Are you one of the 19.4 million college students nationwide? And are you tired of struggling financially from month to month?
If so, you have stumbled upon an article to solve your problems!
Creating a college budget is a crucial step in managing your finances. This will ensure that you cover all your expenses throughout your academic year.
Knowing where to start and how to stay on track can be challenging. So to help you, we’ve put together a step-by-step guide on creating a college budget below!
Table of Contents
Determine Your Net Income
The first step in creating a college budget is determining your sources of income.
Include any money you get from a job, financial aid, or allowances from your parents. Make a list of all your sources of income and how much you expect to receive each month. If you work and your hours change weekly, write down a target you will always meet, not what you hope to earn.
List Your Expenses
Making a list of all your costs will determine whether you can survive financially. It will also give you an insight into what areas to cut down on.
Here are some of the most common college expenses to include in your budget:
- Tuition fees
- Rent
- Groceries
- Utilities
- Transport
- Entertainment, such as nightlife and activities
- College supplies
- Phone/internet
After you add your expenses, you should add 5-10% of the total amount to your budget. That will allow breathing space if you need to spend more money on an emergency.
Prioritize Your Expenses
Prioritize your expenses based on their importance. Your tuition fees and payment plans should top the list alongside rent. Next are utilities, food, and transportation.
Break each expense into two categories, essential and non-essential. It will make your life easier.
Essential items are expenses you must pay to keep studying, such as tuition fees. Non-essential factors include recreation and nightlife that don’t impact your studies. You can look for cheaper alternatives or cut out any areas that aren’t necessary.
Start Creating a College Budget
You can now create a budget since you know every penny entering and leaving your account. More importantly, you can start setting financial goals.
Use a budgeting tool or spreadsheet to create a budget based on income and expenditures. Make sure to allocate enough money for each expense and leave some room for unexpected costs. If you see that you are overspending on non-essential factors, now is the time to reduce your spending.
The most crucial aspect of this step is the willpower to stay under budget every month.
Track Your Spending
You won’t know if your budget is failing until it’s too late unless you track your spending.
Review your expenses at the beginning or end of every month and adjust your budget if needed. If you need to reduce your costs, look for ways to do so. Some money-saving tips are using public transport instead of owning a car, buying used books, or shopping for food at discount stores.
You can also try to increase your income if yours is not enough to cover your expenses. You can do so by asking for more hours at work, taking up freelance jobs, or seeking financial aid from your college.
Begin Setting Your Financial Goals Today
Creating a college budget is essential for managing your finances. You can create a solid budget by following the steps outlined in our guide. This will include all your income and expenses, from tuition fees to housing.
We hope our guide sets you up for many successful years. If you want to uncover more ways for financial stability, keep reading our in-depth blog for free!
