This post was previously published on eCampustours.com. The information provided is subject to change over time.
Utilize this guide for high schools students to drive discussion and think about ways to set spending budgets.
Weekly Expenses
These are the typical expenses you might have in a given week. These are usually variable expenses; the amount may change from week to week. Examples include:
- Groceries
- Fuel
- Transportation
Fill in the types of expenses you would incur in a typical week based on your future plans after high school. Fill in the corresponding amount and then multiply all weekly expenses times 4, as there are four weeks in a month.
Monthly Expenses
These are the typical expenses you might have in a given month. These are usually fixed expenses; the amount does not change too drastically. Examples include:
- Housing
- Phone
- Cable
- Internet
- Utilities (electricity, gas, water, sewer)
- Insurance (auto, health, home)
- Auto Payment
- Debt Payment
Fill in the types of expenses you would incur in a typical month based on your future plans after high school. Fill in the corresponding amount and then multiply all monthly expenses times one as this is a monthly budget.
Education Expenses
These are the typical expenses you might incur if you continue your education after high school. Examples include:
- Tuition
- Books
- Meal Plan
- Housing
- Transportation
Fill in the types of expenses you would incur based on your educational plans after completing high school. Fill in the corresponding amount and then divide all educational expenses by 10, as you typically attend school for ten months out of the year.
Other Common Expenses
The following expenses could vary greatly between individuals. Consider how often (weekly, monthly, school year, yearly, etc.) these expenses will occur for you. Examples include:
- Charitable Donations
- Gifts
- Clothes
- Entertainment
- Vacations
- Eating Out
- Savings
- Health
- Beauty
- Electronics
