October is half way done and final exams are just around the corner. While you study hard, don’t forget to take a minute to think about the upcoming spring semester and what types of financing you will need to make sure all your expenses are covered. Here are four quick tips to make paying for your next semester of college easy.

1.     Determine your TOTAL college expenses – Remember that this includes more than just tuition and fees. Be sure to include textbooks, materials, housing, food, travel, and entertainment for a realistic look at what college will cost. This total is what you must budget for.

2.     Simplify Expenses to Go Back to School – If you already have credit card debt, try to get this paid off as soon as possible. Try to lower all additional expenses as well because if you are attending school on a full-time basis, you probably won’t have much income during the semester. You don’t want to be using your student loans and financial aid to be paying off other expenses such as credit cards or car payments. Be smart and simplify your financial obligations.

3.     Know Your Expected Contribution to the Cost of College – The amount you need to borrow to cover the cost of your college education varies based on the amount the federal government says you can pay and, in reality, how much you have available. The government will use the information you provide in your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) to determine your expected contribution. That amount is subtracted from your cost of attendance and the remainder is considered your financial need.

4.     Control Your Student Loan Debt – If you’ll need to borrow to cover college expenses, always keep track of how much debt you are accumulating. Borrow as little as possible and ONLY as much as you need. Remember that you’ll have to pay these loans back with interest so your monthly student loan payment should be figured into your post-college budget.