Most teens don’t have a lot of money to buy their first cars. For them, saving money on this purchase counts as a big goal in the buying process. If you’re in the market for your first vehicle, here are a couple of pointers to help you keep the costs under control.

What’s Your Budget?

According to Road Loans, it’s best to start a car-buying venture with a look at your budget. If you don’t have enough money to purchase the vehicle outright, then perhaps you can work out a savings plan. You can put aside a bit of money each paycheck, and this money will be earmarked for the purchase of an automobile. If your parents plan on helping you to buy the car, then you’ll want to talk to them about your budget. Find out what they plan to contribute and what they expect you to pay for. Your budget needs to reflect this as well.

Look at the Fuel Economy

This one goes hand-in-hand with budgeting. Paying for gas, oil, and other expenses related to fuel economy can take a big bite out of your budget. According to Avis, full-size cars get better gas mileage than larger vehicles such as vans, trucks, and SUVs. Compact cars usually get even better gas mileage. As you shop around, it’s important to look for automobiles that offer good fuel economy whether you buy a compact car from a used car lot or a full-sized model from a private buyer.

Consider Pre-Owned

Here’s a fact that most new car dealerships don’t talk about all that much: Your vehicle loses a great deal of value once you drive it off the lot. That’s why a lot of wise car shoppers buy used vehicles, even if they have the budget to buy a more expensive model. This would be a good strategy for you, too, as you’ll save on depreciation. Aside from this, pre-owned cars generally cost less. Sometimes, you can find a decent enough vehicle on sites like Craigslist for $5,000 or less. If you’re planning on paying for your automobile outright, buying a used model that costs less than $5,000 means you can get access to a car a lot faster.

Buying your first car counts as an important rite of passage for most teens. However, there are many factors to consider before you sign on the dotted line, like budget, fuel economy, and whether to buy new or used. Working these issues out ahead of time not only ensures that you get the best car for the money but such a strategy helps you to develop some critical-thinking skills that will be important down the road.

Babysitting is a common job for teenagers and young adults, but caring for someone else’s child is a big responsibility. First-time babysitters need to prepare for their first gig to make sure it goes great for both themselves and the family.

Make Sure They’re a Good Fit

Communication is key to being a good babysitter. It is important to tell the family what you expect the job to be like. Also, listen to their needs to make sure you are the best match for this family. For example, you might be more comfortable caring for children older than 5 years old. Or you might not be okay with picking up children from school. According to Sittercity, you should also discuss payment with the family to make sure you’re all in agreement.

Familiarize Yourself With the House

Before you arrive on the day you start babysitting, it is helpful to have an idea of the general layout of the house. Of course, you should be aware of where the basics are, like the kitchen, living room and children’s bedroom. It’s also vital to know if the house has a landline phone and where emergency supplies like the first aid kit are. Every house also has its own set of rules that may be different from what you are used to with your own family. For example, children may have limited times during which they can watch television or eat sugary snacks. It is important that you know these rules and follow them. According to Zavodnick Law, families have the right to use a nanny cam to monitor their home with some restrictions, and you do not want to make a bad impression by breaking important house rules.

Come Prepared

Your number one priority when babysitting is to keep the children safe. The best way to do this is to prepare for anything that may come your way. You should be familiar with basic first-aid skills, like wound care or what to do in the case of an allergic reaction. It can also be helpful to have family-specific contact information, like the phone number of a close uncle or neighbor in case of an emergency. A good babysitter will also be entertaining and give the children a fun experience. It can be easy to put the child in front of the TV, but if you come prepared to engage with the child and help them with homework or play games with them, the experience can be more rewarding for both you and the family.

With these tips in mind, you can be an amazing babysitter and earn the trust of your first family. This can help you work for more families in the future and have fun while doing it!

Read More: Six Summer Jobs You Won’t Find at the Mall

As a teenager, you have a million things you are constantly worrying about: School, friends, your future, and making money. But what if you want to make money even though you hate the idea of working a boring minimum wage job? What options do you have? Thankfully, plenty. Here’s a quick look at three ways to earn money without getting a typical, boring high school job.

Start a Side Hustle

Side hustles are great ways to explore things you enjoy and make money at the same time. Finding one isn’t too hard; just decide what you want to do and start googling how you can make money doing it. Be warned, depending on what side hustle you select, they can take time to establish. However, they can be creatively rewarding and ultimately help you find a career that you love. When starting a side hustle, Xyngular advises considering what you’re really passionate about to find your niche, something that can help you utilize your skills and have a successful side hustle.

Organize a Garage Sale

Organizing a garage sale is often as easy as finding stuff that you or your parents don’t want to use anymore and selling it. Since the costs associated with a garage sale are usually as simple as advertising it, you can usually make a good chunk of money in the sale. However, according to Budget Dumpster, a successful garage sale is more than just setting up a table in front of your house. You have to spend some time promoting it (fliers and social media usually suffice), and always make sure to check with your local government, as some municipalities require that you take out a permit before holding a garage sale.

Use the Internet

There is no shortage of apps or websites which allow you to make good money from home. This includes taking surveys, watching videos or even playing games. Here are some of the most popular places to find freelancing work:

• Upwork
• Fiverr
• WriterAccess
• FlexJobs
• SolidGigs
• Art Wanted
• CrowdSpring
• Rent A Coder
• Photography Jobs Finder
• ClickWorker
• Assistant Match
• Behance
• Stage32

Thanks to the explosion of the internet, social media and smartphones, there is no shortage of work for teens who don’t want to stand around at a boring retail job. If you are looking for an alternative to this line of work, it’s often as simple as putting in enough time or effort.

Read more: What are the Highest Paying Summer Jobs a Teen Can Get?

Welcome to the world of holiday shopping. Buying gifts for your friends and family can be lots of fun, but there are common problems to watch out for. Here are some tips that will help make shopping online fun and exciting. You will get the best deals if you check your favorite online sites to see when there will be scheduled sales. Often, they will send you emails or text messages if you have signed up with them. Here are a few tips you should keep in mind if you want to get the most out of shopping during the holiday season.

Timing

To get the best deals for holiday gift-giving, keep in mind that companies are beginning to offer great savings earlier each year. To be a smart shopper, start your browsing early. Some companies have holiday sales as early as summer, such as Christmas in July sales. Black Friday generally begins the holiday shopping season with huge savings available, as does Cyber Monday. You don’t have to fight the crowds in stores to score some great deals if you plan your Cyber Monday buys in advance.

If It Sounds Too Good to Be True

At this time of year, it pays to be careful. It’s important to always stay safe with your technology. Not all things are as they appear. If it seems too good to be true, do research to check it out before you hand over any payment info. Make sure that the company selling is reputable and the item you are interested in is not a knockoff, which is a common problem online. Some sellers will rip you off as well as take the information you have given them and sell it. It is not worth the problems created to try to save money.

Be Prepared Before Shopping

Another common problem is running out of money before you have bought all your gifts. Start with making a list of people you want to buy for. Think about how much you want to spend on each person, and write that amount by their name. Add up the numbers and determine if you have that much to spend. One way to meet the goal is to start purchasing early. Another idea is to space out the purchases over time or modify the budget for each person.

Be a Smart Shopper

Check out the items you have in mind by going to the stores to see and hold the actual product. It is a good idea to know what you are buying. Does it look like what you want to purchase? This way you can look it up online to get the best price. Also, there will be no unpleasant surprises if you order it online and it turns out not to be what you thought it was. As a further precaution, be sure to check the return policy before purchasing anything.

It takes some confidence to become a savvy shopper, but you should relax and enjoy the experience. With proper planning and an adventuresome attitude, your family and friends will know how much you care at gift-giving time.

If you’re looking for a summer job, the chances are you want to make as much money as possible before the calendar switches over to the fall. The question is, which positions can help you attain that goal? Here’s a list of three possibilities that will earn you plenty of cash to stash away while still allowing for a decent amount of pocket money to liven up your days off.

Tutoring

What’s your favorite subject in school? Would you be interested in sharing some of your knowledge with a younger student who might be struggling with the basics? If so, you might want to look into tutoring. Depending on your age, level of expertise and the subject you choose, you could earn $25 to $30 per hour. Math and science tutors can expect to earn more than English tutors, so if those subjects are your forte, start putting out the word with friends and neighbors that you’re available to lend a helping hand to their kids during the summer. You’ll be doing them a valuable service while lining your pockets at the same time.

Construction

Are you looking for something that requires a little more brawn? You might be surprised to learn that jobs in construction are a viable option for older teen workers. While construction is considered very dangerous, the pay is generally higher because of that. As long as basic safety practices are learned early on and carefully observed, you can hone valuable skills that are sure to serve you well later in life with a job in construction. Note that if you’re under the age of 16, federal law prohibits you from doing any physical construction work, but you can still apply to work in the office or for sales-related tasks.

Caddying

Golf caddies get to enjoy the outdoors and socializing all at the same time, making this gig a perfect fit for energetic, outgoing teens. While the baseline pay isn’t all that impressive, hovering around $10-$15 per hour, you can earn a lot more than that in tips if you are professional and efficient. This may not be the best fit if you’re not a golfer yourself, but if you enjoy the sport, give caddying a try.

The prospect of spending your summer at work can be a bummer at first. Still, when you’re counting your money at the end of August, you’ll be glad you took this first small step into adulthood.
Check out our other money-related resources here!

Financial literacy is important for all teenagers. Its never to soon to, with the help of parents, start saving money, open up a life insurance policy, invest in stocks, and otherwise plan for the future. One of THE most important parts of your financial life is credit. Unfortunately, most schools still lag behind in teaching this critical subject. So we got some tips straight from one of the big three credit bureaus, the ones who give you a credit score and report to lenders when you try to get a credit card or loan.

Experian wrote up the 10 Ten Credit Myths Debunked piece below in conjunction with their annnouncement of a new way to boost scores. It is called Experian Boost, and according to them its a:

“free, groundbreaking online platform that allows consumers to instantly influence their credit scores.”

From what we can tell, the way it works is you connect your online bank accounts to their platform, and they will analyze your cell phone, electric, and other payments (which the credit bureaus usually ignore) to generate a better score — instantly.

If your credit is already great, this might not be for you, because it’s designed to provide the largest boost to those with low scores. However, if you are in the 580 to 669 range, it can save you a lot of money on interest — because higher scores mean lower interest rates!

From Experian:

Experian Boost will be available to all credit active adults in early 2019, but consumers can visit www.experian.com/boost now to register for early access. By signing up for a free Experian membership, consumers will receive a free credit report and FICO ^® Score immediately, and will be one of the first to experience Experian Boost. 

What are some other smart ways to handle credit and improve your credit score when you start getting credit at age 18?

• RULE #1: Pay on time. Always.
• Use your credit cards to buy everything in order to earn cash back or airline miles, but pay off the balance every month.
• Have at least 5 tradelines (meaning, credit accounts) open. Most companies will keep your account open as long as you use your card at least once per year.
• It pays to use a secured card or higher interest card when you are first starting out to establish a history, but once your credit score improves and you open accounts to replace them, close the higher interest cards. Do NOT close accounts if you are planning to finance a car or apply for a loan soon, because closing older, positive history accounts might lower your score for a while.
• Keep your overall balances to less than 30 percent of your total available credit. So if you add all your cards together and you have $1000 in debt, but your total available is $5000, you are at 20 percent credit utilization, which is okay.

Now, let’s get to Experian’s tips!

10 Credit Myths Debunked

By Experian

When it comes to debt, credit reports, and credit scores, conventional wisdom is peppered with myths, misunderstandings, and misrepresentations. Credit is a tool. Like any tool, it’s neither good nor bad in itself. What matters is how you use it.

Myth #1: Debt is Debt

Not all debts are equal. Say you’ve got a $150,000 debt on your credit report. If it’s there because you maxed out your credit cards to throw a birthday blowout for yourself two years ago, then you’re in trouble. Today, that debt is giving you nothing but memories (and maybe an ulcer). But if that $150,000 is your mortgage, then you’re probably just like millions of other responsible homeowners. That debt is giving you a warm place to lay your head at night.

Myth #2: Checking Your Credit Report Will Hurt Your Credit Score

A notation called an “inquiry” goes on your credit report every time someone (including you) looks at your file, and rumor has it that inquiries can hurt your score. Well, yes and no. An inquiry affects your score only if it’s related to a credit application that you have submitted. If you apply for a loan or a credit card, your score might fall, because that application suggests you’ll be adding debt. But if you simply look at your own credit report, the resulting inquiry won’t affect your score. If anything, checking your report is a sign of responsible credit management, though you don’t get points for doing it.

Myth #3: Closing a Credit Card Will Improve Your Credit Score

If you have a credit card you don’t use, you’re unlikely to improve your score by closing the account. In fact, closing the card might even lower your score at first. One important thing scores use to measure risk is how much of your credit card limits you use — a ratio known as “credit utilization”. When you close an unused account, you reduce your total available credit, so your credit utilization rate goes up. (Of course, if an unused card creates an unbearable temptation to spend, you may be better served in the long run by closing the account.) Scores usually bounce back up after a few months, if your credit report is otherwise in good shape.

Myth #4: You Only Have One Credit Score

There isn’t just one single credit scoring formula that applies to all consumers in all situations. By some estimates, there are more than a thousand scoring models in use in the credit marketplace. A consumer could therefore have dozens or even hundreds of different credit scores depending on the lender using it and the types of lending being done. Lenders and others check your credit score for different reasons, and each formula looks at your credit history in a different way, giving different weight to various factors.

Myth #5: Credit Bureaus Give Good and Bad Scores

Credit bureaus do not create credit scores. Credit bureaus collect information about your debts and use that information to build a credit report. Credit scores are generated based on information in your credit report. Those scores are neither objectively “good” nor “bad.” They’re a measure of risk. It’s up to lenders to decide whether a given score meets their criteria for extending credit. And, scores are usually just one factor in their decision. A “good” score might not mean much if you don’t have a job or any assets. Likewise, a high income and a stack of gold bars might outweigh a “bad” score.

Myth #6: Better Job, Better Score

Your income has no direct effect on your credit score. Scores are based only on the information found in your credit report. Your report includes a lot of information about your use of credit and your management of debt. But it doesn’t include your income. In fact, it doesn’t even indicate you have a job. It lists the employers you’ve included in past applications, but if you haven’t applied since you last changed jobs, it might not even list your current employer. That said, your employment situation can affect your score indirectly, in terms of your ability to pay your debts. And when you apply for credit, lenders will probably ask about your income.

Myth #7: Spouses Have a Joint Credit Report

There’s no such thing as a joint credit report — for married couples or anyone else. Married or single, you have your own credit report. If you’re married, you and your spouse may have a lot of joint accounts, such as mortgages, car loans and shared credit card accounts. Those joint items will appear on both your credit reports and will affect both of your scores. But your credit report is yours and yours alone.

Myth #8: Paying Debts Erases Them

Pay off a debt and you’ve eliminated your obligation — but the evidence of that debt can stick to your credit report for years. If you pay your debts on time and in full, you will likely want your paid-off accounts on your credit report because they show that you’ve used credit responsibly. If, on the other hand, you’ve been chronically late, missed payments or defaulted entirely, that’s a problem. Most negative information can remain on your report for up to seven years; some bankruptcies can stay there for up to 10 years.

Myth #9: For Those With Little or No Credit, It’s Difficult to Build Credit

While people with limited credit history and low credit scores may have a hard time building credit, new tools are becoming available to help. One way to instantly increase your credit score is by using Experian Boost, a free service that incorporates your utility and mobile phone payment history into your Experian credit file. This can help you build up more credit history, which helps improve a credit score. It is a great first step but don’t stop there – make sure to pay all of your bills on time and don’t take on too much debt.

Being added as an authorized user or setting up a joint card (i.e. with a parent) is also a great way to build positive credit history. You might also consider opening a secured credit card account. That means you deposit money in a savings account that is tied to the card. If you don’t pay on time, the lender is protected – or secured – because they can withdraw payment from your savings account. However, they would still report the payment late, so be sure you always pay on time. If you do, you can build a positive credit history and start saving at the same time.

Myth #10:  Credit is a Measure of Your Value

Credit scores are designed to evaluate how big of a risk it would be to lend you money. That’s it. If your score is low, it’s because your credit history suggests that there’s a higher risk that you’ll default on a debt. It doesn’t mean anyone thinks you’re a bad person. Good, honest people can have low scores (and yes, truly awful people can have high scores). What you can do is work to generate a positive credit record: pay bills on time, reduce balances and apply for credit only when you need it.

You might be reading this because you are worried about how little you save money. Perhaps you don’t spend any money at all, or maybe you do save but quickly spend it on something. Setting up long-term savings is a good idea, as it can protect you and your future, and allows you to have a fall-back should you ever need it. It is a healthy way to manage your money, rather than living paycheck to paycheck.

However, getting started with saving money isn’t always easy. If you have very little left over at the end of the month, after all your bills, rent and other commitments, there may not be a whole lot left to save. Do not despair  – you are not the only one who feels like this.

In fact, online loans provider ‘Wonga’ see saving difficulties at the top of the list of their customers’ worries. They recently blogged about the annual savings challenge, which could help you to get your savings on the right track. They say, “The 52-week savings challenge is an excellent way to slowly grow your commitment to saving, which is something that doesn’t come naturally to us all. Following this challenge provides South Africans with a realistic and achievable way to save money, even in our tough economy and at the leanest times of year.”

Other outlets also praise the 52 week saving challenge. Money blog ‘The Balance’ explains the pros and cons simply, “You start by saving just $1 the first week of the challenge. Pop it in a jar on your counter without a second thought. The next week, put away $2, and the next, $3. You get the idea. By the end of the challenge, you are saving more than $50 a week, bringing your total amount saved to just under $1,400 by the end of the year.” Of course, it can be difficult when you get to the larger values, which is why some people decide to do the 52-Week Money Challenge in reverse, e.g. they save $52 in week 1, $51 in week 2, and so on.

Some people may also suggest just saving a fixed amount every month. However, this can prove difficult. Some months, after an unexpected bill, you might not have the money to put a larger amount away in your savings. Alternatively, others like setting up direct debits to automatically take the money at the start of the money so that there is no way out of putting some extra aside. Dedicating a specific savings account, which you do not touch is an ideal way of saving money that you don’t feel tempted to dig into!

Remember also that you can make small sacrifices in your daily life to help the savings challenge. What about cutting out that daily cup of coffee that you buy; the money you save can really add up. Equally, try to cut down on areas of spending at home, like turning off plugs and electric sockets that you don’t need.

It’s never too early to start thinking about your financial future. Even if you are a teen who is still in the process of figuring out what you want to do with your life, there are reasons why you need to start planning now. By beginning to think about your financial future, it’s possible to ensure the money is there when you need it. Investopedia provides some basics that you can start to employ right this minute and be secure all of your life.

Creating and Reaching Financial Goals

One reason why you need to start planning now has to do with goal setting. It’s up to you to decide what those goals may be. Perhaps you would like to own a home by the time you’re 30. Maybe you want to pursue a higher degree, like a doctorate. Start by learning how to set goals, including how to go about securing the resources to reach them. You may have to adjust or refine those goals as you get older, but that’s much different from having none at all.

Reserving Funds for Major Expenses

Another good reason why you need to start planning now for your financial future has to do with making significant purchases when you grow up. A home, a car, college, and even retirement are major investments that require cash. According to Your Quest, money management is more important than ever for young teens to learn, as retirement keeps becomes more and more expensive. Report indicate that Americans are living longer than they used to, and thus are needing more money in retirement funds to sustain themselves (sometimes needing up to 38 years of funds or more). Even if those expenses feel years away, now is the time to learn how to create a budget and live within your means. Make sure the budget includes line items specifically for each major expense.

Set goals for how much to tuck away each paycheck and stick with it. Remember to include a line item for emergency funds, since you never know what could happen. Along with watching the funds grow, you’ll learn a lot about avoiding overspending and stop yourself from going into debt.

Setting Up Savings and Investment Accounts

When you have at least a few goals for the future, brainstorm how you can begin working toward them now. On the financial front, this means learning to save money now and possibly invest in some manner. Hands on Banking reinforces, “opening a savings account is easier than ever before. All you’ll really need are forms of identification and a little bit of money to start your account with. Once that’s done, you can start planning more effectively for your future.” Start with simple plans like opening a savings account, then move on to setting up a certificate of deposit. The goal is to put mechanisms in place that allow you to earn interest on the money that you save.

In time, you will be old enough to make investments. Start with safe ones that are highly likely to earn some sort of return. As you become more comfortable with the market, it’s okay to allocate some of your money to options with higher risk and a chance for a higher return. As long as you maintain a solid financial cushion and learn not to invest more than you can afford to lose, you’ll be okay.

Ultimately, the habits you develop now make it possible to maintain financial well being and make life a little easier. As you accumulate wealth and achieve your goals, there will always be one more to set and reach. With your sound skills, there will always be a way to get where you want to go. Think about your finanical future today!