Let's face it. College is expensive. Most college students squeak by on a meager budget. One thing they realize is that tuition is not the only cost. Other things can add up. Many students don't even realize how expensive other things can be. So here are a few items that college students should try and not buy. Every penny saved is a penny back in your pocket.
Leave the car at home. Better yet. Sell it and pocket the cash. The college fees for parking are probably going to cost $50 a month. Or more. And your car will mostly sit. You still have to pay insurance, and car insurance for college students is not cheap. You will be tempted to take trips on the weekend, further costing you money. No doubt a car will end up costing most college students a couple of hundred dollars a month. If you insist on driving in college, here are some lower car insurance tips.
College students do not need the latest fashions. You're going to spend the majority of your time on campus. Buy some used clothes and forget the name brands. Nobody in college will notice anyway. Every student will have unique way of dressing. If you buy new, buy from the cheaper store and skip the brand names.
Textbooks are a huge expense. So, how about trying NOT to buy them. You can rent them from various places now. Many e-readers have textbook versions for a fraction of the cost. But, the best way is to avoid buying them at all. How? Well, show up to class before you buy books. See if the ones on the list are really necessary. If not, and you can still pass the class, don't buy them. Your college library will have copies of all needed books. Most of these cannot be checked out, so copies remain in the library. Get to the library during off hours, and chances are nobody will be using them. You can also check out used book stores to see if an older version works just as well. These would be very cheap. Meet people in the class who have a textbook, and study with them. Here are more tips on saving on textbooks.
College students do not need a lot of notebooks and paper anymore. Most things that used to be passed out, like a syllabus, are now online. You might even do homework online. Maybe you can take notes with your computer. Wait until the first few classes to start and find out exactly how much paper and notebooks you need. Don't wast money on school supplies.
>>Tips for more financial aid.
Showing posts with label college money tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label college money tips. Show all posts
Sunday, August 21, 2011
Sunday, November 7, 2010
College Student Loans - Don't go for broke!
Federal Student Loans are available to anybody that goes to college and fills out a FAFSA.
But college students need to be aware of the debt level they have when they graduate. It can be a huge load on your finances. Students don't normally think about this. They just like the money in the bank.
Don't make mistakes when it comes to student loans.
Borrow ONLY the amount of money you need to pay for college. This may be substantially less than what is offered. It may seem great to have more money, but college students have a tendency to go through it quick if it's there. You will one day need to pay it back. If you get more money than you need, and you have fun like movies, music, even Spring Break, you will be paying this off for years. You are delaying when you will be on a strong financial footing by getting into unneeded debt.
Watch your major. Will you get a great paying job right out of college and be able to make student loan payments with ease? Or do you know you will get a lower salary before working your way up? Will you always have a lower salary? These questions need to be answered before taking out any loans. It may not be worth it to pay such a large sum of money with a loan for a low paying job.
Don't think student loans first. There are many options of free money for college you need to exhaust before taking out a big loan. There are scholarships and grants like Federal Pell Grants.
Research the repayment terms. All direct student loans are done by the federal government now and there are various good repayment plans. But private student loans are another matter. These will be based on your credit and they are more stringent as far as repaying them. If you can't make the payments, it will effect your credit score.
You should plan on cutting your expense to make college cheaper. You don't have to live like you have a never ending supply of money. You need to live like a broke college student. Watch how you spend your money. Visit our Ways of Saving Money in College page. You don't want to be making payments for years on past trips to the movies!
>> 5 jobs college students can get now.
>> College students and credit cards.
>> Repaying Student loans.
But college students need to be aware of the debt level they have when they graduate. It can be a huge load on your finances. Students don't normally think about this. They just like the money in the bank.
Don't make mistakes when it comes to student loans.
Borrow ONLY the amount of money you need to pay for college. This may be substantially less than what is offered. It may seem great to have more money, but college students have a tendency to go through it quick if it's there. You will one day need to pay it back. If you get more money than you need, and you have fun like movies, music, even Spring Break, you will be paying this off for years. You are delaying when you will be on a strong financial footing by getting into unneeded debt.
Watch your major. Will you get a great paying job right out of college and be able to make student loan payments with ease? Or do you know you will get a lower salary before working your way up? Will you always have a lower salary? These questions need to be answered before taking out any loans. It may not be worth it to pay such a large sum of money with a loan for a low paying job.
Don't think student loans first. There are many options of free money for college you need to exhaust before taking out a big loan. There are scholarships and grants like Federal Pell Grants.
Research the repayment terms. All direct student loans are done by the federal government now and there are various good repayment plans. But private student loans are another matter. These will be based on your credit and they are more stringent as far as repaying them. If you can't make the payments, it will effect your credit score.
You should plan on cutting your expense to make college cheaper. You don't have to live like you have a never ending supply of money. You need to live like a broke college student. Watch how you spend your money. Visit our Ways of Saving Money in College page. You don't want to be making payments for years on past trips to the movies!
>> 5 jobs college students can get now.
>> College students and credit cards.
>> Repaying Student loans.
Friday, August 27, 2010
Two quick ways to make a college degree cheaper
When it comes to paying for college, the end result is always a college degree. When you put the overall cost into perspective, the dollars can add up. Here are five ways to make a college degree cheaper almost instantly.
1)Take courses at a local junior college. These are almost always city or state JC's. The cost of tuition is very, very small when compared to a four year college. Some students can take the first two complete years there, then transfer, saving them two years of strained college finances. You still get the same student loans and grants. So why not sock that cash away, then be fully funded for the next two years? The perks can also include a local university partnership. Many offer guaranteed admission if a student graduates from a local junior college. If a complete two year program is not for you, there is nothing wrong with taking one or two classes each term there. The cost saving can be significant. Just be sure the classes you take count towards a four year degree and are transferable.
2)Challenge classes with a test. Many colleges and universities allow you to take a test in lieu of taking the class. The few bucks for the test is pennies compared to the tuition and books for a college class. This will make your degree cheaper and quicker! Normally just freshmen or low level classes are testable. But any fewer classes you must take is money in your pocket.
Military service might actually get you college credit for your experience and military technical and trade schools.
The bottom line is that college tuition is going up. The more quick and easy ways you can cut expenses for a degree, the better!
1)Take courses at a local junior college. These are almost always city or state JC's. The cost of tuition is very, very small when compared to a four year college. Some students can take the first two complete years there, then transfer, saving them two years of strained college finances. You still get the same student loans and grants. So why not sock that cash away, then be fully funded for the next two years? The perks can also include a local university partnership. Many offer guaranteed admission if a student graduates from a local junior college. If a complete two year program is not for you, there is nothing wrong with taking one or two classes each term there. The cost saving can be significant. Just be sure the classes you take count towards a four year degree and are transferable.
2)Challenge classes with a test. Many colleges and universities allow you to take a test in lieu of taking the class. The few bucks for the test is pennies compared to the tuition and books for a college class. This will make your degree cheaper and quicker! Normally just freshmen or low level classes are testable. But any fewer classes you must take is money in your pocket.
Military service might actually get you college credit for your experience and military technical and trade schools.
The bottom line is that college tuition is going up. The more quick and easy ways you can cut expenses for a degree, the better!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
The hidden costs of college can make college very expensive
When college students think college expenses, they usually think tuition. Then maybe room and board. And they think that's it. Unfortunately, many students get whacked with fees and expenses that they did not think about. Or even know about. When calculating the true cost of college, you have got to factor in the "hidden" costs of college.
Textbooks: Of all the expenses of college, this one can jump up and bit you. Hard. If you take a full time schedule, math, science classes, chances are very good that you will pay over $100 for a textbook. Four classes it is not uncommon to spend $300 each term on textbooks. Maybe more. That alone could add $600-$1000 a year to the cost of college.
Fees: Many colleges charge a fee for all sorts of things. Health, student activities, lab fees, and materials fees. These are only a few. While some are known up front, you may not realize that lab class has an extra cost.
Transportation: Do you own a car and will be using it at college? You will need to pay for a parking pass. This could be as high as $40 a month. And you still have to pay for car insurance. Do you live off campus? How much is bus fare?
Food and drinks: You may think that you have a meal plan and that solves the food problem. Not really. Many times the cafeteria will be closed, or you will find yourself off campus and hungry. Purchasing extra food and drinks can add up fast. How many times do you think you will be eating fast food off campus? Or even on campus? If your meal plan is on a prepaid card, you need to watch how much you use it. If there is one expense you can't eliminate, it's food and drink.
The Dorm: You may think the dorm is done. But a dorm room is a sterile environment until you customize it. You will probably need a lot of personal items, like towels, sheets, pillows, and accessories to make it livable. Not to mention personal items like soap, shampoo, deodorant, make up, and more.
Remember, if you have never lived on your own, you have no idea how expensive it can be to maintain your lifestyle. So before heading off to college in the fall, factor in the hidden costs of college.
Textbooks: Of all the expenses of college, this one can jump up and bit you. Hard. If you take a full time schedule, math, science classes, chances are very good that you will pay over $100 for a textbook. Four classes it is not uncommon to spend $300 each term on textbooks. Maybe more. That alone could add $600-$1000 a year to the cost of college.
Fees: Many colleges charge a fee for all sorts of things. Health, student activities, lab fees, and materials fees. These are only a few. While some are known up front, you may not realize that lab class has an extra cost.
Transportation: Do you own a car and will be using it at college? You will need to pay for a parking pass. This could be as high as $40 a month. And you still have to pay for car insurance. Do you live off campus? How much is bus fare?
Food and drinks: You may think that you have a meal plan and that solves the food problem. Not really. Many times the cafeteria will be closed, or you will find yourself off campus and hungry. Purchasing extra food and drinks can add up fast. How many times do you think you will be eating fast food off campus? Or even on campus? If your meal plan is on a prepaid card, you need to watch how much you use it. If there is one expense you can't eliminate, it's food and drink.
The Dorm: You may think the dorm is done. But a dorm room is a sterile environment until you customize it. You will probably need a lot of personal items, like towels, sheets, pillows, and accessories to make it livable. Not to mention personal items like soap, shampoo, deodorant, make up, and more.
Remember, if you have never lived on your own, you have no idea how expensive it can be to maintain your lifestyle. So before heading off to college in the fall, factor in the hidden costs of college.
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