Given that it's now mid-June, and pretty much everyone that will be graduating from college this year has done so, I though I'd spend a bit of time putting together a short list of financial tips for the recent graduate. Here goes:

1. Spend less than you earn. This is perhaps the most worn out, overused phrase in the world of personal finance. But guess what? It's also the single most important financial lesson you'll ever learn. No matter how hard you work and how much money you earn, you'll never achieve financial security if you spend more than you earn, so... Do whatever it takes to make sure that this doesn't happen. This takes self-discipline, and might require constructing (and sticking to) a budget, but if you ever want to get to a point where you can afford all the little niceties in life, you need to make it happen.



Remember: If your outgo exceeds your income, your upkeep will be your downfall.

2. Plan for the future. I've been where you are, and I know that "the future" seems like it's a million miles away. Do yourself a favor. Sit down and define short, intermediate, and long-term goals and then put together a plan for getting there. It's not easy, and you probably won't get it right at first (see also #4) but once you do this, you'll have something concrete to work from (and to modify in the future). Start small and work your way up.

Open an online savings account and start making auto-transfers into to build up an emergency fund. Sign up for your company's 401(k) and make regular contributions. Come up with a plan for ditching your debt. Open an IRA (either Traditional or Roth) and start funding it. And read books about money and investing so you'll be ready to take the next step when the time comes.

Whatever you do, don't wait.

3. Be patient. Building a solid financial foundation takes time. Don't look for shortcuts or try to strike it rich overnight with the latest hot investment tip. Likewise, don't make major financial decisions without fully considering the ramifications. This isn't to say that you should be paralyzed fear. Rather, you need to do your homework. Turns those unknwowns into knowns, and then make an informed decision.

4. Learn from your mistakes. Nobody's perfect. You're bound to make mistakes, especially when you're just starting out. The important thing is to learn from them and move forward. If you make a bad financial decision, make a note of it and get yourself back on track. Don't beat yourself up, and don't throw in the towel.

现在已经是六月中旬了,几乎所有今年的毕业生就要从大学毕业了。我想,我该花些时间为这些即将毕业的学生整合一份简短的理财建议清单。如下所示:

1、支出要少于收入。这个说法在个人理财中已经是陈词滥调了。但细想一下,它又是你要学习的最重要的专一理财课程。不管你工作有多努力,不管你会挣多少钱,如果你花去的钱比你挣的钱还要多的话,你就永远没有经济保障了,所以......一定要尽一切办法来避免这样的情况发生。这就要求自律了,或许还需要做个预算。但是如果你想在你的生活里面找到一个有细微区别的地方的话,那你就让它发生吧。

切记:如果你的花销超出了你的收入,你赖以生存的东西将变成你堕落的根源。

2、规划未来。我也是从你们的阶段走过来的,我知道,在你们眼中,"未来"是很遥远的事情。为自己做件乐事吧。坐下来写写自己短期,中期和长期的目标,然后放一块儿,作为一个奋斗目标。这不是一件容易做到的事,你可能不会一次就能把未来规划做对,但是,一旦你做了规划,你就会去做一些实实在在的事(和在将来有所改正),从小事做起,会使你以后的路变得积极向上。

开一个网上储存账户,自动转帐来建立一个应急基金。在你工作的公司报名401(k)计划,然后定期付款。制定一个还请债务的计划。开个人退休账户(传统,非传统的都可以),然后开始投资。阅读一些关于金钱与投资的书,这样,待时机成熟,你就可以随时迈出第一步了。不管你做哪一个,都别等。

3、要有耐心。打造一个坚实的经济基础是需要时间的。不要指望走捷径,也不要寄望于通过得到最新的热点投资信息一夜暴富。同要地,没有充分全面考虑之前不要做什么重要的经济决定。这并不是说要你畏首畏尾,相反,是需要你做足准备,把不懂的弄懂,然后再做一个有依据的决定。

4、在错误中吸取经验教训。人无完人,你一定会犯错的,特别是刚刚开始的时候。最重要的是要从中学习经验教训,接着继续前进。如果你做了一个很糟糕的经济决定,记下来,再重新步入正确的轨道。千万别自己打击自己。也千万不要轻言放弃,承认失败。
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