Don't Break the Bank: A Student's Guide to Managing Money

Book excerpt: Middle school and high school students spend more money than ever these days, but most have very little (if any) knowledge when it comes to personal finances. The truth is that most schools don't have time to teach a Personal Finances 101 course. So what are today's students (and their parents) to do? Peterson's Don't Break the Bank comes to the rescue! It's a brand new, easy-to-comprehend guide to help students become financially savvy. Readers will find such financially relevant chapters as All About Money, Part-Time Jobs and Ways to Make Money; Analyzing Your Paycheck; Making Sense Out of Banking; Online Banking and Bill Paying; Saving for a Rainy Day; Understanding Debt and Credit; Charge It! (Paying with Plastic); Don't Spend It All in One Place: Creating-and Sticking to-a Budget; Money U: Managing Your Finances While in College; Investing; and How to Make Your Money Grow! Inside you'll find: A student-friendly design, with short chapters, fun graphics, and insightful sidebars-easy for busy students to read in their on-the-go lives. Expert guidance on ways to make extra money, saving vs. spending, ways to budget, the ins and outs of credit and credit cards, financial aid and scholarships, and more. Valuable advice from finance experts and from students, who share their own stories of financial woes and triumphs Glossary of important financial terms-to help teens succeed on their road to financial literacy Helpful appendix of additional resources, including links to Web sites for further information