General

Creating and Sticking to a Budget in 2021

With a new year, some of you may have set specific financial goals that you are excited to reach in 2021.

However, as you settle in to the routine of campus living (or campus commuting), you may have some unexpected budget stressors threatening to derail your financial goals before the first spring tulip blooms around the fountain.

Whether it be heading home every weekend (hello, gas prices!), grabbing a coffee every morning on your way to campus, or checking out the new Japanese Steakhouse that opened in Huntington over break one too many times, social pressure to spend money can easily mount and lead to financial stress.

Anticipation is key to success! One of the best ways to prevent obstacles is to expect that these random opportunities to spend money are going to pop up and have a plan in place to deal with them when they do.

There are many videos, articles, programs, podcasts, and apps that can help you to track your expenses, set a budget, learn how to manage money, and generate ideas to have fun on the cheap. It is great to have some fun-money set aside, but it is always important that you are spending your money intentionally and are not accidentally derailing your goals.

To get you started, feel free to check out some of these resources as you prepare for this next semester and plan your budget for the 2021 year.

50 Ways to Save Money in College and Maintain a Social Life

Budgeting Tips for College Students

Creating a Budget Step-by-Step

Please do not hesitate to reach out to the Office of Financial Aid any time you have questions! Our office is open for you Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on the first floor of Becker Hall.

See you around The Forest and have a great first week back!