Going to college and entering young adulthood has many challenges, and for most college students, saving money is one of them.
Nearly 67% of students heading back to school must start paying their own tuition in their freshman year, according to University Business. Trying to figure out how to pay for a four-year institution at such a young age is a daunting task, especially on top of having to pay for day-to-day activities
Many times, bills can be horrifying, especially for young adults. However, being a student at Clemson University has its perks. When you start thinking about budgeting, the first step is making sure that you’re taking advantage of all the free resources that Clemson offers on campus.
Whenever you feel like getting out of your dorm room, apartment or even your parents’ house, there’s no need to stress over the costs of going out because there’s always something happening at Clemson University. On the Clemson student affairs website, you can find numerous free activities and get-togethers that the University facilitates.
If you or one of your friends are having financial problems or are at home, there are tons of free ways to get help and support. Going to the student affairs page on the Clemson website will help you find many options for support. Many of these resources are covered by tuition and aim to help students get help both mentally and physically.
It is a great idea to write out what you make in a month, subtract all of your bills and figure out what you have left that you could spend for yourself to help plan your budgeting. Being able to go out with your friends and save a little money is never a bad idea.
Another helpful way to budget as a college student is by taking advantage of all the student discounts that you can. Numerous places give college students discounts and don’t tell you unless you ask.
From Apple to DoorDash, you can find student discounts on almost any type of merchandise. Even local movie theaters give college students a few dollars off on specific days. Utilizing these discounts can save you more than you realize because, at the end of the day, money adds up.
My final piece of advice for college students when budgeting is to create an emergency fund. At the end of the day, life is unpredictable, and anything can happen. Even putting five to ten dollars aside each month from your checks can save you from making a phone call to a parent or grandparent or just being stuck in a terrible situation.
Budgeting definitely takes time, and there’s no perfect way to do it, but even starting to think about what your life looks like financially is never a bad start.
Mariah Jordon is a Junior English major from Dallas, Texas. You can reach her at [email protected],
