Saving and Investing for Students

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SAVING AND INVESTING

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U.S. SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
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Don’t Wait to Get Started
YOU CAN DO IT!
IT’S EASIER THAN YOU THINK.
No one is born knowing how to save or to invest. Every suc-
cessful investor starts with the basics—the information in this 
brochure.
A few people may stumble into financial security—a wealthy 
relative may die, or a business may take off. But for most peo-
ple, the only way to attain financial security is to save and in-
vest over a long period of time.
As a student, you might think that saving and investing is 
something you don’t need to consider right now. But there’s a 
cost to waiting, and even saving a little now can add up over 
time and help you pay for your short and long-term goals.
KEYS TO FINANCIAL SUCCESS
1. Make a financial plan.
2. Create a budget.
3. Start saving and investing as soon as you’ve paid off your debts.

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SAVING AND INVESTING
Your First Step—Making a 
Financial Plan
What are the things you want to save and invest for?
• 
a car
• 
an education
• 
a comfortable social life
• 
emergencies
• 
periods of unemployment
• 
your future goals
Make your own list and then think about which goals are the 
most important to you. List your most important goals first. 
Decide how many years you have to meet each specific goal, 
because when you save or invest you’ll need to find a savings or 
investment option that fits your time frame for meeting each goal. 
Many tools exist to help you put your financial plan together.