Hi kids!  Glad you stopped by. 

Money is a big part of our lives. 

How we think about it and deal with it could have a huge affect on our future. 

Take a look at this month's featured articles:

Saving for Something Special?

Learning how to save money is important, whether you have a lot or a little. These tips will help you get started.

Start at the finish line

To begin, start at the end. It might sound silly, but knowing what you want at the end can help you plan. Are you saving for college? Maybe you want to buy a new bike. Whatever your goal, post a picture of it where you'll see it every day so you'll remember what you're saving for.

Are you spending more than you're saving?

The second step is to look at what you're spending and how much you're actually saving. This is where even most adults panic. But it's not hard--compare the numbers and ask yourself if you're spending too much money.

Make a plan

To save successfully, your expenses should not be greater than the total amount you want to save each week. Let's say you want to save $400 for a guitar, your allowance is $15 a week, but you spend $10 every week on snack and video games. This means you're only saving $5 a week. It will take you a long time--80 weeks--to save for that guitar. On the other hand, if you save $10 a week, it only would take 40 weeks--half the amount of time--to save for the guitar.

Look for opportunities to save your money.

You'll be surprised how quickly it adds up!

University Credit Union can help you save. Have a parent or guardian call us for you to find out how to start!

Dealing With the Spending Game Called “FADS”

Ever spent a ton of money on something that you thought was lame two weeks later?

Sara found really cool shoes. They were red clogs with little stripes going down the side. She bought them and wore them to school. Everybody loved them. In two weeks, 16 girls had the red clogs!

Sara bought the shoes to be cool, and once everyone had a pair, they weren’t so special anymore.

Follow these tips to avoid everyday obsessions, rip-offs, and splurges:

· You have a choice--instead of the expensive item, treat yourself to something smaller;
· Wait a few days and get a clearer picture of why you want to buy something;
· Think about whether you would keep on wearing something if your friends thought it was dorky or lame;
· Change your mind and save the money;
· Decide you’ll buy whether it’s a fad or not. You’ll be happier with your purchase.
· Use creativity to enjoy fads inexpensively: Make up a character that does all of the trendy fads. Draw a picture of this character and decorate it with latest fads copied or cut from magazines. Change the cutouts as the fads change. Write a story about your character and the fads he creates.