This post is part of the freshman finances series, a series of articles that are related to student finances. Read all parts of the series here.
It is back to school time! 
This is a new phase; beginning of a new life, stepping stone for a great career! What lies ahead is a life full of possibility! It will be exciting, challenging, fun-filled and also – overwhelming. College doesn’t just train one for a career, it also trains and positions a person well for their financial future. The financial decisions you make in school can have a great impact on how your life will be after graduation. There are a LOT of choices and lures with respect to handling finances in school. Starting from opening a checking account, budgeting for weekend fun, financial aid, internships… every step of the way there is some financial decision waiting for you! It is important to start right so that you can continue to stay on track even after graduating. You don’t want your salary to go to the bank for debt repayments, do you? It would be much better to put them to use for YOUR financial independence. Plant that financial seed and lets start right…
What is included in this series
Through out the next month, I will writing a series of articles related to student finances. The topics include -
- Financial plans and goals
- Best checking & saving account for students
- Starting and maintaining a fun budget; along with a simple budget spreadsheet
- Organizing the student financial chaos
- Identity theft
- Credit history and credit scores for students
- Scams targeting students
- What to do to land the best job even before graduating
- Student credit cards
- Student discounts
- Frugal fun ideas
- Living well on a small budget
- Investing 101
- Student travel on a budget
- Simple finance resources and books for students
- Web 2.0 for finances – using online & mobile banking and budgeting tools
- Living on your own – first apartment. What to look for?
These are the topics I have in mind so far. I will probably add more career articles, frugal entertainment and fun articles to this list as I go through the series. If you want something included please drop me a line, I will include it in this series.
Why should I care?
The financial decisions and the habits we develop during the college years serve as the foundation on which we build our financial future. Do you want to start your journey to realize your goals and vision without being pulled down by the debts? When you start right, the journey will be much easier. When you know how to control your money and manage it, you will have enough time and energy to follow your dreams! You don’t want to be like these guys – Hernan Castillo is treading water, trying to survive under the weight of $5,200 in credit card debt and $30,000 in student loans or college students majoring in credit card debt … Do you?
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Great idea to write about this. My greatest financial mistakes occurred in college (couple of overdrafts, withdrew money from my credit card, put some grad school charges on my credit card.) Had I known about better resources and not just taken the ‘easy’ way out, I may have made better decisions.
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