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Planning and Goal Setting


Conversation Starters on Planning and Goal Setting

  • What is a goal?
  • Do you have goals?
    • Do all goals involve money?
    • Name some goals that involve money.
    • Name some goals that don’t involve money.
  • Can you reach your goals without a plan?
  • What is financial planning?
  • Every time you spend a dollar, save a dollar or share a dollar, you’re making a financial decision that will affect your goals.
  • No matter how insignificant, every buying decision either gets you closer to or further away from your goals.

Conversation Tips on Planning and Goal Setting

  • Explain that a goal is a something you want to have, be or do, and that goals differ for each person ~ and that’s o.k.!
  • Explain to your kids that they should save their money to help them achieve their goals, prepare for emergencies, and be ready for major life events, like going to college and or buying a home.
  • Get them thinking that every time they spend a dollar, save a dollar or share a dollar, they’re making a financial decision that will affect achieving their goals. Explain that no matter how insignificant, every buying decision either gets them closer to or further away from their goals.
  • Talk about whether goals are wants or needs, and that we often achieve our goals by following a plan or course of action.
  • Talk to your kids about making saving a habit that will help them improve their financial situation and stay out of debt. Encourage them to plan for the things they want and that saving their money to achieve their goals will give them a great sense of accomplishment and success!
  • Discuss how financial planning is how you make your money meet your goals. Talk about short term plans, such as for some new clothes or a trip, and long term plans, such as for college or retirement. Share that the most important thing to remember is that their financial plan is unique to helping them achieve their goals. Remind them to pay themselves first.
  • Instill upon your kids that failure to plan could leave them with a life of limited choices.

Additional Resources:

Financial Literacy

National Endowment for Financial Education
JumpStart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy
National Association of Federal Credit Unions
Moonjar
National Credit Union Administration

Credit Scores and Credit Usage

www.annualcreditreport.com
www.myFICO.com

Investor Education

National Association of Securities Dealers

Saving for College and Financial Aid

www.finaid.org

Savings Bond Interest Rates

www.treasurydirect.gov

Financial Calculators

TopLine Investment Services

Books

The Millionaire Next Door
By Thomas Stanley and William Danko
Practical information on how other millionaires made their money.

The Richest Man in Babylon
By George S. Clason
Common sense ideas on the concept of paying yourself first.

A Chair for my Mother
By Vera B. Williams
Family picture book that shares a story about saving.


Content on this page may contain information from, and is used with permission by, the National Endowment for Financial Education, the National Association of Federal Credit Unions, Moonjar, and the JumpStart Coalition for Personal Financial Literacy.

Links to additional resources are provided for information purposes only and are not endorsed by TopLine Federal Credit Union.

© 2007 TopLine Federal Credit Union. All rights reserved.
® Registered trademark of TopLine Federal Credit Union
Servicemark of TopLine Federal Credit Union.

 

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