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1 Artical
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2 Notes on&nbs...
1 How many times have you gotten your allowance(零用钱) or birthday money, raced to the mall and splurged(挥霍), then realized later you wanted to buy something special but all your money was gone?
2 The only way to prevent this is by planning. You need to plan the ways you’ll spend your money, keep track of your purchases and cash, and budget for special or large expenses.
3 That’s called being financially savvy(机智的，有头脑的), and experts say that going from being a reckless(不顾后果的) spender to a smart planner and saver isn’t difficult. It just requires some self-control and common sense.
Earning
4 An allowance is a great way to get started with money. But sometimes you might want to buy something special that your allowance won’t cover in time. Obviously, if you’re old enough to do so, you can go out and get a job at a local business. But there are also ways to boost your money even if you’re not old enough to work yet.
5 "Get creative," says Lori Mackey, who runs the financial education company Prosperity4Kids. "There might be extras that your family is willing to pay you for outside of your daily routine. Ask your parents what you can do to earn extra money around the house."
6 Then, she says, go outside!
7 Ask family friends and neighbors if they have any chores(零工) for you to do. Pet sit, do yard work, wash cars, babysit(照料小孩), whatever.
8 Another approach: Write a list of what you’re good at doing, and look for ways to earn money with these skills. Are you athletic? You might be able to coach or work with younger kids in a sport. Are you a straight-A student in math, computers, music? Think about being a tutor.
Saving
9 Starting to save can be as simple as having three places to keep money; these can be different bank accounts or even boxes or envelopes in a dresser(梳妆台) drawer(抽屉).
10 "Allocate(分配) your money into spending, saving and giving,”"says Bryan Link of SimpliFi, an online planning service. “Figure out percentages for each (the averages are 10 percent to saving, 10 percent to giving and the rest to spending) to help you make distinctions (区分) between money’s various purposes.”
11 Be sure to set some goals for the money that goes into the saving pile. Make a list of stuff you need as opposed to stuff you want. Need school clothes or sports equipment but want the latest gaming(电子游戏) system? Work out a deal with your parents on what they’ll help you buy, and then save up for the rest.
12 "If you are saving for something big, figure out how many weeks it will take you to earn enough to buy it," advises radio host and best-selling author Dave Ramsey. "When you save enough money, reward yourself by buying what you want. You can be proud of yourself for working hard and saving to buy things with your own money."
13 If you dip into(动用) your savings for a splurge purchase, you probably won’t have enough to buy what you were originally(起初) saving for by the date you’d hoped. When this happens — and chances are good that it will at some point — don’t give up. Simply learn from your mistakes, and do better next time.
Giving
14 It’s important to save up for gifts to give others during the holidays and the rest of the year. Planning for this is critical.
15 "The most important step is to start saving early," Ramsey says. " Know who you’re going to buy gifts for this year, like your mom, dad, brothers, sisters or your friends, and decide what you want to spend on each person. That way, you’ll know how much money to save from your money each week. The holidays are always a great time to give to others…especially when you earned the money yourself!"
16 You can open a special savings account just for the holidays or other gift-giving opportunities, or you can just keep the money in your regular savings account and keep track of the money set aside for gifts.
17 Also think about giving to charities. They can be organizations that support conservation(环境保护), endangered(濒危的) species(物种) or medical research for a disease. Pick one that means something special to you.
18 "Sometimes, giving is hard when we have worked so hard for our money,”"Ramsey says. "But if we remember that we are blessed(祝福) with so much, it is easier to give just a small portion of what we earn to help others."
