Budgeting Review

1. Which of these costs would be the MOST difficult to adjust if you were looking to reduce your expenses?

• Dining out at local restaurants
• Loan payment on a new car
• Expenses for new clothes
• Postponing a purchase for a big-screen TV

3. If you are trying to substantially reduce the amount you spend on food, you should try...

• Cooking your own food at home for as many meals as possible
• Dining at restaurants more often so you don't waste water doing dishes
• Eating more snacks on the go and way fewer meals at home
• Drinking more coffee and soda so you are not as hungry for food

4. Leila just graduated from college and is comparing a few different cities to move to. Which of these factors is the LEAST important thing for her to consider right now?

• Average rent for an apartment
• Food and grocery store options in the area
• Employment opportunities
• Average cost of Uber, Lyft, or taxi fare

5. Greg is trying to decide whether he needs a car when he moves to the city. Which of the following would be a reason for Greg to get a car rather than use public transportation?

• There are several public transportation routes between Greg's apartment and work
• The cost of public transportation is less than Greg’s monthly car payment
• Greg’s company covers half the cost of his monthly public transportation pass
• Using public transportation, Greg’s commute to work one-way is two hours

7. All of the following are good budgeting strategies if you want to save money at the grocery store, EXCEPT…

• Focusing on unit price when comparing similar products
• Building a weekly meal plan around items you already own or items that are on sale that week, rather than just choosing foods you'd like to eat
• Focusing only on the price when comparing similar products
• Preparing a grocery list before you go to the store and avoiding buying items that aren’t on the list

8. Which description is most accurate for a Zero-Based Budget?

• You put every dollar of your net pay into a budget category each month
• You spend your checking account balance down to $0 every month
• You spend your saving account balance down to $0 every month
• You pay every one of your debts down to $0 every month

9. For two months in a row, Aaron realizes he has a budget deficit of roughly $175. Which of these options makes the most sense for him to fix his problem?

• Cancel one of his streaming video subscriptions and go out to dinner three fewer times each month with friends
• Start paying just the minimum monthly payment on his student loan and credit card debt, instead of the extra he's been contributing
• Contribute $100 less to savings each month and $75 less to his retirement fund
• Sell his current car and get a less expensive vehicle

10. You're considering moving into a 3-bedroom apartment with 2 roommates, rather than living on your own post-college. Which of your expenses would likely decrease by having roommates?

• Groceries and eating out
• Rent
• Cell phone bill
• Bedroom furniture

11. Danaisha does all her grocery shopping at organic markets and has a monthly grocery bill of $325. Charles says that Danaisha is wasting her money on wants instead of focusing on needs. He buys in bulk, uses coupons, and shops at Save-More for a monthly bill of $195. Who's budgeting correctly for food?

• Danaisha, because she is focusing on her health, which will have a guaranteed payoff in the long run
• Charles, because he's taking efforts to save money by focusing on his needs only
• Both, because needs vs wants are determined on an individual basis
• Neither, because they should meet in the middle somewhere. Charles should focus more on health, and Danaisha should cut her spending.

12. What action corresponds to the advice "Pay yourself first?"

• Wait until the end of the month to determine how much you have leftover to save
• Set aside a fraction of your paycheck into a savings account before you start spending
• Spend your regular paycheck on needs and wants but funnel any extra money into saving
• Become self-employed so you're paying yourself instead of being paid by an employer