Investing is the last thing that comes to mind when struggling with financial insecurity in college. 

The Finance and Investment Society of the University of North Florida seeks to change that. The President of the club, Michael Sabat discussed the club and how students can become more financially savvy. 

“For one,” he said, “people really need to just read more. If you’re going to be a good investor, you need to be educated on what’s happening in the world and understand the ramifications of both macro and micro events.”

A good example of this is what happened when Trump raised tariffs on imports from Mexico. This caused guacamole prices to jump at Chipotle. This macro event had many implications and could potentially cause Chipotle stock to dip. Being aware of what’s happening is an important part of being a good investor.

He believes in good, long term safe companies with a relatively stable price and high dividend (money paid (typically quarterly) to shareholders by a company based off how well or poorly a stock is doing). 

Some more tips included tracking spending and really analyzing your spending and working on what can be cut out, living below your means and setting aside small amounts so that you can start investing.

The Finance Investing Society of UNF has been established for quite some time, yet many students don’t know about their beneficial club meetings. Sabat says that FIS holds around 4 meetings a semester, “valuing quality over quantity.” 

Another thing discussed was the benefits of watching educational YouTube videos. Sabat did stress the importance of knowing what’s real and what’s fake. That’s another place where being a knowledgeable viewer comes into play. 

Among the top 5% of university finance clubs domestically, FIS has worked hard to be the club it is today. According to the club’s description, they won the 2010 FMA Leaders’ Quiz Bowl. They attend conferences in major cities, and students who join also become members of the Finance Management Association.

It won’t ever hurt to be too educated on a topic. The Finance and Investment Society welcomes all majors and hopes to see you at their next meeting. 

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