How To Save Money On Living Expenses – Everyone knows college isn’t cheap. There are a lot of expenses to think about when you start college—and unfortunately, they add up very quickly.

That’s why it’s important to look for ways to save money in college — and one of the best ways to do that is to create a student budget.

How To Save Money On Living Expenses

How To Save Money On Living Expenses

Not only will it help you figure out how to pay for college, but a budget will help you save money and spend it safely to ensure you can maintain a healthy lifestyle while you earn your degree.

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This guide explains what expenses to include in a student budget, what a good student budget is, and other ways to save money in college.

As a student, you will have many new academic responsibilities that take up your time. Likewise, you may want to take advantage of many new social opportunities. After all, that’s what college is all about.

But that means you won’t have much time to work, and you’ll probably have a lot of new expenses that you never had to worry about.

Unfortunately, less time to work and more bills to pay means you can start cutting back on important things.

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By keeping track of any spending habits you’ve developed and working to save money, you can start spending responsibly and make sure you have the money you need to pay your bills.

When you are trying to figure out how to pay for college, there are many costs that you will need to keep in mind.

Most of these costs will be determined by your college—and therefore out of your control. But there are also a number of monthly payments that you can change depending on your income and what you can afford.

How To Save Money On Living Expenses

To help you get an idea of ​​the exact college expenses you should be budgeting for (and how to reduce those costs), let’s quickly break down some of the common college expenses you need to cover.

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It probably goes without saying that college tuition will be the largest part of your student budget. This is exactly why college tuition should be the first consideration when trying to save money and build your student budget.

The average tuition for a four-year college is currently $25,362 per year. Divide that by 4 years and you’re talking about $100,000 worth of tuition.

But the cost is a little different if you dig into that number and break down the cost by college type.

For example, at a public four-year university, the average in-state tuition and administrative fees total $9,308 per year. If you want to go out of state, the amount currently jumps to $26,427 in fees.

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Don’t forget: we’re talking about state colleges. If you go to a private university, the average tuition and fees are currently $35,801 per year.

Exactly how tuition should be budgeted into your student budget will depend on your financial situation and the type of student loan you need to use to pay your tuition.

When building your financial connections, you should ideally apply for as many grants and scholarships as possible. This is because grants and loans are free cash that you don’t have to pay back. In contrast, you’re expected to pay back any student loans you take out — and in many cases, you’ll also pay interest.

How To Save Money On Living Expenses

For this reason, getting a loan should always be your last resort. That being said, you will get many benefits by choosing federal student loans over private ones.

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For example, you can take out a private student loan that requires you to start making monthly payments while you’re in school. Or, you can get a federal direct loan that you don’t have to start repaying until you graduate.

So the best way to save money in the long run is to pay off your student loans early and try to pay the interest on your federal loans while you’re still in college.

So, if you can afford it, planning to pay off your student loans while you’re still in college can be a smart call in the long run.

When it comes to how much you should plan to spend on food and shelter, a big factor will be whether you choose to live on campus or off campus.

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Last year, the average room and board cost at four-year colleges rose from $10,216 to $11,945 annually. This includes students with residential meal plans and those living off campus who are responsible for their own meals.

At public colleges, students who lived on campus in dormitories paid an average of $11,451 a year for their room and board. In contrast, community college students who live on campus spent slightly less, an average of $10,781 per year.

If you go to a small private college, expect to pay a little—but not a lot. Average room and board at a private four-year school last year was $12,682, while off-campus tuition was $9,762 a year for room and board.

How To Save Money On Living Expenses

Regardless of where you want to study or where you are studying, there are additional administrative fees or additional services to consider.

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By “extra fees” we’re talking about costs like annual parking tickets, fees for sports or club memberships, college gym memberships, cable TV or WiFi costs – the list goes on.

None of these expenses will break the bank on their own, but be careful because these little extras add up quickly.

We may live in the digital age, but expensive textbooks are still part of the college system.

If you’re enrolled in a public four-year college, you can expect to pay an average of $1,334 per year for textbooks and other supplies. This cost is almost the same in private colleges.

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Of course there are other ways you can cut corners. For example, you can try to find some used books online or from friends who have taken the course before. Make sure you get the correct edition, as books are updated every few years.

Remember what we said about living in the digital age? Well, that’s why you need to factor the cost of art into your student budget.

About 60% of college shoppers want to buy some form of electronics, and researchers say they spend about $306 a year to make sure all their technology is up to date. This means laptops, phones, headphones, gaming devices and everything in between.

How To Save Money On Living Expenses

That is, this is one area of ​​your budget that you have a lot of control over.

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You can decide for yourself what you do and don’t need in terms of technology, and whenever you’re looking at the latest and greatest gadgets, remember that there are often more affordable options that still meet all your needs .

Whether you live on campus or off campus, there are travel expenses that you will need to factor into your student budget.

If you are commuting to campus, you need to consider the cost of owning a car and transportation. This means fuel, parking, insurance and maintenance.

If you rely on public transportation like buses, trains, or ride-sharing apps like Uber, you need to keep travel costs in mind.

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But even if you live on campus, don’t forget how much it costs to travel home for a visit.

Add up all of these costs and it is estimated that the average college student spends between $1,050 and $1,800 on transportation costs each year!

In terms of expenses, we are talking about clothes, food, going to the cinema, the cost of laundry, toiletries and everything in between.

How To Save Money On Living Expenses

The amount you need for self-financing will depend on your lifestyle – but this is an area that can quickly spiral out of control if you don’t exercise some restraint and self-control.

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According to the College Board, the average student budget for a domestic student at a public four-year college is $26,820 for the 2020-21 school year. If you study abroad, the budget will increase – it’s $43,280 a year.

At the time, you’ll be paying for your education with student loans, scholarships, grants, or a combination of all three—so this isn’t the amount of money you’ll have in the bank each year to get you to graduation.

But to keep the rest of your money safe, you need to make sure you stay organized and plan some practical ways to save money. Fortunately, there are many strategies you can use

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John Pablo

📅 Born: May 15, 1985 📍 Location: New York City 🖋️ Writer | Financial Enthusiast Welcome to my corner of the web! I'm John Pablo—a finance enthusiast and writer passionate about making money matters simple and accessible.

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