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Finances

Pink piggy bank wearing a black graduation cap with a yellow tassel, placed on a wooden surface with scattered dollar bills and coins.

FINANCIAL AID

University of Arizona Scholarships & Financial Aid logo featuring the block 'A' in red and blue, followed by the text 'Scholarships & Financial Aid' in navy blue letters.

The financial aid office at the University of Arizona should always be one of the first places to reach out for financial questions. Should there be any unexpected financial issues, they provide resources such as Family Contribution Appeal or Scholarship Universe, in which people can write for an appeal or apply for scholarships and loans. 

THRIVE CENTER

University of Arizona Thrive Center logo featuring the block 'A' in red and blue, followed by the text 'Thrive Center' in bold blue lettering.

Thrive Center will again be mentioned further down the list, but the reason why it’s spotlighted here is because it does provide financial wellness counseling to students who are navigating college for the first time, particularly if these students come from historically underrepresented populations. 

FREE | ONLINE/IN-PERSON | ARIZONA

AARP (formerly American Association of Retired Persons)

AARP logo featuring the organization's name in bold white uppercase letters on a red background.

There is a common misconception that AARP is only for retired Americans aged 50 or older. AARP is a vast organization with enormous financial resources that benefit students since they offer counseling and help with discussing student debt. AARP also provides information about financial scams that target younger Americans and information about caregiving that impacts numerous families. 

FREE | ONLINE | NATIONAL

FEDERAL STUDENT AID

Federal Student Aid logo with the words 'Federal Student Aid' in black and green letters, followed by the tagline 'An OFFICE of the U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION' in smaller gray text.

StudentAid is the place where one applies for federal student aid. In particular, the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can be found here. That should always be a mandatory step for most students, but if FAFSA isn’t sufficient, there are student loans and grants available. 

FREE | ONLINE | NATIONAL

GRAD SENSE

GradSense logo featuring a blue background with a white graduation cap icon and dollar signs, followed by the word 'GradSense' in white letters.

Graduate school can be expensive, and that is the purpose behind this website that provides numerous links in six financial categories. The categories focus on areas like budgeting, paying for college, and paying off loans. 

FREE | ONLINE | NATIONAL

MONEY SMART

Money Smart logo featuring the words 'Money Smart' in dark blue letters, followed by the tagline 'A Financial Education Program' in smaller italicized font.

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) created the Money Smart website specifically for low and moderate-income individuals. The website is regularly updated with in-depth news and information to help individuals acquire financial education and skills through materials and tools available. 

FREE | ONLINE | NATIONAL

MYMONEY.GOV

MyMoney.gov logo featuring a green background with the words 'MyMoney.gov' in white letters and a circular emblem of the Financial Literacy and Education Commission on the left.

The website is sponsored by Federal Financial Literacy and Education Commission (FLEC), which is made up of more than 24 federal entities. People who are serious about finances can peruse information and resources in areas of earning, saving and investing, spending, protecting, and borrowing. 

FREE | ONLINE | NATIONAL

NAPKIN FINANCE

Napkin Finance logo featuring a small square outline followed by the words 'Napkin Finance' in black serif font.

Napkin Finance aims to make money matters quick and simple for people who may be confused and seeking answers. One area of interest for students is college, and here, Napkin Finance has presented information in student-friendly infographics and web modules. This is a good financial resource for beginners and novices. 

FREE | ONLINE | NATIONAL

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT for FINANCIAL EDUCATION

NEFE logo featuring bold gray uppercase letters spelling 'NEFE,' with an orange geometric design on the left.

The National Endowment for Financial Education (NEFE) is a nonprofit foundation that provides financial education and tools for people, ranging from students to retirees. NEFE has programs like CashCourse, a free online budgeting resource for college students. Another program available is Smart About Money (SAM) with personal finance courses and articles and calculators.

FREE | ONLINE | NATIONAL

NERDWALLET

NerdWallet logo featuring a stylized green 'N' icon followed by the word 'nerdwallet' in lowercase green letters.

NerdWallet is both an informative website and app with financial tools and advice. People who wish to make better financial decisions should peruse the website to find deals on credit cards, insurance, mortgage rates, and other financial matters. Students may wish to use this website to find student loans and read through the guides and tips. One can ask questions and receive answers from experts and other fellow “nerds.” 

FREE | ONLINE | NATIONAL

PARACHUTE CREDIT COUNSELING

Parachute logo featuring a circular icon with alternating blue, white, and pink segments, resembling a parachute, followed by the word 'parachute' in white lowercase letters on a dark blue background.

Parachute Credit Counseling is a nonprofit agency that works with people via counseling sessions. In these sessions, they discuss budgeting techniques, debt repayment options, student loan assistance, among other things. Parachute does not do business in Arizona, but it is available in other states such as Alaska, Illinois, Massachusetts, and Washington. For people who can’t take advantage of Parachute, there are free Financial Education seminars throughout the year. 

PAID | ONLINE | NATIONAL

PERSONAL FINANCE FOR PHDS

Personal Finance for PhDs logo featuring the words 'Personal Finance' in dark blue serif font, with 'for PhDs' in a cursive blue script on a white background.

Emily Roberts is a financial consultant with a PhD who has made it her mission to work with graduate students, postdocs, and early-career PhDs in regards to their personal finances. She has a podcast with hundreds of episodes and many guests in addition to a popular blog and she is available for personal consultations. 

FREE | ONLINE | NATIONAL

PRACTICAL MONEY SKILLS FOR LIFE

Practical Money Skills logo featuring a white asterisk-like symbol on a blue background, followed by the words 'Practical Money Skills' in white letters.

Who says financial education has to be boring? This website is for students, parents, and educators to learn and teach about personal finance. There are articles, games, and lesson plans available in areas of budgeting, saving, and credit. 

FREE | ONLINE | NATIONAL
 

BUDGET BYTES

Budget Bytes logo featuring a black and white frying pan icon with a sunny-side-up egg inside, followed by the words 'BUDGET BYTE$' in bold black and gray uppercase letters, with the 'S' stylized as a dollar sign.

Budget Bytes is a popular website that help families budget full, healthy meals ranging from $2 to $16. The founder started the website specifically because she was in student loan debt, something that may be familiar to most students. The recipes are simple and accompanied by photos and step-by-step instructions. This is a website and an app with all the recipes categorized. For instance, there are recipes categorized by breakfast, chicken, vegetarian, and so on. 

FREE | ONLINE | NATIONAL

“73 CHEAP DINNER IDEAS FOR WEEKNIGHT MEALS”

Taste of Home logo featuring the words 'Taste of Home' in black serif font on a white background.

This is exactly as what it sounds: a collection of 73 budget-friendly recipes for dinner. The collection is from Fall 2024, updated with 73 dinners, all complete with pictures and step-by-step instructions and ingredient lists as well as nutritional information. 

FREE | ONLINE | NATIONAL

Logo of the U.S. Office of Special Education Programs with the words “IDEAs that Work” in red and blue, surrounded by a blue arrow.

 

This website was produced under U.S. Department of Education, Office of Special Education Programs, Award No. H325M230044. Julia Martin Eile serves as the project officer. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the positions or policies of the U.S. Department of Education. No official endorsement by the U.S. Department of Education of any product, commodity, services, or enterprise mentioned in this website is intended or should be inferred.