Watch Your Money

Money Management Tips: Spend with Care

• Make a budget and stick to it. A budget is just a self-imposed guideline for how much money you can spend and what you can spend it on. You will be amazed at how much farther your money goes when you have a budget.
• Try to avoid credit cards. In college, you willl get tons of credit card offers from banks. Your best move? Shred them. As attractive as they might seem, the interest on credit cards can put you in a very deep financial hole.
• Buy used books. Many students and their parents are surprised how much textbooks cost. They can average $1,000 a year. Most campus bookstores sell used books that can help reduce this cost. You might also save money by buying textbooks online and I have a link below to allow you to do just that.
• Leave your car at the dorm. Cars consume more than just gas money. There are insurance, parking (and parking tickets!) and repair expenses, too. Walk, use public transportation and/or ride a bike.
• Watch the ATM fees. Choose a bank with free ATMs near your school. ATM fees can add up very quickly.

Can You Provide Some Helpful Information?

It's hard to keep up with all the new information about student loans, but I do my best. From some emails I have received, I have seen some great advice from others.

If you have some good tips to offer concerning college loans, scholarships, grants; whatever, please feel free to pass that information on to others.