Spending 101 | Financial Literacy (2024)

FAQs

What is the 50 30 20 rule for financial literacy? ›

Key Takeaways. The 50-30-20 budget rule states that you should spend up to 50% of your after-tax income on needs and obligations that you must have or must do. The remaining half should dedicate 20% to savings, leaving 30% to be spent on things you want but don't necessarily need.

The foundation for financial literacy should be laid early in a child's life. As soon as they start understanding basic math, you can begin discussing simple money concepts. Use everyday activities like grocery shopping or counting their pocket money to introduce them to the value of money and basic calculations.

What is the Rule of 72? Here's how it works: Divide 72 by your expected annual interest rate (as a percentage, not a decimal). The answer is roughly the number of years it will take for your money to double. For example, if your investment earns 4 percent a year, it would take about 72 / 4 = 18 years to double.

By combining the golden rule of “Pay Yourself First” with the 50/30/20 rule, you create a comprehensive approach to managing your finances. The golden rule ensures that savings and investments are prioritized, while the 50/30/20 rule provides a framework for allocating your income across different expense categories.

Students classify those characteristics based on the three C's of credit (capacity, character, and collateral), assess the riskiness of lending to that individual based on these characteristics, and then decide whether or not to approve or deny the loan request.

When following the 10-10-80 rule, you take your income and divide it into three parts: 10% goes into your savings, and the other 10% is given away, either as charitable donations or to help others. The remaining 80% is yours to live on, and you can spend it on bills, groceries, Netflix subscriptions, etc.

1. Budget your money. In general, there are four main uses for money: spending, saving, investing and giving away. Finding the right balance among these four categories is essential, and a budget can be a very useful tool to help you accomplish this.

The countries with the highest financial literacy rates are Australia, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Israel, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, and the United Kingdom, where about 65 percent or more of adults are financially literate.

Can financial literacy be taught? ›

Key aspects of financial literacy include knowing how to create a budget, plan for retirement, manage debt, and track personal spending. Financial literacy can be obtained through reading books, listening to podcasts, subscribing to financial content, or talking to a financial professional.

Harv Eker. “The number one problem in today's generation and economy is the lack of financial literacy.”

The Bottom Line

Listening to podcasts and reading books about specific areas of finance that interest you help break down more complex financial topics and speed up the learning process. There are also many paid and free courses out there that offer courses in different areas of finance and investing.

The 50-30-20 rule recommends putting 50% of your money toward needs, 30% toward wants, and 20% toward savings. The savings category also includes money you will need to realize your future goals.

The idea is to divide your income into three categories, spending 50% on needs, 30% on wants, and 20% on savings. Learn more about the 50/30/20 budget rule and if it's right for you.

Benefits of using the 50-20-30 rule

Provides flexibility: Different people have different essential expenses, nonessential expenses and financial goals. The 50-20-30 budget can help people organize their finances regardless of these individual factors, making it a flexible personal budgeting choice.

Cons. Risk of overspending. Allocating 30% of your income for non essential wants is a large amount of money, especially when compared with only 20% toward savings. Try not to spend money on things that aren't important.