Student Budgeting, Save on School Supplies and Getting out of Debt | 01.26.11

Creating a budget and managing it is not as simple as it sounds. It is very easy to make the initial commitment to live by a frugal budget, but it is much harder to maintain. College education heads outside of the classroom as students learn to manage their own finances. They will hopefully learn the necessity of a frugal budget and effective money management techniques to build good credit. It can be frustrating for students who have not even created a solid financial history if they need to seek credit repair help from a credit repairing agency.

Read ahead for some tips to help you save money, and avoid bad credit.

3 Ways to save money on school supplies

With the rise in the cost of school supplies, parents and students alike are looking for ways to save more money. Have a look at the way in which you can save money on school supplies:

• Avoid your school bookstore: Go to dollar stores, discount stores, or other chain stores to buy your supplies. Buying stationary embossed with your school label is both unnecessary and costly. Instead, head to a local discount store where you can get the supplies you need for significantly cheaper prices. You can even shop online to compare the best prices before heading to the store.
• Consider recycling: There are many things that can be reused and recycled when it comes to school supplies. Buying everything new, every semester, can get costly. Instead, Reuse old notebooks, folders, or binders and simply re-label them or tear out used pages.
• Set a budget: It is very important to set a budget if money is tight. Budgeting forces you to buy only the necessities, making you forego any frivolous supplies, such as expensive writing implements or leather agenda books which, let’s face it, can be tempting.

How should students get out of credit card debt during college?

College is the last carefree step before the “real” financial life begins. Learning to manage finances should be a critical part of every college student’s education. Unfortunately, learning by trial-and-error is common for students and can lead to credit problems. Have a look at the ways in which students can manage their credit card debt.

• Avoiding debt in the first place: A common issue of first-time credit card users is the idea of credit. Just because you have a large credit limit, doesn’t mean you should use it. Keep track of how much money is in your bank account and spend accordingly. If you don’t have the money in your account, don’t spend it with the card (unless, of course, you have an emergency). This way, you can make sure you will have the money to pay off your debt.
• Strict budgeting: The ultimate way by which students (and all individuals) can tackle their personal finances is by creating a frugal budget. Though you may have more than one credit card in hand, make sure that you do not misuse them. Spend money only on the necessities and abort all other expenditures that you can do without.
• Seek help of a professional debt relief agency: If you cannot manage your credit card debts on your own, seek professional debt help from private debt consolidation companies. They can help you pay off debt in easy and affordable monthly payments and help you to get rid of debt as soon as possible.

Saving money for school is an ongoing process and is not always as easy as it seems. Looking for little places where you can save money can really add up over time and help you in the long run. Just remember to keep track of your spending, because debt adds up fast.

This guest post was submitted by Grace Ruskin, from the Financial Solutions Hub

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