College is expensive, we all know that; and we all complain about it, but at the same time, most of us don’t do anything to help out with minimizing the costs. I’m not talking about financial aid or loan packages, though: I’m talking about smart spending day-to-day. You can have a huge impact on the personal costs of college if you’re smart with your wallet in the course of your day-to-day life.
Being frugal is a skill that a lot of people talk about, but few practice. My first semester of freshman year, I was pretty loose and stupid with my money. I wouldn’t claim to have been frugal second semester, but I was more responsible with my money. Personal financial responsibility is of the utmost importance in college, especially when you’re spending your own, hard-earned cash. Learn to live well and cheaply at college, and you’ll be golden. Your bank account balance will be much more robust than your friends’, that’s for certain.
This article is the first in a series of hopefully many which will provide insights on how to squeeze every dollar out of your college tuition, how to take advantage of anything and everything that’s offered for free or otherwise on your campus, how to get around cities for free, or almost, and general financial insights from a college student’s perspective. I’ve asked some of my friends from home and from Tufts for their input, and hopefully we’ll see a variety of perspectives and clever financial shortcuts from college students around the country.
Let the penny-pinching begin. Check back in every Friday for a new installment of College on the Cheap, and if saving money day-to-day isn’t enough to ease the financial burden, visit SimpleTuition.com for more advice and to compare and apply for student loans. Cheers!
Lelyn K. Williams
1 year ago
I am interested in working in the poorest of neighborhoods. Under federal grants. Can you direct me please.
Lelyn K. Williams
1 year ago
I am interested in the TEACH Grant Program if it is available.
SimpleTuition
1 year ago
Lelyn, this site should have the information you need – http://www.studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/TEACH.jsp. The TEACH Grant Program requires that you be enrolled in college, and a lot of the work to apply for the Grant is done through your school’s financial aid office. That link should get you on the right path, and then get in touch with a financial aid officer at your college.
Juls Ellis
1 year ago
I am a transfer student who will be a junior this fall. I am 600.00 short for tuition, and have been unemployed (unable to get another job) for the last two years. Are there any other grants I would be eligible for other then the Pell grant (was not offered anything else from financial aid)?
SimpleTuition
1 year ago
You have a few options, Juls. You may be eligible for a state grant. Contact your state’s higher education agency for more information – you can find contact info here: http://bit.ly/bga9d5. You should also talk to your school’s financial aid office and explain your financial situation to them – you might be able to successfully appeal and restructure your aid package to cover that $600 difference. Good luck!
karen colman
1 year ago
Hi, we live in maryland and my daughter is going to Eckerd College in St Petersburg Fl. We did our FASFA and we are getting some money from the school. The total tuition is $42,000. The school gave my daughter $5,000 in a transfer scholarship, $11,050 in a college grant, $4,500 in subsidized loan, $2,000 in a unsubsidized loan and $2,000 in a work study program. This leave her/us with a balance of around $17,000 for the year plus the 6500 we have to pay back in the government loans. Heres our situation. I had surgery last year. I can no longer do the job I had. I have been unemployed for a year now. I did not start to recieve disability checks until January of 2010. They are $1,300 per month. Since I am no longer employed with my company my check are going to discontinue this month. I know when applying for the FASFA your finanical situation does not count. We already have over 70,000 dollars in loans for our oldest daughter besides other finanical stresses. I spoke to the director of finanical aide at her school and she says my husband makes too much money for us to be considered for any other type of helpl. Do you know of anything or anyway that we could get Danielles tuition cost lowered.
John Whelan, Sophomore at Tufts University
1 year ago
Hi Karen,
Eckerd is a great school – I know a few people who are going there and love it. Your daughter must be happy to be going there. There are a few ways to try and lower her tuition cost. Your first course of action should be to appeal your daughter’s financial aid package, even if you have spoken to the director of financial aid. Here’s an article of ours on the process: http://bit.ly/aYhzjL. Contact the Office of Financial Aid and tell them you would like to appeal your daughter’s financial aid award. You’ll have to fill out some forms and show cause that your contribution should be less than the $17,000 it is currently; if you can, they should increase your package. If you appeal and your appeal is denied, that will not affect your current award.
Another option is to maximize free money. Have your daughter hunt for scholarships – here’s another article on that: http://bit.ly/ce0RI1. She could also request a federal work study and get an on-campus job during the school year to contribute – every little bit helps.
Since your oldest daughter already has $70,000 in loans, it isn’t a great idea to take out more loans. Keep pursuing free money and scholarship options as well as alternative means of paying for college before turning to federal or private loans. Good luck!
Terry
1 year ago
My son is going to college this year but has to spend the first semester in an apartment. Financial aid says that my husband and myself make too much money so they only gave my son a unsubsidized loan of 5500 for the year. That does not make a dent in what has to be paid let alone money for his housing. Is there a way to find money for a child that fasfa says his parents make too much (believe me it is just on paper)?
jamie mollwitz
1 year ago
My daughter returned to college after a 7 year hiatus. We told her we could help her for the first year only. She has been struggling to make ends meet to support herself and Her university said they doubted she would receive money from FAFSA because her parents make too much money. I dont understand why she cant get some kind of aid as a 28 year old, who is living on her own. Why would our income be a factor? We are not supporting her. She really wants to continue school this fall but has to have some $$$ help. I dont know what to recommend. Her bank said she couldnt take out a loan for school because she wasnt earning enough money. They said I could take it out and give her the money!!! The whole issue there is, I AM not paying for college anymore so I dont need the LOAN! (She does) Any suggestions??? She needs about $15,000. Tuition, books and college health coverage.
John Whelan, Sophomore at Tufts University
1 year ago
Hi Terry and Jamie,
Terry, I’ll try and answer your question first. If you can provide your son’s school with solid financial proof that you do in fact need more aid money – i.e. your income has decreased, you have lost assets, &c – then you may be able to receive more money in financial aid. However, if that doesn’t work, your son should hunt for scholarship money. Pursue any lead available to maximize your free money. You can also take out a Federal Parent PLUS loan which will be in your name, and is a good option to cover college costs not addressed by financial aid. Look around on our site for loan alternatives, and I hope you’ll find something.
Jamie, since your daughter is 28 and is “living on her own,” she should qualify as an independent. This means she is financially independent, therefore she should qualify for federal aid under her own name. Have her re-file the FAFSA as an independent, and the aid situation should change for the better. We have a few articles on the subject of financial independence – explore the site to learn more about your daughter’s situation.
Good luck to both of you!
GEORGE QUANSAH
1 year ago
I am interested in the TEACH Grant/Scholarships Program if it is available but am a ghanaian and live in ghana to as well.
please can you help me get a Scholarships in your conutry to futher my education
thanks
Shari Pierce
1 year ago
I am in my 40s and would like to pursue a BS degree in Healthcare Administration. Research has found that the 4-year online program results in a cost of 67,000. I am sort of new at this, and wonder how to pursue any sort of grants at my age that might help with this cost.
maegan buckingham
1 year ago
I am Maegan’s grandmother and helped her with finances her first year at
FIMD in California. She is trying very to get the money to finish her second ;year. She does , however want to tranfer to FIT in NYC. She works two jobs and is going to College here in Phoenix taking courses she won’t have to take at FIT.thus shortening her time there. She has such a love of design and fashhion and says she will finish someday. She is 23 yrs old, and so mature. Is there any way for her to get funded. Do to my health and fixed income I am unable to help her now.. My email is wfbmeister@gmail.com
maegan buckingham
1 year ago
sorry mispelled her name
maegan buckingham
1 year ago
She spells her name Maegan, but a lot of her school and work name is Meagan
Gordon
1 year ago
My daughter is a junior in college. Because of her good grades, she was hired by the college to be a tutor. She makes about 500 a month tutoring. Just an idea for others seeking additional money.
Cam
1 year ago
My daughter is interested in the teach grant program and I have done some research it appears she qualifies for the grant, my question is when should she apply for the grant? She is finishing her first semester and is certain this will be her career choice and she is a Spanish Major with a Minor is Special Education. We have talked many times about the fact that if she would change her career choice the grant then becomes an unsubsidized loan which would result in much more debt. Based on my financial situation she really could use the grant money to help out moving forward. I am just not sure if we should have her apply now or wait until further in her education, and if we do wait will the grant become retro active and pick up her schooling from prior to her application for the grant (up to the $4k grant amount). Please advise.
ANGELO
1 year ago
Hello my name is Angelo and I am attending Les Roches I am originally from Guatemala, this two years that I have been here my dad has been paying for them with a loan, but the next two years I am transferring to Kendall and my problem is that most of scholarships, awards, loans are for US citizens and I don´t know where to go to look for non residents options, I am a 3.5 student I am involve in a lot of extracurricular have great recommendations not only for school but also from work. What should I Do?
diana moffitt
1 year ago
@ john whelan — 28 years old means she can claim herself as independent on her fasfa since you no longer claim your daughter on your taxes at that age! Typically a fasfa allows someone to not include their parents income if they are older than 25/26.
G Moore
1 year ago
I want to go back to school for the second degree program to get a BSN and have already been accepted into a program. Any leads on sources of grants or scholarships for a second degree Nursing student? Financial aid only covers about a 1/3 of the cost of tuition. Thank you.