How To Navigate Finances in College

Being a college student and saving money can be difficult to navigate, especially as a freshman. Although we have been learning remotely the entirety of this year, I made the move to Chicago from California, and have been living in an apartment. Over the course of the past few months, I have had to learn the realities of saving money, and have created an effective plan for myself.

How to Save Money as a College Student:

• Set a weekly budget for yourself. Set aside money that you will spend on groceries and other necessities each week.
• Categorize what is a need, and what is a want.
• Save and spend on necessities before purchasing something that is for fun. Budget out how much you want to spend on extra items/activities. I had an issue with spending money on coffee every morning of fall quarter, so I have now decided to only buy coffee once or twice a week.
• If it fits within your schedule, look for a part-time job! I decided to get a part-time job that works around my schedule this quarter so I can earn some extra spending and saving money!

– McKenzie