1. Get organized

Staying organized helps students stay on top of class schedules and assignments. For some, using a new notebook and getting the calendar in order, brings the feeling of a fresh start. Part of being financially organized is knowing where you stand. Your back-to-school mindset could include checking in on your monthly budget to make sure your important expenses are covered. Or if you haven’t set a budgetBudget A monthly or yearly estimated plan for spending and saving. You work it out based…+ read full definition, you could start by simply tracking your expenses for a month or two. You might be surprised at what you’re spending in certain areas, and it can be a good opportunity to make adjustments.

2. Gather school supplies

Students get a list of what they need to bring to school. You can consider putting together a list of tools to help with your financial life. There are many calculators to help you manage your finances. Have you wondered how much you would need to save in your emergency fund? Or perhaps you’re thinking about buying a home and want to calculate how much the mortgage payments would be.

You can also find new ways to sharpen your investing skills. Our compound interest calculator can help you figure out how much your investmentInvestment An item of value you buy to get income or to grow in value.+ read full definition will grow over time. Or, if you’ve wondered about how long your portfolioPortfolio All the different investments that an individual or organization holds. May include stocks, bonds and…+ read full definition might need to get back on track after a market downturn, try our investment recovery calculator.

3. Plan for deadlines

For students, there are assignments to be handed in and exam schedules. Meeting deadlines brings some adrenaline-fueled motivation and can also bring results. Try setting your own deadlines, such as setting a monthly saving’s target using these tips. You can make time for a financial date with yourself to plan for the rest of year, or even just think about what you’d like to get better at.

It could be as simple as confirming what your current financial goals are and adjusting how much you contribute to your savings and investments on a weekly basis. When starting a new habit make sure you give yourself time to practice it. It can feel a lot easier to stay with the status quo, so give yourself a few weeks or months to try some new financial habits to see what sticks.

4. Try out some extracurriculars

The academic path is varied for each student and can involve taking extra courses or enrolling in other activities to round out the school experience. Trying new things makes sense for students and for people looking to expand their financial knowledge. Investing Academy offers free courses that will help you understand the basics about investing, managing your money, and planning for the future.

5. Hit the books

Informed investing starts with knowledge. Beginner and experienced investors alike can benefitBenefit Money, goods, or services that you get from your workplace or from a government program…+ read full definition from staying up to date on the latest investing topics, news and trends. Follow the getting started learning path to learn more about the stock marketStock market The collection of markets and exchanges where stocks, bonds and other securities are issued or…+ read full definition, investment types, and more. Check out the top tips for new investors.

Investing may sometimes feel complex, especially if complicated language or unfamiliar terms are used. You can easily search investing terms by typing in the word into the search bar in the upper right-hand corner of this webpage.

6. Practice study habits

Successful investors have good investing habits, just like how successful students have good study habits.

• InvestInvest To use money for the purpose of making more money by making an investment. Often…+ read full definition early. You don’t need a lot of money to start investing. The earlier you start, the more you can benefit from the power of compounding: reinvesting returns to generate more returns.
• Have a financial planFinancial plan Your financial plan should cover every aspect of your finances: saving and investing, paying down…+ read full definition. A plan can guide your investing decisions to help you stay on track. It can also instill financial discipline. Find out how to make a financial plan.
• Read disclosure statements and other fine print. Before investing, make sure you to read and understand how the investment product or service works. Find out how to evaluate companies before investing.
• Check registrationRegistration A requirement for any person or company trading investments or providing advice in Canada. Securities…+ read full definition. Always check the registration of any person or business trying to sell you an investment or give you investment advice. Checking registration is a quick and easy step that can help you protect your money and avoid fraudulent people or companies. Visit CheckBeforeYouInvest.ca.

7. Take a test

Testing yourself can help reinforce what you know. Try one of our quizzes and tools to see what you know and don’t know.  The Behavioural Bias Checker can improve your awareness of behavioural biases or “blind spots” that may influence your decisions. And the Crypto Quiz will test your crypto knowledge and teach you how to spot the warning signs of fraud. If you intend to invest online, our Get Smarter About Trading simulator exposes you to gamification techniques that can influence your investing behaviour — often in ways that are not in your best interest. It gives you the chance to participate in a virtual stockStock An investment that gives you part ownership or shares in a company. Often provides voting…+ read full definition market and practice online trading — without risking real money. 

8. Get a group project going

Getting smarter about money doesn’t just have to be a solo assignment. Look for ways you can include other family members in your household, or your friends. For example, if you’re working on managing your spending, try conversations like loud budgeting to let your friends know you’re looking for more budget-conscious hangouts.

As a family, one thing you can do to protect yourself from fraud is to decide a code word or phrase that only your family knows. This can help you spot a grandparent scammer or AI cloning scammer. You can also take a few minutes together to brush up on the ways a fraudster might approach you.

9. Turn to tutoring

Sometimes, even the best students need extra help. If you need help with your finances, consider talking to a financial advisor. Staying calm during stressful times as a student is hard. It’s also hard as an investor. Find out more about managing financial stress and avoid burnout.

10. Read your report cards

As a student, your assignment grades help you know how well you’re doing. As an investor, it’s good to review your progress by making time to check your investing accounts. Look for your accountAccount An agreement you make with a financial institution to handle your money. You can set…+ read full definition statements showing monthly or quarterly activity.

You can also calculate your rate of return, by comparing the total value of your investments with their value at the end of the previous year, minus any fees. Reviewing your investments can help you see whether you’re on track to meet your financial goals.

It can be quite a challenge for students to learn news skills while learning a new language at the same time. If English is not your first language, and you want to learn more about managing your money, you can turn to InvestingIntroduction.ca. It has financial and investment information in 23 languages.