Sticking to a monthly college budget is hard work—especially when you're a freshman figuring it out for the first time. So we asked some upperclassmen from Messiah College in Grantham, Pennsylvania, for their best advice on how you can manage your cash in college. I use my debit card a lot. It's really convenient, and I don't have to carry checks or large amounts of cash. The problem is, it's easy to swipe it and forget how much money I've spent. When I don't write down what I spend, I get myself into trouble. I would definitely say keep track of everything you spend by writing it in your checkbook register as soon as you get home. I'm going to try to start doing that. You tend to spend more when you haven't kept track. —Angela, senior When I spend money I try to write a check be-cause it forces me to keep track of what I'm spending. I always balance my checkbook at the end of the month. I noticed that spending money on social things really adds up. So my friends and I try to think of creative activities that don't involve any money. One night, instead of going to a coffeehouse, we had a tea party. We all had lots of gourmet teas that people had given us, so it wasn't a big investment for anyone. —Rache, junior I made a mistake my freshman year when I called my family in Uganda a lot. My phone bill was $120. I didn't have the money to pay it right away. Now I use e-mail to communicate with my family. I also found that I could buy a 400-minute phone card for $25. So when I do call home, it's a lot cheaper. I've also learned to make a budget, and stick to it. —Isaac, senior Because I'm a photography major, I really need to budget at least a couple hundred dollars a semester to buy supplies like film. So I try not to spend money on things that I don't really need. I have my paycheck set up for direct deposit right into my savings account. When I receive my paycheck it's really just a pay stub, so I don't have any cash in my hands. That way I'm not tempted to spend it, and I'll have the money when I really need it to buy my photo supplies. —Bec, senior The thing that really helps me is to anticipate the big expenses like car insurance and textbooks. That way, I can save money from my summer job to pay for those expenses that take a large amount of money. I also use my credit card for planned purchases instead of impulse purchases. I always pay off my credit card at the end of the month, because interest can really add up. —Nathan, senior Copyright © 2003 by the author or Christianity Today International/Campus Life magazine.
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