Enjoy and Save during the college days.

College brings with it, a new lifestyle, never ending escapades and a desire to be at the top of the World. For most of us college days are memorable years of our life.

Apart from fun , college life also make us realize the true meaning of responsibility- the responsibility of managing ourselves, our lives and most important ‘our finances’.

The academic fees, living style etc. requires a lot of money to be incurred on our part. Thus we should take utmost care in handling our finances more judiciously.

Here are some money management tips to be followed in college days:

• Try to build up a cordial relationship with your seniors. This will help you to save money on many things. for eg. you can get the rooms on less rent.

• Share expenses incurred on house rent, food, shopping etc. with your friends. This will certainly help you and your friends to save some extra money.

• Do not follow your peers and  involve yourself into spendthrift habits pertaining to change in living style, buying designer clothes, vehicles etc. You may save money by buying second hand vehicles. Think twice that ‘whether a particular thing is necessary for you or not’, and then you should use your money wisely.

• Do not adhere to an unlimited meal plan when you can do with the limited one. Take the unlimited one if you feel that the current meal plan is inadequate. Also if you have taken the unlimited plan then do not spend money in eating elsewhere.

• Try to look for part time job. You have to strike a balance between academics and your job. Also you can turn your hobbies into money earning source. For e.g. If you love to make sculptures, then you can also sell them by holding an exhibition. This way you may earn an extra buck which you may use for academic purposes.

• Try to save some part of your income for rainy days.

• Try to submit your books in library, your academic fees etc. on time. Otherwise it may lead to unnecessary fine to be born by you. Make yourself organized and get rid of these things.

• Avail student discount benefits wherever possible. Most of the stores give certain amount of discount on shopping. You can also avail these benefits while traveling.All you have to do is keep your student ID card with you to avail these benefits.

• Try to involve yourself into financial discussion with your friends. Discuss your financial condition and find out a rational solution to overcome the situation.

• Use your credit card more wisely. Take care of your ATM cards and other valuable financial information for your own safety.

The children should enjoy their college days to the fullest while keeping in mind the money management. They may apply the above money management tips for living a debt free life during their college days. Try to take up charge of yourself, your life and your money. This will make you an independent and a rational thinker while dealing with money management issues.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 03rd, 2009 and is filed under money management, personal finance. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response or Trackback from your own site.