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http://www.themintgrad.org/uploads/TheMintGRAD-Budget-Worksheet.pdf?cmpid=TheMintGrad-TryIt

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http://padlet.com/galbreath/budget/wish/50234249

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https://www.northwesternmutual.com/financial-guidance/life-events?cmpid=TheMintGrad-Learn-Lifestyle

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http://www.themint.org/teens/decoding-your-paycheck.html

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Maggie

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Financial Fitness test

http://padlet.com/galbreath/budget/wish/50234625

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http://credit.about.com/od/creditcardbasics/a/dosandonts.htm

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http://www.themint.org/kids/saving-calculator.html

Savings calculator

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http://www.americasaves.org/for-savers/make-a-plan-how-to-save-money/saving-on-a-tight-budget

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TheMint.org - Fun For Kids - What's It Worth?

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So as you stand in a store, telling yourself you have to buy an item, think of how long you must work to earn the money to pay for it. Is that $85 designer shirt really worth the time and effort it takes you to earn $85?

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http://www.marketwatch.com/game/

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http://padlet.com/galbreath/budget/wish/50234625

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DJ McDonald

http://padlet.com/galbreath/budget/wish/50234357

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Travel Abroad

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Before you travel abroad, whether it's for school, work or a (much needed) vacation, make financial planning part of your travel checklist. You may be a money maven in the U.S., but what you think you know may not translate to your travel destination. Below are tips to help ensure your big trip abroad doesn't become a big financial disaster.

1. Know where you're going.

Ever visit a city and find yourself surprised by how expensive it is? Maybe you wish you'd researched the area and the cost of living outside of the hotel. Before you travel abroad, take the time to learn about the culture you're about to experience. Find out what type of currency is used and the rate of conversion to U.S. dollars. And search travel forums to find out what kinds of tourist scams might exist so you can avoid them at all costs.

2. Connect with your bank.

Get in touch with your bank or credit card company to let them know where you're going and how long you'll be out of town. If you don't, and your bank sees charges appearing in another country, they'll most likely flag the charges as suspicious or fraudulent and suspend your card. If this happens, don't get mad (they're just doing their job - protecting your money!) Ask ahead of time for an international phone number to reach your bank in an emergency. The 800 number on the back of your card typically won't work outside of the U.S. or Canada.

3. Know your bank's foreign fee policies.

Most banks charge 1-3% on purchases when you use your debit or credit card abroad. Once you're at your destination, insist on being billed in foreign currency (this is an option whether you're paying with cash or a card). If you're billed in dollars, you will typically pay more for hidden fees and a higher exchange rate.

4. Have multiple ways to pay.

If something happens to one card, it may take days to get a new one. It's best to carry multiple credit cards and cash, as well as a cash card or debit card, just in case something goes wrong. (If you don't have a credit or cash card but feel you need one, research the best cards to use abroad.) If you can, only use your debit card to withdraw cash. If you accidentally overdraft your account or are billed incorrectly for a debit transaction you can quickly (and unexpectedly) run yourself out of money. Also, stick to using bank-associated ATMs; they are more reliable and won't charge you as much for their services. Finally, save your credit cards for big purchases (i.e. airline tickets, hotels, restaurants, etc.) That way, you know that A) you have credit available in case of an emergency and B) you can protect your credit card information from illegitimate vendors. Here are a few more ideas.

5. Budget for money conversion.

Everything is more expensive at the airport - even money exchange fees! The airport is easily the most convenient place to exchange money. But in actuality, you pay for that convenience. Plan ahead with a budget and take care of currency conversions before you depart. And this tip is crucial: try not to convert more money than you're going to spend! It costs even more to convert foreign currency back into U.S. dollars.

6. Prepare for smart card conflicts.

If you're traveling within Europe, you may run into issues with their smart card technology, which most U.S. credit cards don't have. You may find that some merchants won't accept your card if it doesn't have this technology; but know that if you have a Visa or MasterCard, they are obligated to manually swipe it.

7. Protect your pockets.

It's easy to get caught up in the beauty of your surroundings, or lost in a text message, but try to keep your eyes open for suspicious people. As a tourist, you're automatically a target for pick pockets. Keep your money close to your body and in front of you rather than behind you. It's smart to use slice-proof purses or wallets that pick pockets can't easily get into.

Some final thoughts...

No matter how carefully you budget and plan for your time away, unexpected expenses are likely to accrue. Don't let it stress you out. If you can, set aside a mini-emergency fund you can access if something comes up. Simple steps like these will help you cover your bases, so you'll have peace of mind when it comes time to enjoy yourself on your big trip abroad.

Have a story to tell about your big trip?

We want to hear it! Did you run into a financial mishap while vacationing away or studying abroad? Are there money tips we haven't shared that worked well for you? We want to hear all of the juicy details (well, just the ones related to money matters).

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Before you travel abroad, whether it's for school, work or a (much needed) vacation, make financial planning part of your travel checklist. You may be a money maven in the U.S., but what you think you know may not translate to your travel destination. Below are tips to help ensure your big trip abroad doesn't...

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http://www.themintgrad.org/try-it/savings-calculator/

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http://www.themint.org/teachers/sample-budget.html

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Scott Sales

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http://www.themintgrad.org/plan/pay-student-debt/6lgmzsi7i5lubg0fjpzj/

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Budget Worksheet, www.themintgrad.org (click on the Budget Worksheet and download the PDF).

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Dealing with Debt, www.themintgrad.org

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No one wants to talk about debt, yet everyone wants to know the secret to getting rid of it. Why? Because debt makes it harder to make important life decisions.

Debt can negatively impact your credit rating making it difficult to buy a home, a car, or even a TV. It can also get in the way of landing a job, as an increasing number of employers are performing credit checks on prospective employees. Debt impacts your career in another way too: without it, you're free to choose an industry or job you love and not a position you need so that you can afford to repay enormous student loans and credit card bills.

When you factor in college costs, mortgages and other expenses that come with living on your own, debt may seem impossible to avoid.

The good news is that it's both preventable and curable. The following six strategies can help you avoid, manage and reduce credit card bills and other forms of debt:

Preventative measures

Try a cash-only or mainly-cash lifestyle

Obviously, the easiest way to avoid deb t is to never borrow money in the first place. How can you do this? By opting to spend only the cash that you have all or most of the time.

If you have credit cards, this means putting that plastic away for a while and only using cold, hard dollars to get what you want or need.

The upside is that living on cash will help you develop good fiscal habits and financial discipline that can last a lifetime.

Just say no

Another strategy to prevent debt is to be cautious about what loans or forms of credit you accept. Just because you receive a pre-approved credit card offer in the mail doesn't mean you have to say "Yes" to it.

Likewise, even though it's relatively quick and easy to get payday loans - as many young adults make the mistake of doing - those high-rate loans can quickly trap you in a costly cycle of debt that you later regret.

Managing debt

Follow the 1-month rule

If you've already racked up credit card debt, it's time to handle that debt wisely. To successfully manage and ultimately lower your debt, use the one-month rule.

Essentially, this means you don't charge anything you can't afford to pay off in full in one month's time. This way, you avoid interest charges that inflate the cost of your purchases, and sidestep the trap of being in debt year after year.

Avoid unnecessary "bling"

Your friends may seem to shop all of the time, drive fancy cars, party and travel frequently, but if you want to manage your debt (and the burden that comes with it) you need to know your lifestyle limits.

Trying to keep up with the Joneses will only make your debt spiral - the exact opposite of your goal to manage debt.

Paying off what you owe

Exceed Minimum Payments

Making minimum payments on your credit card bills and student loans will keep you in debt for years. To reduce debt more efficiently, you must exceed those minimum payments.

A good idea is to try to double or even triple your minimum required payments. If that's not possible, even paying an extra $25 or $50 a month will help.

Know your options

Finally, it's always smart to know all your options when you want to slash debt.

Credit counseling agencies can negotiate with your credit card companies, lower your interest rates, and put you in a debt management plan. You may qualify to have certain federal student loans forgiven. Or perhaps you can refinance your auto loan, saving yourself thousands in finance charges and paying off that debt faster.

But you'll never know until you reach out to your creditors and explore all of the alternatives.

In the end, it's up to you to prevent, manage and reduce debt. The good news is that the rewards of a debt-free life will make all your efforts extremely worthwhile.

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No one wants to talk about debt, yet everyone wants to know the secret to getting rid of it. Why? Because debt makes it harder to make important life decisions. Debt can negatively impact your credit rating making it difficult to buy a home, a car, or even a TV.

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Budget Real Talk, www.themintgrad.org

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Any financial expert will tell you it's important to live within your means and create a budget. The problem is, very few financial gurus explain exactly how to create that all-important budget, especially one you can actually stick to.

So instead of offering that same old advice about why you need one - "You'll go into debt," or "You'll wind up destitute in old age," blah, blah, blah - let's talk instead about how you can prioritize your spending and build a realistic, sustainable budget.

Here are 3 foolproof steps to create a budget that works:

Step 1: List everything

The first key to building a realistic budget is to take an honest inventory of all the ways you're spending money. You should account for every expense you have and include it in your budget. Don't forget about or omit certain bills just because they only occur once or twice a year. Those expenses - like traveling home for the holidays or your membership fee to join a student or professional club - count too!

A general rule of thumb is that your budget should include an itemized list consisting of two broad buckets: necessities (stuff like rent, food and college textbooks if you're in school), and wants (items like music downloads or birthday gifts for others).

There are easy ways to keep track of your expenses, like saving your receipts and using a check registry to monitor your spending. If itemizing your purchases isn't something you're good at, request that your bank mails you a monthly bank statement. Anything you purchase from your checking account will be listed, along with any deposits or withdrawals you make. Review everything listed on your statement and make sure there are no fishy transactions or purchases unaccounted for.

Step 2: Prioritize your bills

Once you itemize all the areas where you regularly spend money, you'll be well on your way to gaining control of your finances. Compare your spending with your income. Is there more money going out the door than coming in? If your monthly expenses exceed your income, you'll need to adjust your spending and prioritize your bills, based on what's most important.

Necessities obviously come first. After all, you need to eat and keep a roof over your head. But what about those "wants" - like college basketball tickets or going out on Friday nights? If these activities interfere with being able to pay your bills, they may be luxuries you need to cut back on.

Note: It's easy to fall into a habit of putting extra expenses onto a credit card, but that's an easy way to break your budget. After all, you're still responsible for paying off the balance. Instead, consider these tips for living a frugal (but fun!) lifestyle.

Step 3: Don't forget this category

You may be doing your best to manage today's expenses - but what about saving for tomorrow? If you haven't yet added "savings" as a category in your budget, it's not too late. The money you save now is essential for helping your income grow and keeping your overall finances running smoothly.

Saving money helps you "pay yourself first," making your own financial needs and goals a priority - whether the goal is to buy a new car, take a summer trip or just build an emergency cash cushion.

So go back now and add "savings" to your list of "expenses." Put it under the "necessities" and think of saving money as something you must do regularly - just like you must pay your landlord or any credit card debt you may owe.

If necessary, tweak your discretionary spending. Be willing to nix some of those "wants" to make room for your savings.

Despite all the hoopla about budgeting, it's really not rocket science. The three steps outlined above are an easy, no-fuss way to create a budget you can happily live with.

Finally, budgeting isn't a "set it and forget it" kind of deal. So once you've established your budget, make sure you check out our other advice about sticking to a budget, and avoiding budget pitfalls.

Do you have a no-fail budget?

Tell us how you do it! Do you have a written plan, or something you update regularly on your tablet or mobile device? Do you work with a financial professional? Share your tips so we can spread the wealth!

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Any financial expert will tell you it's important to live within your means and create a budget. The problem is, very few financial gurus explain exactly how to create that all-important budget, especially one you can actually stick to. So instead of offering that same old advice about why you need one - "You'll go...