Kelly Sikkema

Learning to stay on a budget is hard, but saving money is one step easier when you get into the habit. Here are some tips on saving money and making every penny count while avoiding credit card debt.

  • Save on Books and Supplies

Textbooks have been known to be so expensive. Thankfully Gulf Coast has a variety of tools that can help with this. Gulf Coast lets you use your scholarship money on books and materials, but what if you don’t have a scholarship? Some other ways to hold back the high prices are renting or using the book buyback at the end of each semester. Yes, I said that right; Gulf Coast will actually buy back some of your books! If none of those options fit, try renting on Amazon or Walmart for better pricing. Plus, when shopping for materials, you can always look for a coupon code for a good deal.

  • Credit Card Savings

Having a credit card can be tricky and, honestly, scary. First, getting out of high school, we are taught to refrain from owning a credit card, or else we will be in significant debt. This is actually not the case if you know how to be responsible and smart with your choice of credit cards. When starting, you will want to look for a card that gives cash back. Sometimes student cards will do this. Capital one has a good card for this if you are trying to build credit and save money. This card gives you percentages back when you shop online at everyday companies. Using a credit card is intimidating, but using it the right way can help. The first rule is never to spend more than you have. When you first get a card, you never want to go crazy and spend more than you make. You only need to put gas and occasional bills on your card. This will help you learn how to treat a credit card while still earning credit. Just make sure to put what you are spending in your budget to stay on track with paying the card off.

 

About the Author

Abbie Bernelis – Student Writer – Spring 2023