Financial Basics
A Money-Management Guide for Students

Financial Basics: A Money-Management Guide for Students

The Ohio State University PressStudents are confronted with major financial decisions as they enter college, and yet they have little experience with personal finance. Their decisions, if not well made, could adversely affect them throughout their lives. This book is meant to empower students at the beginning of their financial lives with basic, straightforward information on managing bank accounts, creating spending plans, determining how much they can afford to pay for college, making student-loan decisions, establishing a credit history, and other money-management options.

This 2nd edition updates changes in online banking, smartphone apps, credit cards, and student loans but retains basic financial information that ensures students won’t learn about money the hard way. A chapter for parents has been added so they can help their students become financially knowledgeable, and it includes advice for parents about making decisions related to college costs. In addition, a chapter for grandparents contains suggestions on how to help college-bound grandchildren—financially and in other ways—without endangering their own financial security. A basic investments chapter is included for first-time investors.

The intent of Financial Basics is to enhance student readers’ financial knowledge and provide money-management options for finding their own best way to become masters of their money.

Prior to devoting herself to writing, Susan Knox was a CPA, financial planner, and university administrator and accounting faculty member.

Buy Now

Financial Basics, A Money-Management Guide for Students may be ordered through your local independent bookstore, purchased online at Amazon.com or ordered directly from The Ohio State University Press, 1-800-621-2736. A bulk purchase of 100 or more copies will be discounted. Please contact The Ohio State University Press for details: sanfilippo.16@osu.edu

The ebook will be available in August from The Ohio State University Press as a DRMed PDF, at Amazon as a Kindle edition, at Barnes and Noble as a nook edition, and from Apple as an iBook.

Praise for 1st Edition

This book is a must-have for all incoming freshmen

“This book is a must-have for all incoming freshmen or for anyone who wants to finally learn the true basics of personal finance. By sharing her story and stories of others, Susan Knox has made the journey in successful money management real and understandable.”

—Anne H. Chasser, Commissioner, United States Patent and Trademark Office

1st Edition
2016-07-19T17:33:20+00:00

—Anne H. Chasser, Commissioner, United States Patent and Trademark Office

“This book is a must-have for all incoming freshmen or for anyone who wants to finally learn the true basics of personal finance. By sharing her story and stories of others, Susan Knox has made the journey in successful money management real and understandable.”

Financial Basics is essential reading for any student

“Susan Knox’s Financial Basics is essential reading for any student attending college. Along with a good hug, parents should give this book to their sons or daughters when they begin college. It does not matter whether it is a residential experience or they are living at home and commuting. Every college student will benefit. In addition to providing practical and valuable advice, presented in a very readable format, Financial Basics is a seatbelt against financial problems.”

—Myles Brand-President, NCAA, former President Indiana University and University of Oregon

1st Edition
2016-07-11T17:01:57+00:00

—Myles Brand-President, NCAA, former President Indiana University and University of Oregon

“Susan Knox’s Financial Basics is essential reading for any student attending college. Along with a good hug, parents should give this book to their sons or daughters when they begin college. It does not matter whether it is a residential experience or they are living at home and commuting. Every college student will benefit. In addition to providing practical and valuable advice, presented in a very readable format, Financial Basics is a seatbelt against financial problems.”

A must for parents and students

“Students have a great deal to manage in their lives away from home—from their coursework to relationships to personal decisions—one of which is how to manage their finances. This book provides credible examples to head off problems and engages both students and their families in preemptive planning not only for college but also for life. A must for parents and students.”

—Karen A. Holbrook, President, The Ohio State University

1st Edition
2016-07-11T17:04:25+00:00

—Karen A. Holbrook, President, The Ohio State University

“Students have a great deal to manage in their lives away from home—from their coursework to relationships to personal decisions—one of which is how to manage their finances. This book provides credible examples to head off problems and engages both students and their families in preemptive planning not only for college but also for life. A must for parents and students.”

Ms. Knox has written a very helpful and accessible guide

“Financial Basics has the potential to make an enormous difference in the lives of college students.  Research shows that financial problems present some of the biggest obstacles students face in achieving academic success, or even being able to stay in school.  Ms. Knox has written a very helpful and accessible guide; it should be required reading for everyone heading off to college.  Or for that matter, for anyone who’s finding that money problems are tripping them up in their efforts to live effective lives.”

—Martha Garland, Dean of Accademic Affairs, The Ohio State University

1st Edition
2016-07-11T17:07:04+00:00

—Martha Garland, Dean of Accademic Affairs, The Ohio State University

“Financial Basics has the potential to make an enormous difference in the lives of college students.  Research shows that financial problems present some of the biggest obstacles students face in achieving academic success, or even being able to stay in school.  Ms. Knox has written a very helpful and accessible guide; it should be required reading for everyone heading off to college.  Or for that matter, for anyone who’s finding that money problems are tripping them up in their efforts to live effective lives.”

I think that Financial Basics should be a standard part of a college’s new student orientation program

“Financial Basics: A Money-Management Guide for Students by Susan Knox is an engaging and insightful primer aimed to help young people learn to manage their finances.  This book will give practical advice to help the reader avoid many of the common problems encountered by young people who, for the first time in their lives, are responsible for managing their income and expenses.  Financial education is sorely missing in our culture. Many parents have poor money management skills.  I think that Financial Basics should be a standard part of a college’s new student orientation program.   Financial difficulties is a significant cause of students dropping out of college. Susan Knox’s book will help colleges retain students by providing the basic tools needed to effectively manage one’s finances.”

—Jim White, Director, Student Financial Services, Seattle University

1st Edition
2016-07-11T17:08:12+00:00

—Jim White, Director, Student Financial Services, Seattle University

“Financial Basics: A Money-Management Guide for Students by Susan Knox is an engaging and insightful primer aimed to help young people learn to manage their finances.  This book will give practical advice to help the reader avoid many of the common problems encountered by young people who, for the first time in their lives, are responsible for managing their income and expenses.  Financial education is sorely missing in our culture. Many parents have poor money management skills.  I think that Financial Basics should be a standard part of a college’s new student orientation program.   Financial difficulties is a significant cause of students dropping out of college. Susan Knox’s book will help colleges retain students by providing the basic tools needed to effectively manage one’s finances.”