Scholarship Media

It’s almost time for me to say goodbye to this place! I’m excited to move on, but I’m also a little nervous. I want to make sure that I start off on the right foot as I enter to the “real” world. One way I want to do that is by cutting down a bit on the amount of stuff I have. It seems that I’ve been around here long enough to accumulate a bunch of clutter that I don’t need. So, I’m trying to consider ways to use my move to cut down on the excess. Experts, what sorts of tips do you have for someone trying to live with less?

I graduate next year, so the time is fast approaching when I will have to start “adulting” a little better. I know that a big part of that is going to be taking care of my personal finances. I’ve had a summer job since high school, so I know a little bit about working and saving money, but I don’t know everything that I think I should. One that that bewilders me is investing. It makes me nervous, to be honest. When I see the stock ticker things on the news, it all looks very complicated to me. I don’t like the idea of trusting my money to some complex system after I’ve worked so hard for it. I know you can make more money by investing than you can by just saving, but I’m tempted to put what I save into a saving account instead of investments. Is that such a big mistake? Do all adults invest, or is it more of an optional thing?

My girlfriend is a wonderful person, and we share a lot of the same values. However, there’s one thing that has come between us. She has expensive taste, especially when it comes to jewelry. She likes diamonds in particular, which I find really crazy. A diamond is just a pretty rock that happens to be rare. Isn’t it true that they’re only rare because of the diamond companies, anyway? To me, it seems like a huge waste of money to buy a diamond. Experts, can you either help back me up in this discussion with my girlfriend, or else change my mind?

I could use some quick tips. I recently joined a talent acquisition firm that uses its own proprietary platform to streamline the recruitment process. My own background is in advertising and sales, which is why I’m looking for some guidance.

I could use some guidance. I’m a senior graduating soon with a degree in business management. I plan to take a job as a regional manager trainee soon after graduation. The job is all the way across the country, in Michigan.

When I talk to my parents about personal finance, they sometimes refer to big expensive things they own as “assets.” I understand that, generally speaking, assets are something we consider to count toward someone’s “net worth.” But I’m not sure I understand why. If you buy an engagement ring or a car or something, that money is gone--you’re not going to just sell that stuff off again to buy a new TV or whatever, so it’s not really cash, right? What’s the point of having “assets,” and what makes a house an asset in the way that a 4K TV is not?

After I graduate, I’m going to need a car. However, I won’t have much money early on after graduation, because I’ll just be getting my first job and moving out on my own and all of that stuff. So, I figure that I’ll probably need a loan if I’m going to buy a car.

My parents are always lamenting the disappearance of their favorite shops and stores in my hometown. They grew up in the same town, and they often mention little mom-and-pop shops that, they say, used to flourish and are now gone. They blame the big box stores that have popped up in the area: Walmart, Target, and Best Buy, to name just a few.

Here’s a very specific question: let’s say that you have to get between two medium-sized cities, and they’re a few hours apart. And let’s say you’re trying to take the trip with your two or three friends, who can be very indecisive. And, finally, let’s say that there’s a big debate raging about what the most affordable way to get back and forth between these two cities is. What would you say to help bring everyone to a decision? And before you ask, yes, this is exactly what I’m dealing with right now!