I am going to college and living in the dorms. I need help on how to survive financially.?
Answer:
College is the best place to be on a budget because pretty much everyone else is too :) The biggest tip is to eat in the dining halls as much as possible, eating out is such an expensive temptation.
Actually write out a budget (after a month or so, you'll need to keep track of all your income and expenses) and stick to it. Books are going to be a huge drain on your money at the beginning of each semester, so plan ahead.
If you ask around, there may be another job you can pick up on campus for an hour or two a week, like tutoring, but don't commit yourself to more than you have time for, especially with all the study time.
Whatever you do, don't get one of the credit cards they're going to be constantly offering you. It's easy to think "only for emergencies" and find yourself a few thousand dollars in debt a few months later. Trust me, those things get more college kids in trouble than alcohol :)
And, even if it's only 5 or 10 dollars, put some money in your savings every pay- you never know what sort of emergency might come up. At least a few times, you'll screw up your budget and need it, and this way you won't feel as bad about going off budget.
Don't worry, you'll be okay, college is life with training wheels and a great time to get a grasp on financial responsibility.
ramen noodles and mac and cheese
get a part time job
on weekends, get a job in restaurant or deliver pizza.
you earn cash the same day you work.
well you don't have to worry about food, that is good. Do you have a car? Get rid of it for now.
You can take out a small student loan and/or get a part time job. I assume your scholarships were academic..so congratulations there, so start tutoring, proof reading papers etc. I am sure you can charge way more then $7 an hour for that.
Good luck
That's a tough one. Since your tuition room and board are covered your family should be able to kick in a few bucks to help you out. I would also try applying for scholarships. There's tons of money out there you just have to be willing to find it and jump through the hoops to get it. Also try to be an RA in the dorms. Most schools offer free room and board (and sometimes a stipend) for doing it so the money from your scholarship might get kicked back to you. During breaks, work your * off. There are tons of places that hire temp workers for holidays and for the summer. Live with your parents when you are not in school and since you live on campus, you probably wont be using your car much which will save you money in gas and repairs. Use public transportation if possible and dont order alot of fast food. And absolutely DO NOT get a credit card and use it. I had a friend that did that and now is paying off student loan and credit card debt! You can do this if you practice a little self control. Good luck!
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Congratulations on getting to this point in your life. It sounds like you must be a good kid. I had no scholarships or loans when I went away to college and my parents couldn't provide help so I really had to be resourceful to stay in school. Here are some of the things that I did:
- scalped football tickets
- lived on campus all 4 years
- worked as a Resident assistant in the dorm that I lived in
- worked as a security guard in the dorm that I lived in
- worked as a busboy at a sorority house
- did not own a car
- bought my books used, tried to find them in the library or borrowed from friends in the class
- sold cookies and snacks to the other kids in my dorm
- went home and worked over spring break and summer break
- my room mates and I cooked all our meals together so we rarely ate out.
- kept track of every penny that I spent
Of all the things that I mentioned the things that I would recommend the most would be living on campus 4 years and not having a car were the things that saved me the most money. It's not really that the housing is so much cheaper than appartments. The real factor was that moving off campus leads to additional expenses such as utilities, furniture, and parties. That last one was a joke. Having a car also adds to your financial worries by giving you extra expenses such as gas, parking, upkeep, parking tickets, etc. Not to mention a car gives you the freedom to go out and spend more money. I know my take on this is pretty draconian but it worked for me. Good luck to you. I hope this was helpful.
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