The importance of budgeting for college students

Posted by Joy Mali
3
Jun 28, 2013
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College life may not be as easy as it looks because of all the challenges that go along with it. Students not only deal with school projects or homework but they also have to work within a budget to pay their bills and to get through each and every day. Following is how to create a budget as well as some reasons why college budgeting is very important.

The first thing you should do is create a budget plan. What you have to do is identify all your sources of income. Are you working part time? Do you have a school allowance? How much money do you receive from your parents? All of the money that you receive every month will be your income. Next, write down all of your monthly expenses--your rent, utilities, daily expenses, projects, etc. Add all of these and subtract it from your income. If you still have money left, then your monthly income will be enough to get you through the entire month. Don’t forget to add to your plan an amount for emergency expenses, just in case it is needed. This would be a good time to get your credit report and perform a credit score check. If your expenses are higher than your income, you might want to double check or make adjustments in certain categories to make sure you have enough money. 

1. A budget will help you pay your bills on time. This is especially helpful if you have your own apartment. If you have a budget plan, you will be able to keep track of your money and you will be able to allot an amount for each expense. If you do manage to pay your bills on time, you will be doing your credit history and credit scores a favor. On time payments on your credit profile is a good thing and it will show creditors or banks that you are financially responsible and even credit worthy. 

2. Having a plan will help you save for your future. If you keep track of everything you spend, it will be easier for you to set aside money for your savings. Whether it is for your retirement nest egg or just to save for the future, planning your finances will make it easier to achieve. 

3. Having a plan will make it easier to cover your expenses for the entire month. A lot of college students have trouble making their allowance or income last half way through the month, simply because they end up spending it on nights out, drinking, fancy dinners, and many other unnecessary things. If you have a plan, you will be able to take control of your spending, as well as know your limits. 

4. If you don’t like the idea of writing down your expenses, just to keep track of your finances, you can make use of your gadgets. You can now download apps onto your smartphone or tablet. Then you simply input your total income and expenses. If you use one of these apps on your phone, you will be able to check it anytime you wish and you can easily make adjustments as necessary. 

Having a budget will help you in many ways. You will be able to save, control or train yourself in good spending habits, and you will also improve your credit if you can manage to pay your bills on time. Life in college will be easier if it is organized and well-planned. A budget plan may just do the trick. Create your own budget now and stop worrying about losing track of your finances from now on.

Joy Mali is an active finance blogger who is fond of sharing interesting finance management tips to encourage people to manage their personal finances. More specifically, she advocates that people should check credit reports and scores regularly. Follow Joy and discover how college students can save money easily.

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