Advice from your peers…

• Develop a budget. Write down all of the expenses you think you will have and identify the source of funds for each expense. Once you have this plan, stick to it. “It may seem kind of old fashioned to be 18 and to be making a budget. But it will help you have the money you need.
• Write down everything you spend so you will know where your money is going.
• Budget for all of your needs: housing, food, utilities, transportation, school expenses, child care, etc. If you have any money left over, decide how much you are going to spend and how much you will save.
• Plan for the high cost of textbooks. If funds for textbooks arrives late or if you don’t have enough money to pay for them, try some of these strategies: go to the library early to check out the book; check with the instructor to find out if there is a loan copy available; find other students who took the course previously and ask if they have a textbook you can borrow or purchase at low cost; check out sites like CheaperChapters.com and half.com for low‐cost options; look for used books in bookstores or on‐line; find out if your transition program has a fund to help pay for books.
• Open a savings account at a bank or credit union now and put a percentage of everything you earn in the account, even if it is only a dollar or two. You may have a flat tire or your car may need to be repaired and you will need money to fix it and to use the bus while your car is being repaired.
• When you go shopping, stop and ask why you are buying something. If it is too impress someone and not something you need, you should do without it.
• Get receipts for everything so you have proof that you paid your rent and other bills. Before signing a contract for an apartment or giving your down payment, talk to someone else about the terms of the lease or the amount of the bill to make sure you aren’t being taken advantage of.
• Keep all of your bills and statements in a folder so you can find them easily and can review your expenses periodically.
• Realize that even the best budgets don’t always work out. That’s why you will need some money in savings.
• If you get a large check, consider paying all of your rent for the entire semester right away. Or, buy all of your bus passes for a semester. Then you don’t have to worry about having money for that expense.