Lecture 12: Putting Your Financial Plan Together
Budget
% $EXGJHWLVDFDVKÀRZVWDWHPHQWIRUWKHIXWXUH7RFUHDWHDEXGJHW
VWDUWZLWKWKHFDVKÀRZVWDWHPHQWDQGLPDJLQHKRZ\RX¶GOLNHWR
spend your money next month in order to meet your long-term
JRDOV7KLVDOVRPHDQVWKDW\RX¶OOQHHGWRNQRZZKDWWKHVHORQJ
WHUPJRDOVDUHJRLQJWREH&UHDWLQJVSHFL¿FJRDOVFDQEHWKHPRVW
YDOXDEOHRXWFRPHRIWKH¿QDQFLDOSODQQLQJSURFHVV,WIRUFHV\RXWR
WKLQNDERXWWKHIXWXUH
% *RDOVZLOOEHGLIIHUHQWDWGLIIHUHQWOLIHVWDJHV6KRUWWHUPJRDOV
may include saving for a down payment on a house, a vacation,
RUSD\LQJRIIFUHGLWFDUGGHEW<RX¶UHOHVVOLNHO\WRVXFFHHGLI\RX
set nebulous goals, or goals that you make to avoid a negative
EHKDYLRU HVSHFLDOO\ LI \RX¶UH UHO\LQJ RQ VHOIGLVFLSOLQH LQ WKH
SUHVHQWWRDFFRPSOLVK\RXUJRDO$QGSDVVLYHVDYLQJLVPXFKPRUH
successful than active saving, so set up automatic withdrawals from
your paycheck or checking account to save for retirement or pay
GRZQGHEW
% $QHIIHFWLYHVWUDWHJ\LVWRFUHDWHVDYLQJVDFFRXQWVWKDWDUHXVHG
IRUDVSHFL¿FORQJWHUPJRDO)UDPLQJLVDSRZHUIXOIRUFHDQGLI
\RXIUDPHPRQH\LQWKDWDFFRXQWIRUDVSHFL¿FSXUSRVH\RX¶UHOHVV
OLNHO\WRUDLGWKDWDFFRXQWWREX\VRPHWKLQJHOVH6R¿QGDQRQOLQH
bank that pays a decent interest rate and create named savings
DFFRXQWV)LJXUHRXWKRZPXFK\RXFDQ¿WLQWR\RXUEXGJHWHDFK
month, and have it withdrawn automatically a few days after you
JHW\RXUSD\FKHFN
% 2QFH\RX¶YHLGHQWL¿HG\RXUJRDOV\RXVLPSO\QHHGWRHVWLPDWH
KRZPXFK\RXQHHGWRVDYHHDFKPRQWK<RX¶OOQHHGWRFRPHXS
ZLWKDQH[SHFWHGUDWHRIUHWXUQRQLQYHVWPHQWVWRJHWWKHUH,QWKH
future, you may see lower rates of return on stocks and bonds than
LQWKHSDVWVREHUHDOLVWLF
% 2YHUWLPH\RX¶OOPRYHWKURXJKWKHOLIHF\FOHDQG\RXUJRDOVZLOO
FKDQJH8QH[SHFWHGWKLQJVZLOOKDSSHQWKDWDIIHFW\RXU¿QDQFHV