Master your money with an internship

Internships look great on a resume. And they can teach you money lessons that will serve you for a lifetime.

October 6, 2010 at 10:48PM
(The Minnesota Star Tribune)

My career began with an internship that paid me a stipend after my nine-month tour was through. What did it teach me about money? That it's easy to spend that cash a million times over in your head. But when the check comes, $2,000 doesn't buy much more than a new bed (one does not want to sleep on a broken, hand-me-down futon forever) and an initial deposit in a Roth IRA.

Just think about the interns who work in financial services. They must learn a lot about managing money considering they work around it every day, right?

Austin Kane, 22, a University of St. Thomas senior majoring in financial management, is an intern with Northwestern Mutual Life Insurance's Minnetonka office.

Austin Kane, Northwestern Mutual Life Intern
Austin Kane, Northwestern Mutual Life Intern (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Here's his money story:

Q: What were you like when it comes to handling your money before you started your internship?

Q: How did having an internship teach you about managing money responsibly?

Q: Some internships don't pay very well. Any strategies for being able to take that unpaid or poorly paid internship and not get into debt?

Q: If your internship is well-paying, what should you do with the money?

Q: Many companies have dozens of interns that come in as a group. I imagine there's a lot of nights out that can get expensive? Do you have any suggestions on how to stick within a budget and still have fun?

Q: Can any internship teach you about saving and spending wisely?

So what did an internship teach you about managing money?

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