10 Money Saving Tips for Students
This article provides information to students or individuals considering the cost of attending college, about where they can save some money. It is 947 words and covers topics including budgets, tuition/scholarships, the cost of books, food, and employment.
10 Money Saving Tips for Students
The current economic climate has put many people at a financial disadvantage, particularly those seeking a postsecondary education. The problem of paying for college tuition and living expenses can seem a daunting task for many, and the goal of higher education appears to be a mirage. Here is a list of 10 important money saving tips that will help you reach your goal. Achieving your credential is not a delusion, you can do it!
1. Budget. Only spend what you have available. Too many of us have subscribed to the “want it now, pay for it later” phenomenon. It’s a difficult habit to break, and one that if not curbed, will cause financial hardships later. Understand the difference between what you absolutely and the frivolous items that you, at least until you can actually afford them. MINT is one of several online money management tools that are free to students, and claims to have over 5 million users.
2. Tuition expenses. Take some time to look for Scholarships; there are literally thousands of resources that a simple Google search will find for you. Providers have different eligibility requirements and it might take some time to find one that suits you, but it is definitely worth the effort. Remember scholarships do not need to be paid back, but your student loans do. A good place to start looking is finaid.org. Be wary of scams, no scholarship application should ask for your credit card or banking information and no reputable scholarship resource will ask you to pay for the application.
3. Credit. Credit cards can have as many benefits for students as there are negative consequences. While they are a useful tool in an emergency or to build a good credit history, they can also swamp you in high interest rates that you wouldn’t be paying if you used cash. If you have to have a credit card, it makes sense to pay off your balance in full every month or you could be paying way too much for your possessions.
4. Books. Buy used textbooks, rent, or cheaper still go to bigwords.com (a comparison site that lists books by price). You can save hundreds of dollars per semester if you shop smart. Another way to save money with the cost of books is to ask friends you know have already taken the class if you can borrow their book, or they may sell it to you at a sympathetic price.
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Very interesting, I think I\’m going to use this in peer mentoring in the fall.
Thank you!
I am a peer mentor at Ohio State University in Columbus Ohio, and so many students succumb to bad advice, for one so many students take out student loans and don’t use it for the purpose for which it was designed.
I myself don’t use credit cards, as it does put you deeper in debt, it opens up temptation of the plastic.
And for books, it is so much cheaper to buy books on-line especially with a reader, your home computer, Ipad, Kendal, etc.
Some good advice Robert! I mentor for Ashland Community and Technical College while working on my BA. There is so much information out there, and students often have a difficult time weeding out the good advice from the bad. As peer mentors, we are priviledged to be able to pass on some of the better information – the benefit of our experience. Keep up the good work!
Students spend half their lives in school, while listening to the advice of their teachers and their guidance counselors, some times the advice is good while other times it is bad.
Education is not just book reading and remembering dates and quotes, it is also preparing yourself for the future, and the jobs out their, and maybe the jobs that will not be out there.
When I was first in the job market all those years ago, all you needed was a high school diploma or its equivalent, but now it has changed, you now need a trade or a craft or a degree of some sorts, and so many persons are going after the same jobs.
But that is not what a peer mentor is, is it, we also must live the life we teach, I am the example for my children and also for my students, I don’t want them to see a lazy man that can work but wont, I don’t want them to see a man whom thinks he is too good for any job, sometimes you have to start at the bottom and currently I am a part time manager at a Dept. store, I do that as I don’t want my children to think its alright to live off the Government or anyone I have seen that too often.
I want my children as my want my students to learn to rely on themselves.
When I talk to students whom are much younger than myself, I talk to them as a pastor would to his flock, I want then to see a smart man, a righteous man, and honorable man, a man who is honest and caring and is trusting.
Even though I am divorced, learning and schooling is like a marriage, its a vow and promise you make, of course they will be good times and bad times, and sleepless nights and arguments but at the end of the day and your life you will be happy with your soul that you stuck it out.
Yes, i agree with you there – schooling is like any relationship. You have to work at it. As a peer mentor, i don’t address my students as a person of authority. I am their equal, the only difference is that i have a little more experience in higher education than they do. We have weekly training that emphasizes this vital point. However, different institutions do have different goals for their mentors, and one of ours is to help the student become more self-aware and develop skills that help them to study in the best manner from them. Again, all are unique and all students come from different walks of life and different educational levels. We do practice active learning techniques as well as relay valuable information, and the peer mentors make it fun!
