No matter what your post-college plans entail, a budget will be necessary to live a financially responsible and comfortable life. The day will come when you need to start paying back any student loans borrowed during college, and it is crucial that you develop a realistic and manageable plan to pay them back. If you budgeted before and during college, this should be nothing new.
Creating a budget for post-college life is not very different from the budget you developed in college. Again, begin by assessing all sources of income and all of your expenses. However, now your expenses may include student loan payments as well as credit card payments. Also, hopefully your degree has helped you land a job and your income can account for these new expenses.
It is also important that your post-college budget account for saving. Whether you’re saving for a home, a higher education, or a new car, factoring savings into your budget is necessary. Also, be sure to take advantage of any retirement savings plans offered by your employer. Retirement may seem far off in the future, but it is never too early to start saving!
