The Strategic Collegiate

T he vast majority of college students, and even young adults, do not have a budget. I didn't have a budget for a very, very long time, and I'm entirely certain I'd have more money in the bank if I did. Why don't we do something that we know we should and makes complete sense? The answer is that budgets seem difficult, boring, and restrictive, when college is about spontaneity, fun, and passion. In this article, I'll help you make a budget and teach you some behavioral tricks to help you stick to it.  Disclaimer for legal purposes: This is based on my personal experience as a college student and I'm not a professional in personal finance. MAKING A BUDGET     You can make a simple budget using Excel or Google Sheets. Open one up and start two columns on the left: a category of purchase and next to that, the total. Download your statement from the last month from your bank, and go through every purchase, categorizing it and updating your total. It might look somet...

C ollege is more expensive than ever, and has quickly outpaced the minimum wage the average high school student can make. However, you've been told it's the only way to get a good job. What are you supposed to do? How do you navigate huge financial decisions before you've ever even lived on your own? Don't let healthy, motivating stress become crippling stress; you have several options: Working Loans Scholarships Alternative Paths Emergencies Disclaimer: This is based on my personal experiences as a college student, and I am not a professional in higher education, finances, or loans/scholarships. WORKING     Even if your parents or scholarships will cover all your costs, working part-time in college is still a good idea. You can find on-campus part-time jobs that only expect you to work 8 hours per week, all the way up to the federally-mandated maximum of 20 hours per week. You can also choose to work off-campus, giving you more options and allowing more than 20 hours. ...