Money Tips for a Tight College Income

As impossible as it may seem, you can live on what little income you have. It will not be easy, but it can be done. Here are a few things you can do to manage how you spend your money and stretch every penny to the max:

• Plan Your Spending: This financial rule is important no matter how much money you have, but it is absolutely crucial when your income is extremely limited. First, write down how much money you have. Then make a list of all of the things you need (If you are under the impression that you “need” to go to the movies or that you “need” to buy that expensive leather purse, then you will probably “need” to adjust your priorities beforehand). Identify your necessities—food, clothes, medicines, fuel, etc. Now, create a budget that reflects your income. Write down which portion of your funds will go towards paying for the items you must have. Then, if you have any wages leftover you can spend it on something fun—or you could make your parents proud and save it.
• Just Say No – Yes, that local coffee shop does smell wonderful. And yes, the burgers at that little restaurant on the corner really are “hand crafted with love”. But the truth is that by giving in to many of these momentary temptations you are viciously attacking your tight funds. It is much easier to deny yourself immediate pleasures such as these in order to spare your savings. Try not to indulge yourself too much.
• Frugality – If you can manage to master the fine art of refusing to give in to the things your heart desires (that sounds pretty morbid, doesn’t it?) then this last step should just come naturally. When you go to such extreme lengths to preserve your money, you will definitely want to try just as hard to make sure that every penny that you do spend went for something useful. Practice pinching your pennies. Instead of dining out, purchase your ingredients at the grocery store and cook for yourself. Maybe it is cliché, but ramen noodles and peanut butter crackers make up the wild college kid’s diet. Why, you ask? Because these foods are super cheap. Besides, after a while ramen noodles stop tasting like cardboard.

Above all, just know that this life is not going to last forever. Sure, you have to compromise your high standard of living for your education, now. But at some point in the not to distant future, that education will lift you up into bigger and better things. When that day comes, then you can drink ten-dollar café lattes and stuff your face with tender double-patty hamburgers. But until that time, you will be much better off if you hang tightly to your cash.