Western Oregon University would like financial literacy to be a part of your life. We have provided resources to support and provide education on financial understanding for our students. The more you know, the more tools you will acquire, and the better prepared you will be for life during and after your time at Western Oregon University.
Budgets
Budgets are plans designed to outline the use of your money. When you use a budget to track your income and expenses, you can plan how to spend and how to save.
Credit
Credit is your reputation as a borrower of money. To acquire the best reputation, it is important to learn about how to manage your credit. This becomes especially important when trying to rent/lease an apartment, finance a home, car, or even for a job.
CreditCards.com article on how to build credit as a student – This article has more information on how to build good credit.
Free Credit Report – You can request a free credit report. Information on this site will assist you with obtaining one and what to do regarding inaccurate information.
Saving
Saving provides an opportunity for financial security. This may not be something you are thinking about now, but saving is important for your financial well-being. If saving becomes a habit, even in small increments, you will build a foundation for financial success.
Helpful tips:
You get paid first – Every payment you receive, take an amount off of the top and place it in a savings account. Did you know when you set up direct deposit you can have the deposit split into multiple accounts? You can pre-set an amount to go directly into a savings account.
Track your savings – Online and mobile banking can help you with this. You can also set up a spreadsheet to track where your money is going each month.
Set goals – You may need to take out student loans now to pay for college but if you save each month you could build your account to pay a lump sum of your loan back before it accrues any interest.
Taxes
Do you know there are tax benefits for education? We have included several resources regarding these benefits. Of course, tax benefits are only a small section of the tax code. Western Oregon University cannot offer tax advice. Specific questions or additional information can be found on the IRS website.
Tax Benefits for Education – This section of the IRS website provides information on tax benefits specific to education.
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