There are many different events in life that lead people to become independent from getting your first phone, to getting a license and a car, and even just taking your first steps. Each of these events accounts for a new chapter in a life. These new chapters have large benefits and large drawbacks. When you take your first steps you no longer need to be carried around, which means you will be required to walk everywhere yourself, with no help. The biggest of these steps is moving away from home and into a college dorm or apartment. Once you get there you need to figure out how to survive college, and you need to do it fast.
I know that was a very deep (and probably boring) first paragraph. The reason I am blogging about this today is because it is a good starting point for a blog about figuring life out. If you live with your parents, you still have lots of things to figure out, but you always have someone to fall back on and rely on. When you move out, everything changes, and there is suddenly a lot more to figure out than before. One of the things you need to figure out is how to financially survive college. So let’s talk about it!
My Background
I am different from most 18-year-olds who move out today; I am married. This means my experience is going to be very different than what it is for most people. With that being said, there are still lots of similar things that everyone moving out can relate to.
First, I need to provide for myself now. When I was living with my parents, I could expect dinner every night and always supplies for snacks. Now I must buy those snacks, are you kidding me! This is certainly a struggle and takes a lot of getting used to. I go into a grocery store and am immediately drawn to the soda aisle. I am a Dr. Pepper fanboy. I do not see how any other soda comes close (maybe Coke, but good old Dr. P is just better). But once I arrive at the self-checkouts (which are annoying, but that’s a post for another day), I scan everything and realize that I am broke, and buying this junk food is gonna hurt my wallet.
Me and my wife had both been working at a small restaurant in our hometown for a long time. This meant we had a decent nest egg that we could ride on for a few months. But when I started accounting for how much rent I must pay each month, internet and electrical bills, grocery shopping, and gas, I realized our savings might die quicker than I expected. With our nest egg running out, we are quickly figuring out how to get by financially and survive college.
How to Get Started – Survive College
This is a reality for a lot of teens who move out. Lots of us take living at home for granted and don’t realize how expensive living really is, especially if you come from a well-off family. Buying all the stuff that you were used to having in your family home requires having a decent income, something broke college kids don’t have. This is what makes surviving college seem very difficult.
If you are a broke college student reading this just know that not eating out, not getting that morning coffee (make it at home), and not buying things you don’t absolutely need really help out. Just those three things will stretch your funds much farther. For some dorm students, this is easier because housing is paid through tuition. But If you live in your own apartment things are much harder.
My full guide
So here is my full guide to financially surviving college:
- Focus on school if you can, keep grades at a passable level and things will work out.
- If you can balance things, get a job, even if you work only 15-20 hours a week.
- Download a budgeting app. I personally use mint (IOS: https://apps.apple.com/us/app/mint-budget-expense-manager/id300238550. Android: https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.mint&hl=en_US&gl=US&pli=1. ) These are great ways to see what you need to cut spending on, or to see where you can even spend more on.
- Make food and coffee at home. Starbucks and Dutch Bros. are just getting more and more expensive. Making coffee at home saves unbelievable amounts of money. For example, if you spend 5 dollars a day at a coffee shop after a month you spend $155. Image adding that to your bank account every month. Here is an excellent website for homemade coffee recipes to recreate your favorite drink: https://tasty.co/article/michelleno/coffee-drinks-recipes. The same applies to food, it will probably also be better for you.
- Finally, find a passive income source or side hustle. Maybe you got that crappy 20-hour-a-week job you wanted, but you want to make a little more on the side. There are lots of different ways to add some extra income. If you are in a bigger city DoorDash can be a great way to earn up to 25 dollars an hour on the side. Just be sure to track mileage and set money aside for taxes. You can also do dog sitting or dog boarding.
Overall, there are many different strategies to use to try and survive college financially. I will be updating you on the strategies I have been using and how it has been going. Let me know if you have any strategies you like to use. With these strategies, I hope I, and you, can start figuring life out.