How To Plan Your College Expense Needs For Next Year?

 If we try figuring out the college expense of a today's student, generally only the factor of tuition fee arise in our minds.College expense does not only include tuition fee, many overheads fall under this category for example, 

 1- Books And School supplies that includes course books, notebooks, stationary, book bags etc

2- Media expenses that includes internet connection, a computer and printer, smart phone bills etc

3- Travel expenses that encompasses your transportation cost.

4- Personal expenses that includes clothing and laundry, food, hanging outs and other things you usually spend your money on. The big question is How to manage all these needs with in your budget? The answer is simple.. Planning!  

 By proper planning for your college expense needs, you can control some of these expense fairly.

How To Plan?

Estimating college cost and managing college expenses is a great headache for students these days. 'Planning' is the foremost tool, for it saves you to spend a lot. 

 Let us now take a quick look at few ways about planning your college expense needs for next year!

1. Set Up A Budget:

The most important factor to control your expense is to set up a budget and stick to it. 

 Image Credits: Chanchal Chauhan Via India.com

Having a budget will help you compare your expenses and income and in this way you would be able to spend your money in an efficient way.

 2. Adopt a moderate lifestyle:
 

As they say,

Cut coat according to your cloth.

Adopt your living style as that of a minimalist. You would be able to save your money this way up to great deal only if you learn to separate your 'wants' from 'needs'! 

3- Cook your own food:
 

No, it's not always necessary to eat out. Many college students adopt this habit of hanging out. They can be found at coffee shops after every class or meeting up with friends for a burger of pizza.

If you really want to be efficient your money, start cooking your own food, not only it's going to help you save money you will be able to plan your meals and hack your meal plan ;) 

 4- Manage your textbooks:
 

One of the BIGGEST college expenses - Textbooks!

Every student gets worried about their expensive textbooks once the semester starts and you have an assignment due and of course one demanding professor on head . Well here you go a few tips,

1- Rather than buying all the books, you can look for PDFs of books and download them.

2- Visit the campus bookstore at the start of each semester. Well you can make copies of the chapters or scan the pages you need.

3- Keep an eye for books in used bookstores, this can help your massive amount of money.

4- You know what you can also look for online books that are available for free. Don't believe me? Have a look on one of the best sites in this regard:

BooksBoon:

Offers a WIDE variety of Free E-books and Textbooks on EVERY subject! What else do you need?

BoundLess:

It has a HUGE catalog of Free Textbooks to offerBottom Line?

Yes, college is expensive but once you learn the art of money management, you can enjoy your college life without graduating with an abundant debt on your head! 

So you have read it all along so why don't you share it with your fellows too? They might be struggling with their college expenses and can use your help there! so Voila don't be envious and let your friends know too these little life hacks to help them survive their college.I hope you have found this piece useful. Let me know your views :)

This article was originally posted on BitLanders by me:

https://www.bitlanders.com/blogs/how-to-plan-your-college-expense-needs-for-next-year/5630360