Finance Is Personal: Making Your Money Work for You in College and Beyond

by Kim Stephenson, Ann B. Hutchins, Steven G. Blum

Overview

This groundbreaking personal finance resource shows you how to manage thinking, feelings, and behavior so that you can handle your money to get what you want—not what someone else thinks you ought to have to be happy.

Financial planning and money management are hot topics, but most books don't help you figure out what you truly want your money to provide for you. Exploring links between money and happiness, this guide is based on sound theory and on the latest research in psychology, behavioral economics, happiness, and neuroscience. It will give people at any stage of life—especially those of you in college or starting careers—the tools to plot your own course through the financial world and, ultimately, use money as a gateway to a happy and fulfilling life.

Stephenson and Hutchins introduce core concepts that support strong, sound decision making around money, based on personal values, attitudes and beliefs, and goals. Practical, information-gathering questions and exercises help you uncover your true financial needs. The final two chapters show you how to integrate the relevant information with your goals and develop a plan for success. Along the way, you will learn such things as how to plan for your long-term goals, how to delay certain types of gratification for another type of instant gratification (peace of mind), how to think about credit, and how to make decisions on such issues as renting or buying, investing or saving, and borrowing a lot, a little, or not at all. Finally, you will come away with new ideas for how to have fun on a budget.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781440834363
Publisher:	Bloomsbury Academic
Publication date:	06/30/2015
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	192
Product dimensions:	6.20(w) x 9.40(h) x 0.80(d)
Age Range:	12 - 18 Years

About the Author

Kim Stephenson, CPsychol, ACII, Dip PFS, is director of Stephenson Consulting.

Ann B. Hutchins, CFC, ACC, is the principal of Ann B. Hutchins Financial Coaching.

Table of Contents

Foreword Steven G. Blum vii

Preface xi

1 Going to College 1

2 What Does Money Mean to You? 21

3 Setting Your Goals 35

4 Where Should You Live? At Home? On Campus? Off Campus? 51

5 Necessary Expenses 65

6 Optional Expenses 79

7 Borrowing, Credit, and Debt 95

8 Saving and Investing 111

9 Setting Budgets and Making Financial Plans 133

10 Changing Habits and Behavior 151

Afterword 171

Index 173

What People are Saying About This

Victor Ricciardi

"Stephenson and Hutchins provide a wonderful and valuable discussion of personal finance. This book is highly understandable and substantive for college students learning about finance for the first time. The authors present a well-balanced approach between academic findings and application of this subject matter."

Dr. Tomas Chamorro-Premunzic

"Although some of the most important decisions we make in life are financial, most people rely on their intuition rather than reason. In Finance Is Personal, the authors digest key findings from psychology to help readers leverage their natural style, preferences, and values in order to make more effective and profitable choices. This book will do more to increase young people's financial IQ than any formal course, MBA, or business experience—a must read!"

Clive Fletcher

"Stephenson and Hutchins blend financial acumen with sound psychology in a seamless way. Their book explains complex topics in a very accessible form, offering guidance to the college student population in an engaging manner that speaks directly to their issues and concerns about where they are going and why, and how they can manage their money to achieve their aspirations."

Dave Mochel

"Stephenson and Hutchins are financial wizards who know something extremely important—they know that money isn't everything. Finance Is Personal will help you connect with what really matters and make financial decisions that serve your deepest values and highest priorities. Reading this book is like having a wise, kind, and determined coach at your side. This kind of guidance is rare and potentially life changing."