Tips for College Student's Budget

Paying for college and all the related expenses can be difficult, so it's wise seek out tips for college student's budget.

For most students, college represents a crash course on how to manage money and organize a budget. If a student has never paid for his or her living expenses, the experience can often be frightening and overwhelming.

The following guide provides important tips for college student's budget to live frugally at college without sacrificing comfort or taking away from the college experience. Print out this article and insert it into a graduation card (along with $100, of course) for the high school graduate in your life.

Using the college experience as a way to learn how to budget before you enter the real world is an excellent approach to establish good financial practices. Use the tips below to reap additional savings.

Second only to transportation, textbooks represent a substantial chunk of expendable cash that college students spend every school year.

• If you have friends who are a year ahead of you in the same major, ask to borrow their textbooks.
• Find a used bookstore near the university or college and hunt for the textbooks you need.
• Save a fortune by buying and selling textbooks online at websites like Textbooks.com, Barnes & Noble Used Textbooks, Abe Books, or Amazon.com's New & Used Textbook category.
• Buy books mid-semester if possible, before prices peak at the beginning and end of each semester.

Most colleges factor in room and board with tuition. You may be able to save a significant amount of money by living off-campus. The savings are even more substantial if you rent a house or large apartment and split the cost with several roommates. Just make sure appliances are included and utility costs are low. If you pay utilities, find ways to economize so you're not wasting energy and money.

Laundry can sometimes cost a fortune. The following tips can reduce your laundry costs:

• Wear clothes more often. Shirts can be worn for two days, and jeans often even longer - alternate which day you wear them and no one will notice. Don't skimp out on socks and underwear, though!
• Maximize loads. Depending on the type of clothes you have, you might be able to save money by having just two loads--lights and darks.
• Hang a clothesline in your room or apartment. Air-drying your clothes might be better than paying for dryer time.

The best option, if you live close enough to home, is to back up your clothes and use your parents' washer and dryer for free!

A car is the top expense for college students. Insurance, fuel, repairs and maintenance can use up much-needed funds. It may feel like a burden to not have a car while at college, but what you'll save will allow you to purchase a fantastic car when you graduate.

Bus fare to get around is relatively cheap, and some universities even offer free transportation. Or catch a ride with friends, and offer to help with fuel costs. If you live where the weather is usually nice, save a bundle and get in shape by walking or biking to class.

Most colleges offer meal plans. These can sometimes be affordable, but most often students are better off selecting the cheapest meal plan that offers one meal a day, with a larger cash reserve for snack shops.

• Buy food at markets that are more economical and provide two or three meals in one package.
• Buy food at the local grocery store that can provide many meals, such as noodles. This is a staple of every poor student's diet!
• If you skip the meal plan, buy food in bulk and use coupons to save a fortune.
• Cook meals for friends instead of eating out at restaurants. It'll be more fun, and it'll cost much less.

Most college communities have entertainment venues that offer steep discounts to students. Always ask for student discounts, and when you find the cheapest places in the area for low-cost (or no-cost) entertainment, go there often! Plan activities outdoors with friends too, like bike rides or picnics.

The best way to dramatically improve any budget is to fit a part-time job into your schedule, if you can. Working as a security guard or at a library can even offer quality study time while also earning an income.

Also make sure you've exhausted all possible scholarship opportunities, and continue applying for new ones, even after freshmen year. Maintain a budget spreadsheet, track all of your expenses, and avoid using credit if at all possible. Maintaining a healthy budget in college will provide you with a powerful financial kick-start once you graduate and begin your career after college.

For more information, visit the following resources:

• College Student Freebies
• List of Online Bargains and Freebies
• Frugal Ideas for Living on a Budget
• Strategies to Save Money

• Cheap Creative Christmas Gifts
• Low Budget Recipes
• Frugal Presents for Kids
• How To Save Money At The Grocery Store
• Am I Saving Enough Money

• Great Clips Coupon
• Coupon for Olive Garden Restaurant
• Printable Online Coupons
• Free Coupons for Olive Garden
• Golden Corral Coupons