No workplace is perfect. Everyone’s perceptions are different. This can cause workplace conflict.

Conflict can lead to a toxic work environment. Mark Perna, a writer at Forbes magazine, wrote “toxic work culture is the #1 factor driving people to resign.” He defines the word toxic as an “unpleasant feeling.” 

Numerous things could cause this feeling in the workplace. For example: not feeling fully supported by management or your team, not feeling like you have a voice, not feeling respected, lack of communication, witnessing unethical behavior, or seeing moral values decrease, can lead to a toxic environment.

Good leaders address conflict when it arises. As you use servant leadership principles to solve problems, you will earn respect.

5 Helpful Tips

There are many ways to resolve conflict. Richard Trevino wrote an article entitled The 5 Cs Approach to Conflict Resolution in the Workplace. In it, he outlines basic steps to resolve workplace conflict.

1.   Carefully listen to both parties when dealing with conflict. You may think this is a simple step, but most people only listen to respond. Active listening is a good skill to have as a leader. It allows you to consider other points of view before deciding how to move forward.

When conflict arises, shutting the other person out is not the best option. Actively listen even if you disagree.

2.   Be considerate. Both parties must see each other’s perspectives. Miscommunication often leads to conflict in the workplace. It is important to understand the emotions that can go along with the conflict.

When conflict arises, evaluate how it started. Then, resolve the root cause. 

3.   Calmly discuss conflicting perspectives. Leaders cannot take sides during a conflict. Trevino says, “How we respond to conflict can intensify tension.” He also shares that, “calmer minds produce clearer ideas.”

When conflict arises, step away momentarily. This helps you see the bigger picture. 

4.   Conscientiously look at the facts. Conflict is not always black and white. Do not let workplace drama cloud your judgment.

When conflict arises, focus on resolving the problem and moving forward.

5.   Cooperatively work together. Conflict can be solved in multiple ways. Find a way for all parties to work together in order to resolve their issues.

End with a better understanding to avoid future conflicts.

Conclusion

There are many ways to deal with workplace conflict. Not everyone is always going to see it your way.

 Disagreement is okay. It is not okay to let disagreements discourage you from speaking up in the workplace. Leaders need to communicate effectively, in order to resolve conflicts when they arise. These five steps can help you solve conflicts of any size in the workplace.

Zaria Washington is a field operations associate at Aerotek Staffing. She has been working in the staffing industry for two years. She is currently working toward her MBA.

References

Perna, M. C. (2022, June 3). Toxic work culture is the #1 factor driving people to resign. Forbes. Retrieved July 24, 2022, from https://www.forbes.com/sites/markcperna/2022/06/01/toxic-work-culture-is-the-1-factor-driving-people-to-resign/?sh=727f56b868f1

II, R. T. (2020, June 11). The 5 ‘CS’ approach to conflict resolution in the Workplace. Entrepreneur. Retrieved July 24, 2022, from https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/350374 

Renter’s Insurance

A common misconception is that a landlord or apartment complex will have property insurance that will cover residents if something were to happen to their apartment, but that is not the case. If your apartment were to catch on fire, and you did not have renter’s insurance, your loss is on you, not your landlord, that is why it is so important to make it a priority to have this insurance. There are very affordable premiums for renter’s insurance, and it will protect, repair, and replace your property after a loss. It also would provide coverage if an accident occurred at your residence. For example, Hurricane Ian was just a few weeks ago, by having renter’s insurance, you would be covered if a flood ruined your apartment, or a tree fell on the house you were renting.

Homeowner’s Insurance

Homeowner’s insurance is very similar to renter’s insurance. You would need this type of insurance whenever you own the home you were living in. Homeowner’s insurance protects your property and also the liability, so if there was an injury or property damage, you would be protected. Homeowner’s insurance does not include everything in one package though. There are different packages that you may have to purchase depending on where you live. If you live in an earthquake prone area, it would be smart to make sure that is included in your policy, even if it costs a little more. Since we are in ÎçŇšżě˛Ľ and it is not uncommon for it to flood, it would be wise to implement a flood policy to make sure it is covered in your insurance, especially if you plan to live here long term.

For college students who are planning to rent an apartment or house, or for graduates who are starting their careers and buying a home, it is important to make sure you are insured in case disaster strikes.

You can find more information about renter’s insurance and homeowner’s insurance at these resources below:

Claire Lewis, Peer Coach, Center for Personal Financial Management

In order to differentiate long-term investing from gambling, we first have to cover some background on each. First, we’ll build a foundation on long-term investments. Most people know that long-term investing is critical for anyone who plans on retiring. Traditionally, an individual’s long-term investments have been managed by a bank or financial planner. The person hands funds over to the investment manager. With that money, the manager buys a mixture of stocks, bonds, mutual funds, and other investments. They do this to build a diverse portfolio and mitigate risk as much as possible. The goal of these investments is to acquire consistent, long-term growth. Usually, a long-term investment is left alone for a minimum of five years. Often times, these investments are left much longer than that. The goal of all of this is to let the investment amount compound on itself and grow large enough to start pulling money out as “income” during retirement.

Defining Short-Term Investing and Gambling

With the quick rise of Robinhood, and other similar apps, people now have easy access to direct control over their own investments. This quick and easy access means that any ordinary person can buy and sell stocks at rates that previously could only be done by Wall Street Day-traders. Having this power with just the download of an app creates more opportunity for misuse as people can buy stocks with one click. This ease of access usually results in people buying shares in companies that they have never heard of, let alone had the opportunity to thoroughly examine the financial statements. This encourages people to hop on trends and buy stocks that are growing fast with the hopes of becoming a millionaire tomorrow. Doing this poses a major issue because the rising prices only occur as a result of the sheer volume at which the stocks are being traded. This causes a temporary upward pressure on the price that is not sustainable for more than a few days. Eventually, the bubble pops as people begin selling the stock quickly. Anyone who holds on to the stock for too long begins to rapidly lose money on their investment. The term for a scenario like this is referred to as a “pump and dump” strategy. These used to be fueled by a few big money investors collaborating together. An example of this is what Jordan Belfort did in “The Wolf of Wall Street.” Now these schemes are usually fueled by social media. This was seen during the Gamestop and “Doge to the moon” trends. In order for somebody to win in a short-term investment scheme such as this, somebody else has to lose. In economics this is referred to as a “zero-sum-game” and it is the precise definition of gambling. The people that almost always end up on the negative end of these schemes are the short-term investors using phone apps. The Bible clearly warns us about situations like this in Proverbs 13:11, saying, “Wealth gained hastily will dwindle, but whoever gains little by little will increase it.” This verse warns us about the dangers of trying to get rich quick and advises us to seek out slow growth over the long term.

Why is Long-Term Investing Any Different?

Long-term investing is different than short-term “investing” because of the mechanics that drive the profit. When investors by stocks looking for long-term growth, they are purchasing a share of that company. The company uses the money that it receives from this to buy things such as capital in order to become more profitable. As the company starts turning more profits, it grows larger, and its stock prices start rising. When the prices rise, the profits are there to be made for the stockholders. This is a positive-sum-game because both the company and the investors become profitable and there is no clear loser. This is the distinguishing factor between short-term gambling and long-term investing. The moral implications and outcomes of each are drastically different.

Final Thoughts

As Christians, we are called to be wise in our investments because the money we use to invest in companies is not ours, it’s God’s money that we are trusted to manage. With the responsibility of managing, we are also called to be good stewards. In other words, we are called to not waste money and to avoid spending it in ways that can hurt others. Two big components of good stewardship are wise investments and ethical investments. The safest option for investing is to do it with the help of a financial planner. They know what they are doing and can explain things that you don’t understand. If you want to directly handle your own investments, you should know that you are adding an extra level of responsibility to yourself and are ultimately accountable to God for the decisions that you make. Before investing in any company, it is important to first research the company’s values, as well as their previous financial history. This is the best way to ensure that is it a positive-sum-game, rather than a zero-sum-game and to ensure that you are managing God’s money in a way that would please Him.

Justin Kizer, Peer Coach, Center for Personal Financial Management

If this happened to you, did you take a moment to consider investing it for the future? I think most of us would have, even if just for a moment. 

Perhaps, when you thought about investing, you didn’t know where to start- where to invest, how to invest, what places won’t cheat you out of your money, etc.  We all know finances can be overwhelming, and, as college students, it can be downright impenetrable.

Answers to these questions can be found by using something that most of us probably don’t think about- a financial advisor.  You may have heard about financial gurus on Wall Street or the super-wealthy hedge fund owners in the Caymans, but you probably don’t consider them as relevant to you.

Well, they are! They are super relevant, and here’s when and why you should get one!

When to Get a Financial Advisor:

1. When you receive a large sum of money.

2. When you want to start investing large amounts regularly

3. When you get a job that gives you regular, set incomes.

4. When money freaks you out and you need help.

Why to Get a Financial Advisor:

1. They are experts on money.  They know what to get and what to avoid, and many will have a vested financial interest in your success.

2. They know the law.  There are a lot of laws involved with finance, and financial advisors know how to stay on the right side of them.

3. They know and watch investments.  You have a busy life, and you can’t be expected to watch the stock market and make a profit when it matters most.  Financial advisors do, though, and they know when to invest and how to do so.

4. They provide accountability.  If you are the only person who worries about your money, you have no accountability for its use.  You may reduce your savings or tithing allocations to make some small purchase if you don’t have someone helping and allocating your accounts.

Why should I trust someone with my hard-earned money?

Of course, not everyone is trustworthy, and giving your money to someone to invest is a scary idea.  Most people that you deal with in the financial industry will be honest, but there are always a few bad apples.  Fortunately, the system is built to help ensure that you are taken care of.

How do advisors make their money?

There are tons of different payment methods for financial advisors, but most are paid in some combination of up-front fees and percentages of asset holdings.  That means you may need to pay a little bit upfront, but most of their pay comes from the funds that you give them to invest.  Many only take a portion of the profit (money gained on top of the money that you put in), so you don’t pay a whole lot off the top.  Regardless of the pay structure, most financial advisors benefit when you benefit, so they have a vested interest in making sure that you make money.

There are a lot of different payment scales, so make sure you know what you’ll be paying before you work with an advisor!

Who can I trust?

Trusting someone enough to give them your retirement funds is a big deal. You may be lucky enough to find a fiduciary, someone who is legally obligated to work in your best interest as the owner of your funds. You may also find a financial advisor or investment counselor who only takes their fee from your gains, which only benefits them if they are good at their job.  Someone who has been professionally trained will have ‘CFP’ by their name, indicating that they are a Certified Financial Planner and at least know a little bit of what they are doing. Regardless, make sure you read the fine print and have an exit plan!

If you want a financial counselor with a Christian background who has been trained to keep clients’ best interests at heart, go with a Certified Kingdom Advisor (CKA). These are CFPs who have gone through additional training that ensures that they know and practice sound Biblical financial advising.  I’ve met quite a few of them, and I have to say, I’ve been quite impressed! 

This is way too much to think about.

Worried about all this? Well, if you are a college student, we are here to help! If you are at this blog, you probably have some idea of what the Center for Personal Financial Management is and have some interest in us.  If you just want to get your feet wet with a financial advisor, try us out!! We aren’t professionals, but we can help you experience what you’ll get if you go to an advisor, and we can help you build a foundation that will help you with all future financial questions.

If you want to meet with us to talk about any of this, or maybe to find and meet with a CFP and/or CKA, and we’ll meet with you soon!

Set alert notifications on your bank account

Alerts can be set to notify you about things ranging from letting you know that it’s payday to informing you about someone using your debit card without your permission.  It’s best to find out if fraudulent transactions are taking place sooner than later.  Most banks have specific “Unusual Activity Alerts” that will inform the user about unusual activity that is detected in the account.  This alert may be triggered when your card is used outside of your home city.  Your bank may even text you and ask you to reply to confirm the transaction.  Make sure that any communication that you receive about your account is coming directly from your bank.  If you have any doubt, contact your bank through an established channel – either online or through customer service on the phone.

Using a credit card online to shop is safer than using a debit card

Criminals are always lurking in all corners of the web in search of your credit/debit card information.  You may have an easier time disputing charges made on a credit card if someone were to steal your credit card information.  This is because you will have more time to dispute credit card charges since the credit card bill will not come until the end of the month.  Payment on a credit card is delayed versus with a debit card.  Money is automatically taken from your account as soon as your debit card is run.  Not everyone may have a credit card, so the next tip is geared towards those without one

Use a prepaid Visa card to shop online

Those who do not have a credit card can utilize the benefit that the prepaid Visa card offers. Not much can happen if someone were to get their hands on information about your prepaid visa card online since the card only contains the amount of money that is put on it.  The card is in no way linked to your bank account so they would not have access to your funds

Use your best judgement when purchasing from an online site

Make sure that the site is reputable and secure.  There may be fake sites on the internet try to pose as the real site.  Do your best to ensure that you are shopping at a legitimate site.  Also avoid shopping on sites that are linked in emails that you receive.  These emails may be sent by phony sites that are posing as the real one.

It is best to use your own private computer and a secure Wi-Fi connection when shopping online

When using a public computer – say, I a library – websites can save login information which can leave accounts vulnerable to the next user.  Spyware may be placed on that computer that can record keystrokes and gain access to usernames, passwords, credit card numbers etc.  Using your personal device is much safer than using a public one when it comes to shopping.  However, your information may still be stolen when using your personal device on public Wi-Fi.  For best results, purchase things online when on your own private Wi-Fi.  Another thing to consider, is using a Virtual Private Network (VPN).  VPN’s can encrypt your data, which adds another layer of security.

Alexander Hanakee, Peer Coach, Center for Personal Financial Management

The benefits of having a high credit score vs. a low credit score!  With a high credit score you have an advantage vs. being with a low credit score. What is a credit score? A credit score is a number that ranges from 300 to 850 and this determines your creditworthiness. Here is how FICO defines credit score ranges: Poor: less than 580, Fair: 580-669, Good: 670-739, Very Good: 740-799, and Exceptional: 800+. 3 benefits of having a high credit score are #1 Receiving better rates on car insurance. #2 Have a larger selection of housing options. #3 It looks better to potential employers. And 3 benefits to having a low credit score are none. When you have a low credit score you are viewed as a high-risk borrower to the lender. Having a low credit score will have its negative consequences. Everyone in the US has credit meaning everyone will have the choice to use it.

What factors into your credit score? A credit score is built on 40% of payment history, 21% of credit history, 20% of credit usage, 11% total balances, 5% of credit checks, and 3% of available credit.

5 useful tips on building credit! #1. Pay your balance off in full by the due date every month, this way you will avoid late payments and higher interest charges. Having late payments will cause your score to decrease. 

#2. Do not max out your credit cards and don’t use your credit card if you do not have the money to pay it back. 

#3. Have a pretty strong foundation about credit usage and know the different terms. Ask God for understanding and wisdom.

#4. Keep your credit utilization below 30% by your statement date. Example if your credit card limit is $300, do not have a balance over $90. (This tip applies to credit cards mainly)

#5. Check your credit report at least once a year to make sure there is no fraud, unrecognized activity going on, and false reports. You can check your credit report 3 times a year but only once from these 3 companies: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion. There is no fee to this. 

Where to start? To start building credit you can start with a secured credit card and use the credit card for small purchases like gas or groceries, since you will already have the money for those two purchases. Doing this will help ease you in to using a credit card. If you decide to get the secured credit card it will be a great place to start. This card requires a cash security deposit, usually with a minimum of $200. After 6 months of having this card then your bank will look over your statements to see if you are on the right track if so, your bank will most likely decide to switch you over to an unsecured credit card. The new credit card will have better rewards, a higher balance, and you will get your deposit back and they hold your deposit in a savings account so it will earn a tiny bit of positive interest. 

I pray this information is helpful and motivates you to start building credit.

Trinity Doctor, Peer Coach, Center for Personal Financial Management

It is normal for any college student to wind up in a situation where they have debt or are considering borrowing more money to pay for their school, living, or even car expenses. What helps is to know where to borrow, and how to make sure that the borrowing does not become too much to the point where it is nearly impossible to pay back.

Student Loans

The best way to handle student loans is to make sure that you are keeping track of what and how much you owe and who you owe to. “Whatever you do, you do NOT want to stop paying your student loans — or even pay them late. Timely loan payments are and : The government can garnish your wages, withhold tax refunds, and deny future benefits like Social Security” (Weliver, 2021). Student loans can have huge consequences to your credit if you do not pay them on time or even at all. It is always a good idea if you are in a comfortable position in your job to pay them early or even while still in school. Even if all you are doing is paying down the interest on them that is much better than having the interest build on itself.

Given how much or how little you have there are many different strategies for paying off student loans effectively. If you have a small amount of student loans, then the best advice is to get them paid off as quickly as you can. If you have a large amount of student debt a good strategy would be an income-driven repayment plan. You should switch to an income-driven repayment plan once you hit the “critical horizon,” which the researchers define as “the time at which the benefits of forgiveness match the costs of compounding” (Friedman, 2021).

Managing Loans and Borrowing after College

Some of the best plans to manage borrowing and loans is to give a lot more and live less now to get a lot more back in the future. Paying off student loans early gives so much financial freedom and gives you the opportunity to save more and spend more on other things you would rather spend your money on. Some of the best ways to save money are to:

1. Move back in with your parents to save money.
2. Get a second job for increased income.
3. Consolidate Loans.
4. Not paying the Minimum Payment.

Staying on top of student loans and limiting borrowing is the best plan to maintain financial freedom and keep yourself from following into paying enormous amounts of interest for years. Doing simple tasks and savings goes a long way in managing debt, and they are crucial habits to maintain when going through the financial hardships in life when trying to manage how much to borrow and how much to pay back and when.

Grant Johnson, Peer Coach, Center for Personal Financial Management

References:

Weliver D. (Nov. 9, 2021). How To Pay Off Your Student Loan Debt. Money under 30. Retrieved November 30, 2021, from 

Friedman, Z. (June 28, 2021). This Is The Best Way To Pay Off Student Loans According To Math. Forbes. Retrieved November 30, 2021, from 

Even though the Bible is the ultimate source of wisdom regarding finances, there are so many books out there that can help you grow spiritually and help you better manage your money. It is so important to read every day, not only to grow your knowledge, but to also challenge your viewpoints and way of thinking. As a college student, I usually read my class textbooks every day. This is not always fun per say, so I also like to add in “personal” reading everyday as well. Here is a list of five books that will help you grow your relationship with Christ, change the way you view money, and ultimately change your life for the better.

True Riches: What Jesus Really Said About Money and Your Heart

John Cortines & Gregory Baumer

True Riches is a four-part devotion book that invites the reader to transform in 4 ways. Pride to Gratitude so that we see everything as a gift. Coveting to Contentment so that we spend wisely. Anxiety to Trust so that we save appropriately. And Indifference to Love so that we give extraordinary. It’s full of scripture, personal stories, and practical application. This book can be read as a group or individually. It is perfect for those who are looking for a light read but a big change!

Better Decisions, Fewer Regrets: 5 Questions to Help Determine Your Next Move

Andy Stanley

This book will not only equip you to make better financial decisions, it will also equip you to make better relational and professional decisions. Stanley asks the reader 5 decision-filtering questions: Am I being honest with myself? What story do I want to tell? Is there tension that deserves my attention? What is the wise thing to do? What does love require of me? These questions should serve as a “filter” for decisions BEFORE they happen. This light read will make you laugh but more importantly, it’ll change the way you make decisions for the rest of your life!

Total Money Makeover

Dave Ramsey

This is Dave Ramsey’s, a personal finance advisor and radio show host, best-selling book. It has helped millions of families get rid of debt and change their lives forever with it’s simple 7-step plan. Total Money Makeover focuses on getting to the heart of your money problems- which is YOU. It is a plan that is for everyone- regardless of income or age (hint, hint, college students!).  With this book you’ll be able to design a sure-fire plan for paying off all debt, recognize the 10 most dangerous money myths, secure a healthy emergency fund and save for retirement, and positively change your life!

Money, Possessions, and Eternity

Randy Alcorn

Why settle for short-lived treasures on Earth when God offers everlasting treasures in Heaven? In this book, Randy Alcorn shows us how to rethink our perspectives on money and possessions into God’s provision for our good, the good of others, and his glory. He presents a biblical and comprehensive view, including: Why is money important to God? Is prosperity theology right or wrong? How can we be liberated from materialism? And so many other questions. This is a pretty long book, so keep that in mind!

The Blessed Life: Unlocking the Rewards of Generous Living

Robert Morris

Our culture today thinks it knows all about what it means to be #blessed. What does the Bible say about being blessed? How can we live truly blessed lives. Throughout this book, Robert Morris uses humor, passion, and clarity on what it means to living a blessed life, spiritually and financially. He shows that when God changes your heart from selfishness to generosity, every part of your life is affected. This book is a great read for someone who is looking for (or needs J) a change of heart when it comes to giving to others.

I hope you can find value, knowledge, and the advice you need in these books. When you give God control of your finances, you will find more peace, less stress, and a greater connection with Him. He is the ultimate source of financial wisdom; these books just help put His principles into hopefully relatable and simpler wording. Now get to reading!

Brianna Queen, Peer Coach, Center for Personal Financial Management

First Things First

Successful leaders become more valuable by adding value to those around them.

Adopting a win-win mentality is essential to building a relationship. To be effective as a leader, you must not see any of your subordinates’ successes as a threat but rather as value to the team.

In fact, the more value you pour into those around you, the more success you will see. The best indicator of success for leaders is the success experienced by those around them. Providing value to lower-level employees will provide value for all.

Get Your Mind Right

As you start to add value to others, it should not simply be to elevate yourself. Your mindset has to be we before me. A relationship consists of two or more individuals. Therefore, your success needs to be credited accordingly.

Recognize the collective group when any sort of success is experienced. It takes one individual to cause failure, but it takes the entire group to be successful.

The Front-Line Reality

There may be many different levels to the structure you have been entrusted to lead. Thus, your relationships must extend beyond the management directly below you.

Every leader would love for the value poured into management to trickle down to the front-line workers. This is not always the case.

A successful leader must embrace the front-line workers and find ways to add value to them as well. Directly add value to these workers when the opportunity is presented. The overall success of the company rides on the effort of front-line workers. Therefore, treat them appropriately.

Listen

Relationships thrive when each individual feels heard. When anyone walks through your office door, focus on listening to understand. As a leader, you will have plenty of opportunities to respond. But first, listen.

Encourage individuals at every level to meet with you and be especially attentive to smaller concerns. Often, these small issues will have immediate solutions that prevent larger problems. More importantly, minor adjustments show workers they are being heard. Hearing employees at all levels will lead to greater employee respect.

Collaborate

Make sure everyone has a voice in the operation. This will deepen the roots of that individual’s relationship with you and contribute to the success of the company.

Those at the management level will have great ideas. Do not forget about the front-line workers. Those on the front-line will provide a different perspective given their experience.

Meeting as a large staff to collaborate can be overwhelming for some. To overcome the obstacle of some individuals being silent out of fear of rejection, reach out to everyone individually.

Avoid Complacency

Always remember that these relationships are like plants. They need to be attended to regularly.

A leader doesn’t necessarily need to check-in on each person daily. Once a week may be sufficient. They must give their workers the space to do good work, yet still be visible to show each worker they are important.

Touch points do not always have to be work related. Relationships will be stronger between a leader and those around them if the leader understands the person better than the worker.

Stay on Track

It can be overwhelming for a leader to look out for everyone who depends on them. This is inevitable in leadership. There are others who depend on you, just as you depend on them. As a leader, the key to staying on track is continuously finding ways to add value to everyone around you.

Make each of your relationships a priority. Search for opportunities to put other individuals in positions to succeed. The best way for an individual to experience success is for the group to succeed collectively.

Cody Gray is a graduate assistant for the football program at ÎçŇšżě˛Ľ Southern University. He has worked in college athletics for three years and is currently working toward attaining a Master of Arts in organizational leadership.

In a lot of my client meetings, people ask questions about different types and options for investments. Though we are not able to give investment advice, I am always happy to explain the different vehicles and some of the pros and cons for each one. A lot of my clients are interested in getting started with investing, but they feel like they do not have enough information to do so, or they are afraid that they will lose their money. 

What are Index Funds?

Knowing all of this, index funds can be a great option for college students looking to get their feet wet in investing. An index fund trades like a stock, but it is composed of a bunch of different stocks, which are picked specifically to mirror one of the major stock indexes, usually either the S&P 500 or the Dow Jones Industrial Average. 

What is an ETF?

ETFs (Exchange Traded Funds) are very similar to Index Funds. They both are composed of a collection of different stocks and the price moves in relation to the prices of the underlying securities. The main difference is that ETFs do not seek to track the movement of an index. Instead, they are usually seeking out some type of specific financial goal, and are made up of stocks that are in line with that goal. Some ETFs will be growth oriented, while others will have an objective of preservation of capital. 

Advantages of ETFs and Index Funds

Both of these can be great options for college students who are looking to get started in investing. They provide automatic diversification of your portfolio, because they are made up of many different investments. It is also seen as a less risky investment than picking individual stocks, because if one of the stocks does poorly it makes up a very small percentage of the total investment. Overall, from beginner investors to experienced ones, ETFs and Index Funds could be a great option to consider.

Trey Lebo, Peer Coach, Center for Personal Financial Management