college even after working part-time jobs for the past three years! Alana asks Sharon what she could do to manage her money more effectively. Sharon’s answer is one word - budget.

Sharon asks Alana to describe her goals and current spending habits. Alana responds in the following way:

“College costs a lot more than I thought, and my parents expect me to pay for my living expenses on campus. Those are going to be around $3,000 per year! I am used to working a part-time job and going to school, but I'm not sure I can handle both anymore. Budgeting seems like a great idea, but where do I start?”

Answer This:
Alana only has $56.47 saved for college. Brainstorm possible reasons why she has only managed to save this amount.

What do you think Alana’s goals should be?

What are a few ways that Alana can get a better understanding of her spending patterns?