Stephanie wrote with a common question: How can a college student save money when she doesn’t make enough to make ends meet? Here’s her story:
I am a full-time college student living on my own for the first time. I moved out of the house about nine months ago, and have found that even though I have a great job, I’m not making enough to support myself.
I saved up a lot last summer when I was working, but was forced to burn through my savings during the school year. Fortunately, my parents are very willing and financially able to help me when I run into trouble, but I’m making an effort to be independent as much as possible. This is hard, because as I mentioned, I am not making more than I have to spend.
I’m very careful about what I buy, and try to save money whenever I do buy something, but I’m at a stage of life right now where I’m not sure it’s possible for me to be completely independent. I do have some credit card debt that I’m trying to pay off, and may ask my parents for a loan of sorts, just to get me out from under that burden. I wonder if you or any readers have advice on how I can save my money when I’m not really making enough to put any away.
I believe that in most cases it’s not possible to pursue a degree while saving money. Most people are going to accumulate debt. (I finished college without school loans, so I know it is possible, but this is an exception and not the rule.) In an ideal world, everyone would be able to save money, even while in school. In reality, there are a variety of reasons this might not be practical:
- Low income
- High expenses
- Poor money management skills
- Unexpected emergencies
Each person should aim to make the best choices possible based on his individual situation. Sometimes, though, even the best choices will lead to deficit spending and increased debt. Sometimes patience — and a temporary deficit — are required for a brighter financial future.
That’s nice in theory, but it doesn’t help Stephanie now. She still needs to know how to manage her money when she’s not making enough to cover expenses. When I was in college, my strategy was to work as much as possible. At one time, I held down five different part-time jobs. If I hadn’t become addicted to credit cards, this income would have been more than enough to see me through graduation. (Though in retrospect, I wish I’d focused more on my studies.)
What about you? How did you make ends meet when you were in school? Did you work more? Did you live like a pauper? Or did you simply surrender to inevitable debt? Do you have advice for others who might be in a similar situation later in life?
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I think it’s too much to try to save money while you’re in school. I’m returning to get my MFA long after I did undergrad, and this time saved a chunk of money in advance so I wouldn’t need to take out any loans.
When I was an undergrad I took out student loans plus worked part-time, then when I graduated got a full-time job and prioritized paying off the loans. I’d advise Stephanie to do the same. It’s a drag that I’m going to drain my savings instead of adding to it in the next couple years, but I know it will be worth it – it’s a choice I’ve made, and I think it’s a good one. Congratulations to Stephanie for even considering her financial situation! Many people her age wouldn’t.
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Keep up the grades! A lot of academic or service awards given away at graduation come with cash. Of course, this isn’t something you can actively plan on, but it’s worth thinking about.
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Having recently graduated myself, I’d recommend finding and taking advantage of every college deal you can. At my university, we had a dedicated computer store (cheaper prices than the big-box stores), a co-op book store, and a co-op organic food store. There were also $1-2 vegan dinners offered once a week by the chaplaincy (open to all, not just Christians). We had a “pay-what-you-can” lunch service offered every week-day.
As a student, you can also get the ISIC card (Goggle it), which is an international student card, and can get you deals at many businesses. Don’t be shy to go into a store or restaurant and ask if they offer student discounts. You might find yourself getting 5-15% off on many of your purchases.
I don’t know what services Stephanie’s school offers, but so long as she’s a student, she should definitely try to see what deals are available to her.
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I think the financial goal in College should be not to dig yourself into unnecessary debt. Get a campus job for beer money and have lots of cheap fun.
If you are taking out loans to put yourself through college, you should probably be pursuing a degree with good pay and employment prospects.
If you have the ability to put some money away, do a roth IRA.
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I would be worried less about the break even point and more about simply doing the best you can.
School is a temporary condition, and the odds are stacked against you, money wise. School is frighteningly expensive, it is difficult to have a high income when your schoolwork is your primary focus, etc.
So, first, remember that school itself is an investment that will pay off later in the form of higher income.
Second, many of the general tips posted around here will help you get closer to savings or at least mitigate your accumulation of debt.
Sidenote: Craigslist is great for college students, people are getting rid of stuff for space/moving reasons constantly and with a little effort you can get many of the odds and ends you’ll need for living: chairs, appliances, etc.
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As a student you should try to buy NOTHING. Get your books at the library, get your food at student events… I go to events for free pizza all the time. Get your furniture off of freecycle or craigslists. If you live off campus, when the kids move out of the dorms, scrounge for stuff… I got all the lighting for my apartment this way. Arrange to get your books from upperclassmen in the same major, at slightly more than the bookstore buyback rate. Go the first week of class without the book to see if you really need it, if you can do HW in groups probably not… The library usually has copies of the textbooks on reserve, so you can do any reading there. The local public library will have copies of any novels you need to read for class. Get your grandparents to come visit and buy you dinner, and eat the leftovers for a week, always stay after parties to clean up and take home any leftover food.
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I went through four years at SIU Edwardsville. I ran cross-country but only got a small meal ticket for food once in a while. I worked evenings as a janitor too. I recently had a book published. It can be found on Amazon.com “Five Minutes till Race Time” The book explains how I made it through college with no food, housing, job, and old beat up Ford Fairlane. I laugh now when I look back at those days. But, it was a challenge to say the least.
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Never had a student debt. Parents paid for my education. How do I repay that? My daughter is 2 years old and I am already saving for her college fund!
For extra pocket money in college, I used to tutor kids and spent on clothes and personal items. Never had a car in campus, walked everywhere and lived eating 3 times a day. It works!
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I would honestly caution college students against getting too caught up in trying to save money. Live frugally by all means, but college is when you are investing in your own future and your own potential to earn money later on in life.
I just feel like it’s easy to get anxious and guilty about money (which, by the way, can lead to spending money!) when that’s not the most important thing for you to be thinking about.
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Second, I worked a lot in school, and as you can tell from the scholarship situation listed above, it did not hurt my grades. In fact, it helped me when I graduated because I already had a resume. And I tried to get jobs I liked doing anyway. For example, I got a campus job at the volunteer center. I also did other special, one-off jobs that typically paid very well or had other benefits like free housing. This included working as a Resident Assistant during the school year in a dorm and during the summer in a dorm. Free room and board, plus salary. I was a TA for a professor. I did occasional research for professors. I applied for grants that funded my summer research. You have to be pro-active and creative.
Third, cut all spending. You are not entitled to any “need” type purchases and you don’t “deserve” nice things because you are working hard in school. My school was full of wealthy students whose parents were paying over $120,000 for them to get a degree. I had to keep my social life centered on campus where it was free. There is always free food and entertainment on campus. People are always getting rid of furniture and clothing on campus. You can always find dirt cheap housing if you’re willing to compromise on standards, which I find acceptable to do for a defined period of time.
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Once you have addressed/minimized your true fixed costs then if you are still short $ you need to either see if your parents can contribute the missing monthly $’s (gift or loan) or see if you can work more hours to cover the shortfall while still keeping your grades up. You can also try selling your ‘extra’ stuff on E-Bay; that’s how my brother funded his last few months of school.
More importantly, I would recommend continuing to live like a student for a couple of years after finishing school. That way you can quickly pay off any outstanding debt and get a big head start on retirement and other types of savings. Too many recent graduates run out and get a new car, cell phone, nicer apartment, etc. and then face the harsh reality of too much debt and not enough income – especially problematic when it comes time to start paying back student loans.
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When I went to school, I always worked hard in the summer for money, but focused on academics during the school year.
If I conserved I could make 2,500 buy my two semesters of books/art supplies, food, and beer.
DId I have debt when I left? Yes. But it wasn’t for the day to day stuff. And I enjoyed my college years.
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This is going to sound a bit odd on the advice scale, but after you’ve spoken to a guidance councelor about all the available scholarships/grants, find a student athelete in your class, and ask him/her about the scholarships he/she and other athletes are on.
It may suprise you that many of the student athletes are on little known scholarships (beyond just your standard athletic scholarhips) to help them float their expenses. Many of those are freely available to everyone, but few people know about them.
I played soccer in college, and I’m not ashamed to admit being on my college’s “silver anniversary” scholarship for a few years…and I only had a 3.0 GPA. It’s just that not many people applied for that, beyond a few athletes who knew about it through their coaches. There are many other grants that require an essay…I got a few of those by default (being the only entrant) as well.
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I really believe the roots of frugality take hold on college campuses. After all, where else could you find a collection of over 1,000 people living off Ramen noodles! Seriously, I’ve been exactly where you are and the best advice I can give is to try to tread water, financially, until you are out of school. I worked my way through the first two years of school, then found an employer with tuition reimbursement and worked there full time to finish out my remaining three years (yes, that’s five years – long story!).
If you could make it through school without accumulating any additional debt, school or credit card, consider that a victory, even if you don’t have a pile of savings to show for it. Having said that, a small emergency fund of $500 or so would be a noble goal as it would provide a small buffer between emergencies and future credit card debt.
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My husband and I are both in school right now. We both work part-time throughout the school year. During the summer, we work full-time (if we’re not in school then too). I found a job monitoring a student computer lab which doesn’t pay great, but it gives me paid time to do my homework. Then I have another on-campus job that pays a little better. Having an “easy” job allows me to put in more work hours, but I wouldn’t suggest working more than 25 hours/week as a student to keep good grades. I’ve managed to earn full-ride scholarships and qualify for pell grants every year which is great. (Fill out FAFSA early!)
I usually take the full-load of the max of 18 credits to get my money’s worth and I’m graduating within 3 years which helps save money.
Take 10% of your paycheck and have it directly deposited into a savings account and try to live off the remaining 90% when you budget. I’ve been focusing a lot on cutting our grocery bill & building our food storage. As a single student I think I spent about $20-25/week on groceries. We don’t live in luxury right now and I hardly ever buy new clothing or go out to eat, but I figure it’s worth it in the long run.
If you really can’t find ways to cut your budget then just do all you can to stay out of debt as a priority. Instead of making monthly credit card payments that money could be used for savings once debt is paid off. Sometimes subsidized school loans are worth it though when there’s nothing else.
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I agree with Emily H. There’s no use working hard to save a little money now if it’s going to hurt your GPA and cause you to get a lower-paying job or a job you hate, or just slow you down so you’ll be in school an extra year (or more!).
I’ve found that I can save a lot on housing by shopping around. Get roommates unless they’d end up costing you more by not paying rent or leaving their lights on all night. My best advice for saving money, though, is: never eat on campus unless it’s free. Anything you cook yourself will be half the cost of buying it on campus.
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I would focus on part time jobs/internships that will give you professional experience, academics, and then earning extra money you can. In that order. Be as frugal as you possibly can. But as long as you can pay the bills, even if that requires accumulating (low interest student loan) debt, your most important goal in college is to get as good a job as possible when you get out. That is critical to having a good financial future.
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I’ll spare the long story about my mistakes, but please take your time in college to:
Focus on school, not money
Take risks, network in your future field, and have fun
Live on federal loans
If you don’t do some of that now, you’re either limiting your future options or committing yourself to do it for a few years after you’re out of school. Now is not the time to start an emergency fund for most people, and I think that’s as it should be.
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Get rid of the credit card or put the credit card where you won’t use it. Like in a picture frame behind a picture so if you really do need it, it will take you a few minutes to get at it. In those few minutes think about what you are wanting to buy and why. Get the credit card paid off. Talk to the parents about the loan if need be. The minimum payment on the credit card would go a lot further with the bank of mom and dad because the bank of mom and dad doesn’t charge as much interest. Set up payments to the folks and treat it like any other debt, pay it monthly. You want to be independent, make the payments to the bank of mom and dad like you would any other payment.
As for extra money, when people are moving out of the dorms dumpster dive for things that you use in your own place or sell on e-bay or crieg’s list. Always pick up pennies when you see them, they do add up. If you want to eat out go to reasutant.com and get a 25.00 gift certificate for 10.00 to a local resturant. Free food at events is great. Shop at the thift stores for clothes or anything you might need. It’s another place you can find things to sell on e-bay or crieg’s list.
The time in college will go by fast. So enjoy what you can and try not to accumulate debt to carry in to the next stage of life.
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I just graduated from college. When I started reading this blog at the beginning of the school year I began to budget. I think it is possible to save even if very little. I know everyone’s situation is different. Luckily I didn’t have to pay for school. But I did live off-campus and supported myself with my own income! I had three part-time jobs: around ~30 hours a week, I also volunteered, took 3 classes and wrote a thesis! So maybe my social life suffered but I felt fine with the friends I made in school and student groups.
So, even though I was spending almost half of my income on monthly expenses, and managing how much to spend on food and other expenses, I was able to put away money each month (about 10%). Not much when you consider that I saved under $1000 during my senior year but better than nothing!
My new challenge is: living on a teacher’s salary in NY! =/
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I worked like a maniac. It was worth it.
I spent the first two years of college living it up and borrowing a bunch of money on credit cards and student loans.
I spent the last year-and-a-half working 40 hours a week and taking 20 hours of classes. The surprising thing? I made better grades during my last 1.5 years than my first 2–straight A’s!
The secret was focus. Intense focus on my goals.
I don’t regret it. I graduated completely debt-free after paying off ~$5K in credit card debt and ~$10K in student loans. (I also cash-flowed my senior year…paid all my tuition myself for four years at a private university.)
The result? I graduated debt-free at 21 years old, bursting with confidence at what I can do. And the cash-flow from that after-college job is really fun!
I’ve taken some big trips and had some fun too. The cool thing is that I’m now able to live on about 1/2 my [current] $45K income. (The college degree was helpful!) I give 10% and save about 40%…15% into retirement, 15% for my first “mini-retirement” next year and 10% miscellaneous savings.
Work!
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Does your school offer a free bus pass? My university offered a free bus pass that could basically get me anywhere on the front range in Colorado. I had a car that was paid for and I used it maybe twice a month. This was free transportation and was a HUGE money saver for me!
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Flame on…I regret working so much through college. 30+ hours as an assistant manager, and another 15-20 starting my own business. Grades suffered, but more importantly I missed out on the “good times” by always having to be at work. The experience of working through college has really made me appreciate the free time now that I’m out of school, but it still feels like i missed out on the social aspects, the group learning, and keeping my grades up.
Finally in my last 2 semesters the job took a backseat to my schooling-school became the priority that it always should have been and I actually felt like a part of my university. Teachers knew me and the work i turned in was finally worthy of my signature.
Bottom line is this-I can respect the OP’s desire to get a jump start on saving money, but I wouldn’t do it at the expense of losing out on the best years of your life.
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1) Exceptional grades
2) Work full time
3) Spend next to nothing (Craigs list, free cycle, etc)
There are also a lot of unknowns in this. Can she move back home until her expenses exceed her income? Is she going to a state school? Did she consider using the community college system for her first two years of school? This alone can shave a lot off her tuition.
What I find is that most students have a ton of free time. This is spent hanging out or partying instead of studying or working. That is great if your parents are paying the way or you are on a full ride scholorship. It stinks if you are footing the bill!
It is possible to go to school full time, work full time, and still have a life. I know because I did it twice. I also had a family to throw into the mix. We had to make some sacrifices but I got it done. I also graduated with top honors and got three promotions during this time. I did it with no debt (including student loans) and actually increased my net worth.
I’m also not the only one I know who did it. It all comes down to priorities. The ironic thing is that we have better memories of college than our friends that didn’t work. Our degrees also meant more as we paid for them and we weren’t saddled with decades of loan repayment.
Do I sound harsh? I don’t intend it that way. I just believe so firmly that we need to live within our means. That is especially important when you start out. Most people are better off if they spend a couple years working before college. They know more about what they want. They are more mature. They can do it while living within their means. Often their employer will help with tuition. They can save up and have a buffer. All around it is a better way to do things.
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The Florida State University System has an opportunity that began at FSU after WWII, the Southern Scholarship Foundation.
http://www.southernscholarship.org/
The SSF provides deserving students the opportunity to live in its housing rent-free, buying utilities and food cooperatively among groups of students, usually 20-30 in a “house.” With a tuition scholarship, this one, CLEP credit reducing my college career to three years, and a job working 15 hours a week as a minimum-wage secretary, I was able to graduate with only $3000 debt in 1982. For grad school I was a kind of RA in one of these houses, which gave me my own room and bath, no expenses (carried by the other girls in the house), and about $75 a month stipend. With that and a measly English teaching assistantship ($4800/year), I saved enough my first year of grad school to buy a car!
Variations on this strategy could include living in a large house with other students and sharing expenses in an organized and cooperative way.
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If your degree has the option, paid internships are a great way to kill two time-consuming birds with one stone. You might not be earning as much as at a retail position, but you’re earning credits at the same time.
If your degree qualifies, you can freelance. I did editing for my school’s IT department when they were building an online curriculum. Moreover, the program director was an enthusiastic reference for my first FT job.
Also, keep in mind that non-monetary conpensation may be as good as, or better than, earning money. Many schools give free room and board to RAs, whereas earning enough to pay for room and board would take up a huge amount of time at minimum wage.
Finally, finishing school early is a great way to cut costs if you can manage it. I did my BA in seven semesters, and it would have taken only six if I hadn’t pursued a minor as well. Think of ways to get around restrictions. I needed to take a class that was full, so I asked the instructor to let me sign up for another section but attend the full one. Since it was the same amount of grading for her, she was fine with it.
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I’m a Current poor college student, Yet I understand the importance of saving. And have devised a way in which I Split of my earnings and cut back my spending inorder to get where I want to be. I have already set up an Emergency fund with 1k in it. I now split up my paychecks 10% off the top of EVERYTHING that I make goes into my ING “Long Term Savings” account. I have this just to make myself feel like I’m doing the right thing, and it adds up. After this 60% goes into my “Bills” account. this pays for rent, books,car insurance, car payment( Goal: to be paid off by end of summer) and gas. the Last 30% is Beer. Because your in college and you have to budget for a couple cases of keystone or natural Light. ” Ballin on a budget!”
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Hi Stephanie! I am not the best with my money management skills, but I have learned from my mistakes. I do have a couple suggestions:
You may want to consider taking a job at the college cafeteria. That way, you can make money and also eat for free. When I was in college I also worked for the school’s catering service. Even when I wasn’t scheduled, I could come in and grab a bite under the premise of picking something up, or submitting my timecard. You get the idea. The food in a large cafeteria is always going to waste.
Also, I noticed you didn’t mention your financial aid/student loan situation. If you are currently making full tuition payments to the school and not using any student loans (or even if you are not using the maximum amounts) you may want to consider this. Ask your financial aid officer if you qualify for a subsidized stafford loan. (The Department of Education covers the interest on this while you are attending school). Continue making your full tuition payment to the college, and the money borrowed on the stafford loan which is not applied to your tuition expenses will be handed to you part way through the sememster by the school bursar or accounting office. Take this money and pay off your credit card immediately. Then, take the payment you would normally make to the credit card and pay it towards your student loan. Since you are not required to make payments on student loans while attending, it will allow for more flexibility in a month where you might be tight with your finances. If you have a subsidized loan, any payment will go directly towards the principal. Even if your loan is accruing interest, it will probably be less than what was on the credit card.
My friends and I would also do potluck dinners, split grocery expenses, carpool, bicycle, and go on adventures to the local farmer’s markets. Hit up bakerys in the evening. A lot of fresh bakers throw out their bread/bagels etc in the evening. You may be able to buy bread for pennies literally. (We used to get dozens of bagels for 50 cents!) Visit thrift stores for your clothing. Trust me, when you look back on it, these things will seem like a small price to pay for your independance and small debt load.
Good luck!
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I second and third what people are saying that the emphasis should be getting the most out of your college education (that’s the most expensive thing you are spending on!) and less about saving. Just try to live as simply as you can during this time, after all you are a student! Once you graduate, continue to live like a student even when you are making more money, save the difference.
I was fortunate in that between my parents and a 4 year scholarship I didn’t have student loans. The only crimp was that I was given $500 a semester to pay for all other expenses (that’s books, housing, food, etc). Considering that my books alone often cost 150-200 (this was before amazon), that wasn’t much. I did have a summer job but was saving that money for my semester abroad. As I lived in a low cost area and always had roomates I was able to live off that supplemented with TA and tutoring jobs. When you are on a scholarship you are actually limited to how many hours you can work weekly, so working multiple jobs is not an option. Some things to do: go to free food functions as much as possible, keep thermostat high/low in summer/winter, make your own food, bike instead of having a car, etc. We set our thermostat to 55, so I pretty much lived in the library that year!
You do NOT need a tv when you are in college. This is the time for immersing yourself in subjects, deep conversations with friends, long bike rides, good books, and making your own food.
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“Do you have a cell phone, cable, internet (luxury items)?”
Internet is NOT a luxury item for the modern college student. The majority of the research you will be doing is online. The flexibility to do research at home was always key for me.
That said… while my parents paid for my undergraduate degree, I paid my way through my MS. When I started, I was working at a job that paid $6 per hour. Here’s what I learned.
1. Student loans with good rates are a better choice than credit cards, if your school won’t let you pay installments. I kept juggling tuition on and off my credit card & paid more than I really should have.
2. Take advantage of any college or education-oriented money your job may offer. I was lucky enough to get partial reimbursement for my tuition *if* I kept my grades up.
3. Take the job that will get you *experience* over the job that’s “safe” or pays better. (This includes working as many internships as you can manage.) I can’t stress this enough. Your degree isn’t a magic ticket to a job. In fact, with more people getting undergrad degrees, employers aren’t valuing them as highly. You need *experience* more than anything else, and, you college *will* have the resources to help you find those entry-level *internships*. Entry-level jobs will be much harder to find.
4. Think strategically about where you want to be. Take a minor in an area that will support your field. Take extra classes earlier to lighten your schedule as a senior (when you’ll most likely be working AND have internships).
5. Live at home if it’s an option. I lived at home while working full-time (for lousy pay) and going to school part-time for my MS. I realize this isn’t an option for everyone, but, I don’t think I could have done what I did without this.
I realize a lot of this won’t help your current finances. However, I didn’t find a job for five months after finishing my undergrad degree. That job paid six dollars and hour and had no benefits. (I was paying over $300 per month for COBRA medical benefits.) When they were bought out, I was brought up to $10 per hour and benefits, but, that was almost a year later.
When I finished my MS, I looked for a job for almost the same amount of time. I finally landed two part-time jobs. One was technically a paid internship. The other was temporary with opportunity for extension. The latter offered health benefits briefly, then could only extend my time there by changing my status to an independent contractor. I went back to paying a *lot* of money for health insurance. Finally, I landed a full-time (though also temporary) job doing exactly what I wanted to do that also included benefits. Doing everything you can to leverage yourself into being able to GET the job at the end of your degree is critical, and, I’ve kicked myself for not doing even more than I did.
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My parents used to always tell me, even though I had a job throughout college, “Your job right now is school.” They were right. Keep a basic frugal attitude during school, but rather than concern yourself with penny-pinching, put every effort you can into landing a great job when you get out of school. Consider yourself fortunate to have parents eager to help make ends meet, don’t rack up too much credit card debt, and rather than work several meaningless part-time jobs, find a great internship, attend networking events, get involved in your department at school, talk to your advisor, and generally prepare for your eventual release into the real world.
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Unlike Dave Ramsey, I think student loan debt (within reason) is okay. I went to an inexpensive school, got as many scholarships as I could, and lived on campus. The debt I incurred covered tuition, the dorm, food and books. It will take 10 years to pay and will be paid off in 2011.
I only worked a part time tutoring job (10 hours a week), and worked 60-70 hours a week in the summer to save for the school year.
I am now going back for my Masters. The investments I made right out of school are paying for this degree in full.
Can she take some classes at a community college and transfer them in to save on money? How about living on campus? Can she take a part time job to cover some tuition? I agree that saving for the future in college is difficult. Saving for future expenses (ie – work in the summer for the school year) is possible. It should be her goal to leave school with as little debt as possible.
Good Luck.
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Saving in college is not about building a thick base of cash to propel you into the multi millions by age 35. Saving in college is about building good habits and figuring out what you want your life to be about.
I’m a graduate student in physics who went to a private liberal arts college in 2001. I didn’t get a penny of money from parents but all but about $5000 of tuition was covered by scholarships. So I left with about a new cars worth of debt.
I came out of college knowing what I wanted to do and a plan for how to accomplish it. I find that asset more valuable than the $67 (yep no typos) in savings I had in the bank at the time. The second I started making a regular (albeit small at first) salary in grad school I followed my plan and I now own a semi new car (2003) out right, I have $15000 in Roth IRAs, $6000 in an emergency fund and the big screen TV I want and I haven’t tipped 25 years old yet.
A lot of my friends had better paying jobs right out of college but they didn’t want to work at their jobs and as a consequence spent a lot of money and time trying to make themselves feel better. Unhappiness/dissatisfaction in life costs a lot of money. I know what makes me happy and that simple fact has put me on the path to financial success.
So I say don’t necessarily look to stash maximum cash away in college, rather make sure you know what you want to do in life and how you’re going to get there. College is great for that.
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move back in with your parents; get a second job or get a better paying job. what did you buy/pay for that burned through your savings?
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The first item I want to point out is that saving can actually be detrimental to a college student. IIRC, if you’re still considered a “dependent” according to the DOE (and most undergrads are), then they will count a huge portion of your savings against you on your FAFSA and it may reduce the amount of aid you are eligible. For this reason, I agree with others that saving while in college is a poor idea.
I finished undergrad less than $10,000 in debt (it wasn’t possible to avoid all of it for me, and all of that $10k is consolidated at 2.7%. Then I had to screw the whole thing up by going to law school, but I digress.) and I attended a private liberal arts college (for the last two years of my degree.) My parents did not pay for any of my schooling beyond helping me out with the occasional book I needed.
- I lived at home for most of college. My parents didn’t have money to contribute to my education, but they let me live with them for free. I had to move out because they got a divorce and sold their house, otherwise I might still be living there.
- I did the first two years of my degree at community college for free. I had a full tuition scholarship based on good grades.
- I worked throughout college. I had a work-study job at the private college I went to and I cobbled together other odd jobs. (babysitting, retail, etc) My grades did not suffer and I had a social life. I graduated summa cum laude.
- I think your aim as an undergrad should be not to borrow anything to live on. I only borrowed money to pay my tuition. Anything else I worked for. This is where the poor student lifestyle comes in. I bought my work clothes (business casual required at work-study!) at thrift stores or on clearance at Target. I ate cheap food I brought to campus myself. I liberally took advantage of free food opportunities.
Another way to save money (what I am doing now for law school) is try to get a job working for the college/university full time. Most of them have employee benefits that pay some or all of your tuition (and your spouse’s and/or children). Universities are also good employers with good benefits, although the pay lacks. I work full time for my school and attend its evening JD program. It’s hard work and brutal, but I estimate that I have saved about ~$50,000 in tuition I would have otherwise spent. And I get a paycheck to boot!
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I wrote about this yesterday in my blog! I try to put any of my “extra” income, whether it be online surveys, working for friends and family, gifts, etc. away immediately into my Roth IRA. That way I don’t miss the money that I wouldn’t have had otherwise, and I am at least contributing something that can be compounded while I am still young.
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Stephanie apparently is, but please don’t assume that all college students are “traditional age”. Most undergrads are actually over 25 (according to gov’t statistics). DH got his BBA at 40 and his MBA at 43. We incurred little debt to do so, but we lived very frugally during the time he was in school full-time.
If you choose to go to college immediately after HS, then I’d say take on all the loans and scholarships you can. Work a little bit (I found it helpful to work to remember how much money “costs” — you can lose track of the value of saving $5 when each book is $150!)
However, college isn’t going anywhere. You can choose to get a job, have a young family, join the military, or go to school very part time for a few years. Unless your life plans require you to be auditioning for Broadway at 23 or finishing an MD or PhD by 26, you have more choices than you think. A lot of people aren’t ready or financially able to swing a college degree at 20. That doesn’t mean that you can’t go back. You can. You’ll have lots of company! Being older isn’t a disadvantage for acceptance — age and life experience is category of diversity. I’m pretty sure DH got into a prestigious undergrad business school that he would not have as a bright 20 yo.
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I’m a little different then everyone else I think based on reading the comments. First, yes work to get any scholarship and grant money you can, there is some available and every little bit helps. Second, you should work, but not so much it takes away from studying. If you are keeping grades up work all you want. After that don’t be afraid of student loans. You want to work to minimize the amount of debt you have but next to a home mortgage a student loan is the best you can have. You don’t have to make payments until after you graduate (and usually you have 6 additional months before you have to start paying back) the interest you pay is all tax deductible and the rates are always lower than credit cards. Balance it out so you are saving some, create an emergency fund maybe even save $50 a month in a RothIRA. Then once you are out of school you should have a nice start on savings, good habits and a job that will allow you to quickly start paying down that student loan quickly. Each person is different but you shouldn’t have to sacrifice everything in life to be debt free.
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Unfortunately I threw in the towel and let the student loans take over. My degree program costs roughly $120,000 for a degree in Flight Science at a state school. I’ve been very fortunate compared to many of my peers in keeping my debt as low as possible by working hard and getting scholarship money but I still wasn’t making it as far as paying for the flying portion of my schooling. Many in the program leave with about $70,000 – $90,000 in student loan debt. I’ve kept mine around $50,000 and have my next year (last year) paid for already. Because scholarships will cover my last year of school I’ve been able to start saving money so when I graduate I will have a stash to make loan payments should I fall short every once in awhile. A strong emergency fund is going to be very important when I jump into the highly unstable world of the airlines. First year pilots only make about $20,000!
Some ways I cut back are to live with a roommate in a single bedroom apartment which keeps my monthly housing expenses very low at $279. My roommate and I also split expenses for household items and groceries. I also carpool to work and the airport where my flight lessons are which is 25 miles from the main campus. Like many have said sometimes school is simply too expensive to not get loans so you do what you can to keep debt minimal.
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Pick up “easy money” on campus when you can:
* Psych dept. may pay to take surveys and do studies (not drug studies) $10-15 an hour
* Other depts. may offer cash for doing similar work
* MRI studies may pay $50-100 to do a brain study (just don’t be claustrophobic)
* See if there are focus groups in your city that pay you for your opinion
* Do a sleep study to get paid while you sleep
* Be a mystery shopper, especially for meals/restaurants
* Catering work
* Sell stuff on eBay/Craigslist
* Watch Craigslist for one-time opportunities to make money (passing out fliers, setting up for a party, helping someone move, bar tending)
Use your extra free time that pops up at semester ends, spring break, early in the semester.
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I was able to save money by working two jobs however that left little time for my studies and it really hurt my grades.
If you do save money spend it on things like traveling during the summer rather than fancy meals.
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I am five years out of college and work in investments. First off, I don’t feel that college debt is necessarily bad debt. I see it as a downpayment on a better future. Not to mention, the gov’t is extremely flexible with payback options.
More importantly, being in college and learning is a job in and of itself. To the extent that you can focus on school and just school, you should. You have your entire life to work. And pay bills.
I understand that some people have to work while in school because they may not have the support of parents, however, if your parents are ready and willing to help you – take it. I understand your desire to be independent and commend you on your maturity. But if it comes at the expense of your grades, or your college career in general, then I wouldn’t advise that because college is what will ultimately catapult you to fully independent status. Good grades, good internships, good jobs, good money = independence.
And in the future, when you are secure and making boatloads of money you are in a better position to be there for your parents.
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Let’s assume that in this case your income (or lack thereof) is fixed in college. You don’t have time to get an additional job or seek supplemental income. You want to create savings. How do you do it?
Analyze your current spending habits. Use a free online tool like Mint.com to see where your money is going now. Look for those “latte” factors – small priced items in your budget that occur frequently. Can you eliminate any of them? Instead of buying a latte every morning – can you forgo a latte on two mornings? Put that money you saved from not buying your small-priced item into a savings account. Go out for drinks with friends 2-3 times a week and spend $15 or so dollars? Try going out 1-2 times a week and spending $10. The little things add up.
The difficult part of this is executing the plan. You need to actually *move* the money from your checking account into a savings account!
And finally…don’t totally give up the college experience to get a jump start on being a “grown-up.” Too many of us in the real world would give an arm and a leg to re-experience the college life just one more time. That’s why we go back to Homecoming, right? It’s not the football…
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just start your own side business that will pay for all your college expenses.
can’t get any simpler than that.
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I keep reading these posts trying to figure out why these graduates are not living at home with their parents. Why on earth would you not live at home for free when on summer break or following graduation? I think kids expect to live on their own too soon and that is a luxury they can’t afford. Suck it up and live at home in your old room, it’s the only option. It’s exactly correct that you can’t make enough money to support yourself for a few years. The mistake is not living at home with your parents rent free. Then you can manage your finances wisely until you do make enough money to move out. Any other way is a waste of money.
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Step 1: Make sure Nerdlinger’s bra-bomb will work.
Step 2: Kidnap rival school’s mascot.
Step 3: Ruin civic parade in over-the-top shenanigans fashion.
Step 4: Profit.
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There’s already lots of good advice here, so I’ll just throw my ideas into the mix….
Try to develop a budget based on your set income. If you can save a few dollars here and there for the long-term, that’s great, but it may be more practical to develop a small emergency-fund cushion first. When you receive money windfalls, such as money from your parents, consider putting that into savings. If you didn’t plan it into your budget, it’s extra money; if you don’t save, there’s a likelihood you’ll spend it on stuff you don’t need (and thereby will fall into “lifestyle inflation”).
I know that many people here advise you to take advantage of free stuff, and I agree that you should do so.
Many also suggest you not spend money on stuff you really don’t need…. But I’m not so sure. College is a time of self-development, when you establish some of your cultural tastes and traits. If you budget properly, don’t feel guilty about paying some money to attend an occasional play or experience the food of a different cuisine. College is not just about preparing for a job–it’s also about preparing for life. It may seem financially prudent to avoid cultural and culinary experiences that cost money, but when you start working full-time after you graduate, chances are you won’t have much time to initiate yourself in such things. Do them now, though be moderate and thoughtful about it–don’t eat out all of the time, but enjoy it (and learn from it) when you do. You don’t need to attend concerts, movies, and plays all of the time, but attend them in moderation, and enjoy the cultural impact of your education. It is indeed important to save money and avoid debt as much as possible, but you will probably have 30 or 40 years before you retire. Be frugal, not miserly, and be sure to “live” during those 30 or 40 years, without excess.
Other advice: Learn to cook, not just mac-n-cheese and franks-n-beans, but learn to cook with inexpensive ingredients such as fresh veggies, lentils, herbs, spices, etc. This will help avoid overspending on dining out, and will also enhance your cultural development. Again, college isn’t just about training for a job or career; it’s about developing a blend of financial, cultural and life habits that will serve you well for your entire life.
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@Web Tech Gal: I’m not sure where your parents lived, but there weren’t many good-paying jobs with advancement opportunities in my field where my parents lived. The value of the “free housing” was less than the cost of missing opportunities elsewhere.
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Wow, I loved my college days because of the tight money. I was a bit older and married, so maybe a bit more financial aid, but also all the expenses were mine!
1. I bought the Tightwad Gazette! That was my big start.
2. For housing, we managed a complex of duplexes. These places rented for 1700$ a month, our cost was just $500 and we had free cable, wsg & power all paid, and they had washer and dryer.
3. I quickly learned that one supermarket had awesome loss leaders and always bought those and anything else on discount or in the damaged bin.
4. I worked at a deli, so drinks were free while working, and food was 40% off. Typically the $1-2 I might have received in tips covered my lunch.
5. Actually work! Most students I studied with worked 10-20 hours a week. I worked 36-40 hours a week. It may not be fun to get up at 4:30 a.m. (or at one point in time I was up at 2:30 a.m.) to go to work, but you can get better pay, and more hours that way and still have evenings for study.
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Live as frugally as possible, and work your butt off during your breaks – especially summer break. (Nothing says you can only work 40 hours in a week – get multiple jobs or find one that will allow you to work lots of overtime.)
I wouldn’t try to put any money away for long-term investing at this point; any money you make can go into a savings cushion that you can slowly drain when you can’t make ends meet.
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