Is someone in your life about to graduate from high school
or college? Obviously, you’ll want to honor your loved one with your attendance
at the graduation ceremony if possible. Whether you attend or not, it’s also
considered polite to give a gift.
While lots of people give graduates flowers, gift
certificates, and other items that will quickly be forgotten, you can give the
grad in your life a gift that he or she can actually cherish and that might
make a difference in the person’s life for years to come.
Your gift, if chosen wisely, can also be one that teaches
the recent graduate how to handle money responsibly- a skill they don’t teach
in school but which is incredibly valuable for success in the real world. If
you want to give a gift that meets all of this criteria, we’ve got a few great
suggestions for you:
A Good Book
A lot of times, when people first leave school, they are
clueless about how to save and manage their money. Fortunately, there are a lot
of good books out there that can teach graduates the basics (and more) of
spending and living smart. If they follow good advice closely, they could just
be set for life.
While there are lots of good financial books out there, one
of the best is Your Money or Your Life by Joe Dominguez and Vicki Robin.
This book looks at money and using it responsibly as the keys to a stress-free,
enjoyable life and really teaches readers how to make smart spending decisions.
Cash for Savings
Every recent grad loves cash! After all, they’re going to
need it! If you want your cash to go a long way, however, give it to the grad
with a note that clearly says it’s for saving, not spending! You might even
spring for the cost of opening a savings account for the graduate. Some grads,
of course, will spend the money anyway, but a lot of them will take your words
to heart and use the cash to start their savings.
Budgeting Software
Finally, never underestimate the power of teaching a young
person how to budget! People who
Most of today’s young people love doing things on the
computer, so budgeting software is the perfect way to combine budgeting and
technology. There are lots of good programs out there; just make sure you
choose software that’s user-friendly enough for beginners and that explains the
basics of budgeting, as well as the more advanced technology.
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