A College Student’s Guide to Credit Cards, Coupons and Freebies

Most students in college are broke. This is a fact. Don’t believe me? Go up to one of them and ask them for a dollar. The common response you will get is a “no”. Why? Because college students are broke as hell. Even if they did have a dollar they would not give it to you because they need to spend it on stupid things like playing “Dance, Dance revolution” or purchasing fire crackers from Mexico to scare the crap out of their room mates.

The ones that do have money in their pockets are swimming deep in credit card debt and would be happy to give you a dollar because they are unaware of the interest rates piling up along with the expenses that they paid for with non-existing cash.

Once again, most students in college are broke. Why? It is because they spend their money on things that they do not need. It is the simplest explanation: Compulsive Consumerism, people confusing their wants for needs and purchasing items that they do not need or will ever use. This is guide is meant to help students enjoy their college years without ending up in debt for the rest of their lives.

College Students and Credit Cards

Like I said before a lot of students have credit cards and are spending money they don’t have. If you spend money you don’t have and don’t pay off you’re credit card bills you will end up with a degree and a big debt for the rest of you’re life. So if you do have a credit card I suggest either not using it or using it only for emergencies. If you don’t have a credit card and are considering on getting one it is best to try to get a Student Credit Card. This way your limit is usually around $500 and that way you won’t get yourself in debt. Another thing about credit cards is that if you use the card YOU should pay your bill every month so it won’t collect interest.

Coupons

A lot of students forget how helpful coupons can be especially when purchasing food items like pizza. Coupons are not only helpful but easy to find. Usually they are in the mail, newspaper, or even on the internet. Using coupons can save a lot of money especially at grocery stores that over a discount card as well. So you are not only getting the discount from the card but also from your coupons. The best coupons are the ones that say buy one and get one for free or the ones that can save you $.50-1.00.

Entertainment

A lot of students spend a lot of money on going out to the movies, arcade, and etc. This is fun however it can rack up a lot of dollars. When going out to places always ask if they offer a STUDENT DISCOUNT or STUDENT SPECIAL. Some places may not but I assure you that many places do especially the movie theaters.

Budget

Now you’re parents might have told you this many times but maybe you didn’t quite hear them when they said it. Students should make a budget for themselves either on a weekly basis or a monthly basis. This way you will know how much you are going to spend so you won’t go over your set limit.

Look for Freebies

Many schools offer freebies to their students. These freebies may be things like school events, festivals, live music, comedy shows, and FREE FOOD. Freebies are always nice because well it doesn’t cost anything to you.

Save your Change

Any extra change or dollars you have should go into either a savings account or a jar. No matter what method you choose always save a little and in the long run you will accumulate a lot more.