Being an incoming college freshman can be tough, especially with all the changes getting thrown in your face. You don’t have your parents around you all the time to make you dinner or to take you out for lunch. So, what do you do?
Whether you are paying for your own college education or not, you need to make sure you don’t go crazy with your spending money. Be smart about what you spend your money on and always think about the future. Here are a few tips:
- You don’t need to go out to eat ALL the time. As a freshman, you probably have access to a food hall… use it!
- Buy groceries, but not too many. Buying groceries will help you say no to going out to eat, but we all know you are stuck with a tiny fridge. Buy things that don’t necessarily need to be refrigerated and buy things like noodles that will last forever.
- Find cheap or free activities. I know you will want to go out and explore the new environment, but try to do free stuff like walking around town or window-shopping.
Here are a few more tips from the US News: https://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/my-money/2013/10/03/6-must-follow-money-tips-for-college-students
Overall, make sure you keep track of your money and don’t go crazy! You will regret spending your money on silly things, so just be smart about it.