Apply for As Many Scholarships as Possible

The biggest thing I probably regret is I didn't apply for any scholarships. That is one thing I really wish I would've started on early and definitely wish I had done it 100%. Although, this doesn't have anything to do with in college expenses, but I still find it necessary to talk about. Scholarships can really make a dent in the college tuition costs. Apply for enough of them, those huge college costs can really start decreasing. Another thing is to do as well as possible in classes, so maybe you can qualify for more scholarships from the college directly for being a good student. That's one thing that I have been striving to do. So hopefully, I can accomplish that goal.
Photo from homeschoolcpa.com

Create a Budget Plan

I would definitely go back and do this semester is create a budget. If I had a certain amount I could spend each week, I would have a lot more money in pockets and in the bank right now. After experiencing this semester, I realized that a budget might be a necessity to get through college. But you should definitely make a reasonable budget as well. Your budget should be well thought out and balanced throughout. Also, leave more money around specific times you know you'll be buying things, including when you buy books at the semester or maybe getting gifts for people around certain holidays. I will definitely be making myself a budget to follow throughout the rest of my college career, or at least I'll try to.
Photo from getbuttonedup.com

Get a Job

Throughout the beginning of my college experience, I learned early that I will need a job as soon as possible. I've decided to apply for an on-campus job so my hours can be a little more lenient. And also, I won't have to work over any breaks or holidays. And plus, this semester I had way too much time on my hands. I little to nothing to do all the time. I think getting a job is very important because my money situation is usually pretty tight, and a job would definitely help me out. A little extra money could completely change all my spending habits. I think everyone should definitely have a job throughout college or you probably won't make it.

Only Buy the Needs

As I come up on the end of this semester, I've realized that I did not do a very good job on the whole budgeting thing. It's a little bit before Thanksgiving, and I have basically cut off all unnecessary spending. I don't spend any money on food, or pretty much anything at all. If I could do it over again, I would not go out to eat nearly as much as I did. I wasted way too much money on little meals here and there, that I could've made it without. I would be a lot more comfortable with my financial situation if I wouldn't have wasted it all on food. Also, I bought clothes here and there that I didn't really need. So if I had to give out any advice, I would just say only buy the necessities. Forget about the wants, you'll feel better about it later.

Money for Books

 

 

picture from admissions.vanderbilt.edu

I read an article recently about how much college students spend on books. The National Association of College Stores states that we spend an average of $655 on books every year. The fact that books are that expensive is out of hand when college students are already spending tens of thousands of dollars on college. I am lucky this semester, as I only spent around $250 on books. I saved about $70 on books that I didn't need as well, so that helps too. So hopefully, I can save some more money on books next semester.

Paying for Each Class

As I am half way through my first semester at Washburn University, the deadline to drop classes has recently passed. There may have been one class that I have really been struggling in, and now that I think about it, I maybe should have dropped so it wouldn't effect my GPA. According to Bright Hub, the average college credit for in state tuition costs $253. $253 for a single college credit is just ridiculous. So if I would've dropped my class, it would've been a wasted $253 that I spent on nothing. Now I can see why college students sometimes never pay off their debt.

Entertainment Money

After a long span of not spending much of my own money, I started to spend useless money on things I should not have spent money on. I've gone out to eat too many times because I am very tired of the food at the Washburn cafeteria. I also bought some expensive things for entertainment purposes. So I decided to see how much the average college student spends on entertainment. According to the Huffington Post, 47% of students spend less than $25 per week on entertainment purposes. Although, 15% of students admit they spend more than $75 per week. I definitely usually spend less than $25 per month, but every once in a while I fall into that 15% of students.
Photo from cengagebrain.com

Average College Debt: Where Traditional Education Is Today

Here is a quick video for you to watch. Its a nice, short video that really pounds in how much college debt is escalating. Its really sad to see those prices go up so much, but that's just the way it is.


Video by Brett Bouchy

Forgotten Expenses

Its been awhile since my last post, but I have definitely spent quite a bit of money recently. Almost all of it was spent on  clothes and food. During fall break, I went out to eat way too many times in those 5 days, and my bank is showing the toll it took. But in good news, my first financial aid payment has officially been paid. So now I am done worrying about all that business. And speaking of financial aid, there are many costs that are not included that many people should know about. The first is the parking fees that they might not tell you about. Although, here at Washburn they do not have any parking fees. Having fun is another cost that should be considered, because its hard to have fun without spending money, lets be honest. And lastly, traveling should be considered as well. Gas prices are very up and down lately and should always be considered.

Gas Money

I decided to head home last weekend, and I had to spend around $30 of gas money for that. Which is a little disappointing that it had to be like that but I'll admit, I do miss home after a while. That is the only gas purchase I have made yet though. Since I live on campus, the driving is minimal. According to money.cnn..com, the average person spends $358 per month. Obviously I won't be even close to that number since I don't have to drive to class every day. I've lived at Washburn for a little more than a month, and I've spent $30 total on gas. So I think in that department, I'm doing pretty well.

ATM Fees

Its been a month and a week since I started school at Washburn University, and I think its time to start giving some advice on my blog. Don't spend money on useless things that you do not need for college, especially little things that can really add up. One thing that has really hurt me is spending an extra $3 every time I use the ATM, since my bank isn't in Topeka. So I might suggest just using a debit card at all times. I've pretty much wasted $9 using the ATM lately, which is pretty disappointing. So that's pretty much my advice for the day, save that money as much as possible.

Photo from thetrendguys.com

How To Avoid Excessive College Spending

Please, watch this video made by Forbes. Forbes does a great job in this video explaining how much college spending can really cost you. Plus, it gives great advice to avoid small costs that make a huge difference later on when you have to pay it back. Its a short video that shouldn't take up too much time.

Tuition Costs

As I was web searching earlier today, I found an article on money.cnn.com saying the average price of college spending annually has raised 16% from last year. The average price last year was at a high price of $24,164, which includes tuition, room and board, transportation, and all other college expenses. Everyone knows that college is expensive as is, but the fact that it is increasing is wild. Who would've thought a college education would get any more expensive when we are talking about tens of thousands of dollars a year? Its tough to expect to pay that off when the numbers get that high, but it is very necessary to have that college degree. In my case, pursuing an Accounting degree could take 5 years depending on how many credit hours per semester I take. I may have to take summer classes even if I don't have to retake any. Plus, I have to manage the money in my pockets while worrying about paying for college as a whole. College is tough so far, but I believe I can get through with a degree and a job.

Money for Clothes

It's starting to cool down this year, which means winter is just around the corner. I don't have very many winter clothes though because in high school, I didn't need to go outside much. But now that I'm in college, I will have to walk 5-10 minutes to the other side of campus in the, soon to be, below freezing weather. So this last Saturday I went to the mall and purchased 2 pairs of sweatpants for a total of $30, which isn't too bad if I say so myself. According to nacs.org, the average college student spends $69 per month on clothing. But the average male in college spends $90 per month, but for a female the average is $57 per month. Although, the women surveyed often said they plan to buy more clothes within the next three months. I have not and certainly do not plan on spending anymore on clothes. I would go broke way too fast if I did that, being that I'm currently unemployed.

Money Spent on Food

On my fourth post of this blog, I decided to do some research on college spending. I wanted to know what the average college student spends on food per week. On the Washburn University meal plan, we are allowed around $75 per week on food, with a good meal ranging from $6 to $10 each. According to personalfinancewhiz.com, the average American spends $71.25 per week on food. So here at Washburn, we eat a little above the national average. But, of course we have to pay it back eventually. Although, I occasionally eat outside of Washburn to eat different kinds of food, or when the Student Union is closed. This past week I spent little to none of the money in my pocket. So I am minimizing my spending habits more and more. Hopefully I can stay strong throughout the rest of this year.
Photo by eczemadiet.com

Three Weeks In

As I go through my third week in the college experience, I have tried to cut myself off of any unnecessary spending outside of college necessities. The one purchase that really bugs me though, is having to fill up my car with gas, costing me $35 on the spot. Although I don't drive all too much around Topeka, my tank had run out from my last fill up at home that, thankfully, my parents paid for. Last week I had made the statement that I was going to stop paying for food with the money in my pockets. But that didn't work the greatest as my friends always ask me to go eat with them, and of course, I can't say no to that. So in this last week, I spent maybe $20 to $25 on food that I shouldn't have eaten. So hopefully my friends decide to tone it down as well. I have definitely increased my spending at the cafeteria, using my financial aid to pay for that. So finally, I have made small improvements in my spending problems from last week, so hopefully I can eventually completely wipe out my bad spending habits.

Two Weeks into my College Career

It has been exactly two weeks since I have moved in and begun my college career at Washburn University. And I have already found myself spending too much money. I have bought many useless things, including a video game I play whenever I am plagued by boredom. And I will admit I am not regretful for that purchase. Although my very first purchase was buying a basketball for the Rec Center, but I had recently found out that they already have basketballs for us to use. Hopefully I can get my $30 back for the ball, as thankfully I kept the receipt. I frequently find myself eating at restaurants and fast food places spending my own money. Even though I have been given financial aid for food on campus. So in other words, I'm not even using the money I have to pay back after college. Plus, the food at the Union (cafeteria) is great, so I definitely need to get my act together. I recently checked my bank account and realized, I am getting a little low on money. One would say I need a job, but I have already applied for five jobs, and none of them have contacted me back. So that might have to wait for next semester. A positive right now though is my snack situation in my dorm is looking very good, I will not be needing any for awhile. Unless I start binge eating for some odd reason. Looking towards the future, my money spending problem needs to be taken care of and I am very optimistic for that. In conclusion, after my first two weeks of the college life, I have made some poor spending choices and need to tone it down.
Photo by inspirationfalls.com

Hi, my name is Nick Bray, I am currently a student at Washburn University. I am taking a class this semester called Mass Media Boot Camp, which requires me to write this blog. So this blog is intended for all broke college students, to read about my journey through these tough days. My audience shall go through this experience with me if they so choose.
Here is a map, to show where exactly Topeka, KS is and also where Washburn University is as well.
https://www.google.com/maps/place/Washburn+University/@39.0336827,-95.7035544,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m2!3m1!1s0x87bf02c3ad039d95:0xe2cae946c4f8b5c