Smart About Money (SAM) developed this Financial Wellness Roadmap to give you direction when navigating the process of learning about money management. Following the roadmap, you'll encounter financial wellness essentials that'll benefit your financial world for the rest of your life. If you have questions about any of the items below, schedule a free appointment with a SAM Peer Financial Coach. (You can also access a PDF of the roadmap here!)

Note: Phases can, but do not necessarily need to, correspond with your academic year at UMass. 

Phase 1

• Schedule a SAM 1:1 Peer Coaching Session.
• Follow SAM on social media.
• Identify and visit your Career Center.
• Attend How Not to Go Broke in College SAM workshop in person or via YouTube.
• Work on creating a college-friendly budget.
• Download and use budgeting app such as Mint.
• Locate on- and off-campus resources for students facing financial stress/emergencies.
• Learn about UMass student deals and discounts.
• Learn how to read your tuition bill.
• Secure on-campus or local employment.
• Open a bank account you can access locally.
• Research student-friendly credit cards and choose one that's a good fit for you.
• Learn how to improve your credit score.
• Check your credit score.
• Fill out FAFSA (if applicable).
• Apply for scholarships (if applicable).

Personal Finance Goals            

• $500 saved for post-graduation bank account
• $125 earmarked for emergencies

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Phase 2

• Schedule a SAM 1:1 Peer Coaching Session.
• Sign up to receive SAM event updates.
• Revisit and revise your college budget.
• Attend Banking & Credit 101 workshop, either in-person or via YouTube.
• Browse the UMassFive Financial Knowledge Center for info on money management.
• Learn about consumer awareness, privacy, and identity theft.
• Visit your Career Center about your progress.
• If possible, secure a summer internship.
• If you're living off-campus or planning to, learn about how to budget for rent, food, utilities, etc.
• If you're planning to study away, learn about what expenses you should budget for while you're there.
• If you decide to study abroad, start saving for it.
• Begin saving for off-campus living expenses.
• Check your credit score.
• Fill out FAFSA (if applicable).
• Apply for scholarships (if applicable).

Personal Finance Goals

• $1,500 saved for post-graduation bank account
• $375 earmarked for emergencies

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Phase 3

• Schedule a SAM 1:1 Peer Coaching Session.
• Take the online LifeValues self-assessment.
• Using LifeValues, reflect on your financial goals.
• Check out the SAM Resources webpage.
• Attend How to File Taxes workshop, either in person or via YouTube.
• Visit Career Center to map out goals.
• If possible, secure a summer internship.
• Find an accountability buddy who you can work with to achieve your finance goals.
• Organize your financial records.
• Prepare yearly college and/or study abroad budget.
• Learn the ins and outs of how student loans work and which ones you have.
• Attend Understanding Student Loans workshop, either in person or via YouTube.
• Focus on building your credit score. Check your credit score.
• Fill out FAFSA (if applicable).
• Apply for scholarships (if applicable).

Personal Finance Goals            

• $2,500 saved for post-graduation bank account
• $625 earmarked for emergencies

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Phase 4

• Schedule a SAM 1:1 Peer Coaching Session.
• Attend Basics of Investing workshops, either in-person or via YouTube.
• Learn about the basics of retirement.
• Visit your Career Center about your plans.
• Budget for the job-searching process.
• Secure post-graduate employment.
• Learn about post-graduate health insurance.
• Learn about the basics of how taxes work.
• Make sure you understand loan repayment and create a loan repayment plan.
• If you can, start investing, even in small amounts.
• Check your credit score.
• Fill out FAFSA (if applicable).
• Apply for scholarships (if applicable).
• Congratulate yourself on a job well done!

Personal Finance Goals            

• $3,500 saved for post-graduation bank account
• $875 earmarked for emergencies

Need to talk through any of these steps? Make an appointment with Smart About Money using Navigate!