How to Handle & Keep a Budget

What is a Budget? BUDGET = INCOME – EXPENSES 1.Educate yourself on living within your means Biggest problem areas are Entertainment & Food Take advantage of Student discounts Use coupons 2.Use a spreadsheet 3.Figure out how much you have 4.Figure out how much you “need” 5.Record every purchase you make in a week 6.Chart your expenses for a few months

Income Budget BUDGET WORKSHEET CATEGORY MONTHLY SEMESTER SCHOOL YR BUDGET SCHOOL YR ACTUAL BUDGETACTUALBUDGETACTUAL INCOME: From Jobs From Parents From Student Loans From Scholarships From Financial Aid Miscellaneous Income INCOME SUBTOTAL

Expense Budget CATEGORY MONTHLY SEMESTER SCHOOL YR BUDGET SCHOOL YR ACTUAL BUDGETACTUALBUDGETACTUAL EXPENSES: Rent or Room & Board Utilities/Cable Telephone/Cell Phone Groceries Car Payment/Transportation Insurance Gasoline/Oil Entertainment Eating Out/Vending Tuition Books School Fees Computer Expense Miscellaneous Expense EXPENSES SUBTOTAL NET INCOME (INCOME LESS EXPENSES)

Bank Accounts 1.Compare fees 2.Watch for additional hidden charges Face-to-Face Transactions Mailed Statements 3.Find out if and how much ATM fees will be 4.Consider smaller Community Banks or the local Credit Unions for basic checking needs

Mountain Campus Card Mountain Campus Express card Mountain Campus Express (MCE) is a student’s key to on-campus, non-dining purchases. It is a pre–paid debit card, providing a way to pay for a wide variety of student services. MCE is a convenient way for students to make purchases without carrying cash and for parents to fund school related expenses from home. Why use an MCE account? It's SECURE. Your student will need less cash when on campus. The photo on the card deters fraudulent use. It's CONVENIENT. The Mountain Campus Express account is right on a student’s NAUCard. It's a great BUDGETING TOOL. Funds placed in the MCE account are spent only on purchases related to campus life. It's FREE. There is no charge to use the MCE account. Is there an automatic teller machine (ATM) on campus? There are 3 ATM’s on campus, duBois Center, Bookstore, and University Union.

Local Banks What are the local banks and credit unions in town? Arizona Central Credit Union (928) Arizona State Savings and Credit Union (928) Bank of America – Bank by phone Chase Coconino Federal Credit Union (928) Compass Bank (Birch) (928) Compass Bank (Rte. 66) (928) First Credit Union (928) First State Bank (928) National Bank of Arizona (928) Wells Fargo

Cell Phone Plans 1.Shop around for a plan that suits your calling pattern. Do you need a local, regional or nation- wide plan? 2.Check your per-minute voice, text and data plans 3.Monitor your time of day and use of minutes, text plans and within carrier minutes 4.Investigate a Pre-paid Plan

Websites Student Universe – online travel for college students Resources available to optimize your computing experience include: Discounts on Dell, Gateway, and Apple computers through the NAU Bookstore Discounts on Windows and Macintosh operating system upgrades through the NAU Bookstore Discounts on Microsoft Office Professional Suite for Windows and Macintosh through the NAU Bookstore Free anti-virus software at no additional charge at Statewide computer labs, and 24/7 on- campus computer labs 24/7 Academic Computing Help Desk telephone support