As you continue your journey with UMA and prepare for a future in healthcare, it’s also important to prepare for financial stability after finishing school.
As with most things, it’s easier said than done. Though money may not buy happiness, it can provide you with some relief in life — and isn’t that worth the effort?
The UMA Wellness Center is here to provide you with some strategies and philosophies, and steps you can take to hopefully better equip yourself to achieve financial relief down the road.
What can you do?
The first step to a challenge is being proactive. Below are three fundamental financial strategies you can implement in order to alleviate financial stress.
- Build Credit – A good credit score will be important. A simple way to maintain a solid credit rating is to always pay utility and phone bills on time.
How to Improve Your Credit Score - Limit Credit Card Use – Although a way to enhance a credit rating is to charge small amounts on a credit card and pay these amounts off on time, it is important to be mindful with credit card use. It is best to use credit cards sparingly and only in emergencies. Interest rates on credit cards can make payback difficult for new graduates. This is especially true if payment on student loans is also becoming due.
- Budget and Organize – Keeping track of spending is vital. You may wish to maintain a budget manually in a paper journal, but there are many no-cost, electronic apps and planner templates available to make organizing your finances convenient and easy. Mint.com and Quicken.com offer useful tools.
11 Free & Awesome Budget Planners to Balance the Budget
A penny saved…
As the saying goes, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” Believe it or not, it is possible to save money while you’re in school. Take a look at a couple of money-saving ways of living.
- Minimalism – You may have heard about “minimalism” in extreme terms to describe people who live with less than ten possessions. However, the spirit of minimalism is about being grounded in your purchasing habits. If you don’t need something, why spend money on it?
Minimalist Guide: Beginner and Advanced Tips on How to Simplify Your Life - Set Aside Funds for Emergencies – Strive to set aside what you can for an “after I graduate,” emergency fund. Even a few dollars each month counts. You will thank yourself when a real emergency happens.
4 Ways to Build an Emergency Fund as a College Student
Volunteering: Rewarding in more ways than one
Volunteering can have a positive impact on your wellbeing, be it spiritual, emotional, mental. But did you know that there are some potential financial benefits? It is what you gain from it that could pay off.
- Build Skills and Knowledge – Fresh out of school, you may not have work experience. Volunteering or interning at an organization can give you confidence in your know-how. This type of unpaid work could also valuable on your resume.
- Gain Contacts – The people you impress while you volunteer may be the same people that give you a salaried job or serve as professional references, necessary to land a paid opportunity.
- Learn What You Like to Do – If you don’t have a lot of work experience, volunteering can help you discover the tasks at which you excel. This can steer you toward the type of paid jobs you really want and/or give you talking points during an interview.
Additional resources on the benefits of volunteering
UMA Support
UMA knows that many students juggle work and family life while going to school. That’s why we have a built-in support system. Our Learner Services Advisors are here for you. Call 888-216-0544. We encourage you to reach out with questions and concerns.
UMA Cares
UMA Cares handles important student issues that may need to be addressed with special attention. UMA Cares takes all inquiries seriously and responds in a timely manner. Our mission is to provide a simple way for students to get answers for unresolved issues concerning their student experience. Visit ultimatemedical.edu/uma-cares/ to make your voice heard.
UMA Wellness Center
Stay tuned to the UMA Wellness Center for new blog posts! Wellness is incredibly important to your studies and your overall health. UMA is committed to providing you and your household with access to wellness resources. You and your household can use these resources to work toward your health and wellbeing!
UMA does not endorse any vendors, products, or services presented in the UMA Wellness Blog Series, and UMA bears no responsibility in any capacity as it relates to such vendors, products, or services. The information on wellness or related services is not intended or implied to be a substitute for professional financial advice. Please contact the vendor or service provider for answers to questions regarding its content, products, or services.