Financial empowerment coach Ash Exantus from BankMobile helps parents gear up for back to school with an eye of on savings.
1. BUDGET WEEKLY: Although it might be hard, this a very simple way to have some extra cash on you by the time Friday rolls around. Each Monday, make yourself a list, and include everything that is a NEED for the week. Having all your expenses written out will really help you prioritize.
2. BOOK SMART: There is always a smarter way to go about buying/selling your books. When you get back to school, try to sell your text books from last semester and use that extra cash towards the new semester. Regarding books you’ll need for your courses, be sure to wait until the first day of class to see if the book is actually a requirement—a professor’s syllabus may say you need it when really you don’t, so be sure to ask around. And lastly, don’t rely on the campus book store, instead try sites likeBookbyte.com where you can sell, rent or buy your books for the semester.
3. STUDENT PROMOS: Be on the lookout for deals advertised on campuses that are targeted towards students. Many local establishments will give deals to students, such as buy one sandwich, get one free. Even international clothing stores such asTop Shop give 10 percent off all year round to students. You can even sign up forStudent Advantage a service provider that connects colleges, universities, and local and national business partners together to provide one system of saving for students.
4. TRASH TO TREASURE: Been meaning to clean out all that old stuff in your room and haven’t gotten around to it? Well here’s a great incentive for you—sell it! Make some extra bucks by going to stores such as Plato’s Closet and sell those old clothes that you just don’t wear anymore. Craig’s List and ebay are also a great go to when you need to sell your furniture at the end of the year, or that television that just won’t fit in your car.
5. BANK SMART: Sometimes you might be hesitant to open up an account at a certain bank because it may only be located in your college’s town, and not in your hometown. No need to stress about that. Open a free checking and savings account with BankMobile, America’s first fee-free mobile bank. Now that BankMobile has acquired High One’s Disbursements business they will now be saving college students over $70 a year in fees! To become a BankMobile customer, simply download BankMobile’s mobile banking app right from your smartphone or tablet to start banking from anywhere. Need to take cash out? No problem—BankMobile offers access to over 55,000 surcharge-free ATMs nationwide.
