You’re ready for your new life as a college student, but how ready are you to experience your newfound financial responsibilities? Here are seven considerations every college student should chew on to help soften the blow of entering the real world.
1. Learn to Budget
If you don’t want to be on the college kid diet of ramen noodles and hot dogs for the next several years, you’ll probably want to learn how to budget. A healthy budget makes it easy to see your spending at a glance and teaches you good money management skills that will carry you through life.
2. Learn About Student Discounts
Want to squeeze more out of your part-time job income? Many companies offer discounts for college students. And it’s not just the big names, either; many mom-and-pop shops and restaurants in your area might also offer discounts. All you need to do is ask!
3. Be Careful With Credit Cards
Using a credit card responsibly is an excellent pipeline to becoming a well-rounded adult with good credit. Unfortunately, and if we’re being realistic, this isn’t the best time to experiment with credit cards if you have no experience using them. Instead of taking one out with an astronomically high limit that could get you in trouble, opt for a prepaid credit card to help you build credit without worrying you’ll go overboard.
4. Get a Part-Time Job
It might cut into your study (read: party) time, but a part-time job will help you immensely when you’re starting out on your own. It doesn’t have to be anything extravagant, just something that can help you with base expenses and savings. This is especially vital if you have the luxury of having other expenses handled by your parents — getting a part-time job now will help you be more responsible with money and help you save for future student loan payments.
5. Teach Yourself to Cook
Those of you enjoying the dorm life might be rolling your eyes right now, but you, too, can hone your cooking skills and save yourself money. While going out to eat is convenient, it can burn an impressively large hole in your pocket. Cooking most of your meals at home is definitely the way forward, even if it means you’re stuck trying to figure out a new way to soup up your ramen—no pun intended.
6. Learn About Personal Finance
You’re already a student, so you might as well learn! Everyone should have a basic understanding of personal finance. Teaching yourself about investing, saving, and planning for retirement will put you ahead of the curve once you graduate. It’ll also show you how to start saving for these things now so you feel like you have a better hold on your future.
7. Hunt for Deals
There’s no shame in buying used anything, but this tip is convenient regarding one of the more shocking expenses college students encounter: books. See if you can’t snag any of the books your teachers ask for either used or as a digital copy. However, this tip could literally apply to anything — teaching yourself to spend a little extra time to find the best price is an excellent way to prepare you for managing real-world expenses.
Have Any of These 12 Items? You Could Be Rich
If it’s been a long time since you cleaned out or decluttered your or your parent’s home, you should perhaps wait before you do because there may be a few things to watch out for that could be worth a lot of money!
Some items may be predictable, such as jewelry, vinyl records, and such, but some of the items on this list may surprise you, and trust us when we say you will never look at the supposed ‘junk’ in your home in the same way ever again. Read on to learn more about the valuable things that may be worth a pretty penny but have just been gathering dust all these years.
Have Any of These 12 Items? You Could Be Rich
12 Jobs That Hire Retirees Quickly and Pay Well
Contrary to the perceived notion that seniors are supposed to rest and relax after retirement, research shows that many retirees and seniors are getting back into the job world. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that 40% of people over 65 will be working by 2030.
Some return to work to pay off debt, avoid boredom, or save for significant expenses.
12 Jobs That Hire Retirees Quickly and Pay Well
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It’s 2024, and we’re not gonna take it anymore!
Here are fifteen expenses or purchases that were so last year!
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14 Companies That Will Give You Free Food and Products Just for Asking
More companies are now offering free samples to get customers to try a new product. Over time, these companies gain loyal customers and can increase their sales. As a customer, you also get to test out free products and sample foods you’ve never tasted.
Read on as we explore some companies that will give you food and products for free just by asking.
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28 Practical Ways Frugal People Save Lots of Money
Saving money doesn’t have to mean saying goodbye to life’s little indulgences. With a few smart tweaks, you can stash away cash for that dream vacation, rainy day fund, or splurge-worthy purchase without feeling like you’re on a constant budget patrol.
Think of it as a side hustle that pays off without the extra hours. Whether you’re looking to conquer debt or simply boost your bank account, these tips are guaranteed to put more money in your pocket, painlessly.