Your first job? A few BT tips for smart money management

You’ve finished school and landed your first job. #Myfirstjob is a special milestone — a new experience, including the financial independence you wanted.

Financial independence mainly means doing what you want with your money. True — but at the beginning it’s easy to spend most of your salary on all sorts of wants :). We know what it’s like to have a loooong wish list. Still, remember you’ve got bills and rent to cover.

To make month‑to‑month budgeting easier, here are a few tips from the Zanul team:

Each month, start by planning your fixed expenses, such as rent and utilities. In other words, set aside an approximate amount from your salary for these “must‑pays”, so to speak.

Tip: BT24 Facturi helps you schedule bill payments to your providers. That way, payments get done in no time — ping! You need an account with Banca Transilvania, and you can activate BT24 Facturi either online or at any of our branches. The service is free and available 24/7.

Sometimes you’re not quite sure how much you have left in your account, which makes it harder to manage your money properly. We have a solution for that, too.

Tip: If you use Banca Transilvania’s SMS Alert, you’ll get a text on your phone every time you shop or receive money in your account, such as your salary. What’s more, the SMS also shows how much you have left after you pay with your BT card.

Roughly 55% of our income should go to needs — food, bills, etc. — 10% to long‑term savings, 10% to fun, 10% to education, 10% to investments and 5% to giving, says T. Harv Eker. Whether you share this view or have a different way of organising your money, it’s very important to keep an emergency fund.

Tip: If you think you might not resist the temptation to spend, you can choose a term deposit at Banca Transilvania — for 1, 3, 6 or 12 months, or for 3 years. If, however, you want permanent access to your savings, you can open a savings account, from which you can withdraw money anytime, as long as the remaining balance stays above the minimum opening amount.

Once you’re employed, you may start thinking about bigger purchases, like that long‑dreamed‑of holiday or a new gadget. And beyond your salary, you might need some extra funds.

Tip: One of BT’s shopping cards (Star) or the travel card (BT Flying Blue) can help, bringing plenty of benefits — from interest‑free instalments and loyalty points to the option to buy airline tickets at lower prices.

Now, more than ever, information is at your fingertips. Keep an eye on Banca Transilvania and, if online is easiest for you, here are a few always‑fresh (re)sources: the BT website, the BT Blog and the bank’s social media pages: Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

Managing money isn’t necessarily easy. But if you build healthy habits month after month, it’s easier to turn a dream into a plan. In the end, everything can be learned :).