College is a period of a student’s life when they have to become an adult and get ready for being independent. Thus, if you have to write an essay about students, this sample will come in handy for sure.
College is a challenging time for many reasons. Young people are just learning how to live on their own without parents telling them to do their homework or what time they have to go to bed. They are navigating classes that are far more rigorous than their high school course load was. And last but not least, they often have financial problems.
That’s not surprising, considering that college students have significant expenses and little to no income. To make things worse, they often lack the wisdom and experience to differentiate between a “want” and a “need.”
One way in which students are often unwise in their spending habits is by using the wrong credit card. Credit cards can be an excellent financial decision for college students. They help build credit and purchase items online safely. But using them carelessly can result in the accrued debt and interest. It’s important for students to read the terms and conditions of credit card offers carefully before applying to make sure that it fits their needs. There are even some credit cards that offer cash back rewards for making purchases.
Another wasteful habit is eating out or getting takeout too frequently. Students that are already paying for a meal plan at their university often choose the expense of restaurants and takeout in addition to the money that they already pay for food. While the price of eating at the local pizzeria may not seem like much, over time it adds up. The best way for college students to save money on food is to learn how to cook a few easy and inexpensive meals with food purchased from the grocery store.
Still, more money goes down the drain when students neglect to take advantage of student discounts. Such discounts are available on almost everything, from retail stores to museums to visit. It is definitely worthwhile for students to shop around before making a purchase in order to find out which merchants will give a student discount. But many students don’t bother to ask about such discounts and spend a good portion of their money unnecessarily.
Lastly, students often overspend on housing. With the cost of rent and room and board rising every year, it’s easy for them to fall into the trap of paying for living quarters that are too expensive. When choosing a place to live, students would do well to balance their wants and needs. A great cost-saving option is to share living space and rental costs with roommates. Besides saving money, students can also create many wonderful memories.
College is a stressful and expensive season of life. But, with some care and foresight, students don’t have to fall into wasteful spending habits.
References:
- MyBankTracker. (2014). 10 Ways College Students Waste Money. Huffpost: the Blog, http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mybanktracker/10-ways-college-students_b_5042504.html
- Kuchar, Kristen. (2016). 8 Common Ways College Students Waste Money. Brad’s Deals: More for Less, https://www.bradsdeals.com/blog/things-college-students-waste-money.
- Hoyt, Elizabeth. (2017). Money Saving Advice for College Students. Fastweb, https://www.fastweb.com/financial-aid/articles/money-saving-advice-for-college-students.
- Vohwinkle, Jeremy. (2016). Money Mistakes College Students Make. The Balance: Financial Planning, https://www.thebalance.com/top-money-mistakes-college-students-make-1289967.
- Why a College Budget Is So Important. (2015). Lendkey Technologies, https://www.lendkey.com/blog/why-a-college-budget-is-so-important/.
- 10 Ways Students Waste Money in College. (2016). eCampusTours, http://www.ecampustours.com/for-students/campus-life/college-budgets-101/10-ways-students-waste-money-in-college.aspx#.WdNDiWhSzIU.
- 10 Ways Students Waste Money in College. Allwomenstalk: Money, http://money.allwomenstalk.com/ways-students-waste-money-in-college.