READY, SET, GO!

Career & College Readiness Challenge

1.Set expectations with your parents  

Before school starts, have a conversation with your parents about who’s paying for what.  

For example, your parents may agree to cover tuition and supplies, but you’ll have to pay for living expenses.  

» MORE: How to buy, sell and rent college textbooks  

2. Separate needs and wants  

Paying for your wants shouldn’t come at the expense of your needs. To prioritize spending, start with a list of expenses you are certain of during the semester, such as a trip home at Thanksgiving or filling your car with gas every two weeks.  

Subtract those expenses from the amount of money you have for the semester. What’s left is your discretionary spending money.  

Now divide that remaining amount by the number of weeks you need to cover. For example, if you have $800 available over a 15-week semester, that’s a little over $50 a week you could spend.  

3. Use leftover financial aid wisely 

If you borrow student loans to pay for college, there may be remaining funds you can use for personal expenses after covering tuition and fees, as well as room and board. 

But avoid spending loan money on nonessentials, like streaming services, vacations or delivered food. Paying for those expenses with financial aid can be costly, since you’ll have to pay back the money you borrow, with interest. 

4. Find a tracking tool you’ll use 

There are endless ways to track spending, including phone apps, an Excel spreadsheet or a paper and pen. 

It doesn’t matter what tool you use, so long as you find something that works for you, college budgeting experts say. If maintaining an Excel spreadsheet isn’t your thing, try an app that links to your bank account. 

Tracking your money can help you make smarter spending choices.  

» MORE: Lessons in financial literacy for college students 

“You’ve got to take responsibility to say, ‘I can’t go out and spend money to go to the movies or pizza place, because I’m not going to have enough money for the books that I need,’” says Katie Ross, education and development manager for American Consumer Credit Counseling, a nonprofit credit counseling organization.  

https://www.nerdwallet.com/blog/loans/student-loans/college-student-budget/