Student loans are expensive, and if you absolutely need one, it’s going to feel as if you’re going to be paying this loan back forever.  Thankfully, not all of us college students have to go out, and get a student loan.  If you’re one of the many potential students out there that’s getting ready to fund your education, let me point you in the right direction on how you can go to college without student loans.

• Know your limits: When I say know your limits, I mean know your budget.  You’re going to be a college kid.  This means stay away from the $25,000 car, the fancy clothes, and the fancy dinners.  It’s time to step back, live like a poor person, and apply 99% of your money toward your degree.  Having this mindset alone can get you a far way.
• A job is a necessity: Unless you’re going to mooch off of Mom and Dad, I highly recommend you get a job.  Retail jobs are always out there, and as long as you can run a computer, or learn how to stock, you won’t have a problem getting one.  Use services like SnagAJob that are 100% free, and hook you up with hourly wage based jobs only.
• Research your colleges: A college is just like any other purchase you make in life.  Don’t just choose a college because your girlfriend is going, or because you think it’s “cool”.  You will want a great education, but you will also want to make sure that you’re getting a good deal as well.
• Commute from home: Dorm rooms are expensive, and if you can stay at home, and commute to school, you will be able to save a ton of money.  In fact, this can normally almost cut your bill in half.
• Consider community college: There’s nothing wrong with community colleges, and once you finish up the 2 years, and head to a university, you can save money, as well as get the degree from the major university at a lesser price.
• Find a job that pays: Did you know that there are jobs out there that will pay for your college education?  A while back, I wrote about jobs that help with college tuition.  These companies always change their policy, but make sure you look into some of these, if you can get hired.

Going to college without student loans is very possible, but you just have to have determination, and you have to make it your goal to go without loans.  If you can accomplish this, you will be one of the few that doesn’t have debt straight out of school.

Whether you were already attending college before you had children, or you want to go to college after already having children, it can be difficult.  Your schedule will change a little bit, the stress might be a little more, but it is definitely capable!  Don’t let children be your excuse for not finishing or never attending college.  Several moms are going to college right now and are in your shoes.

You want to be able to support your family better, get a better paying job and have more time and money for your children.  Make them proud and yourself proud by making the step to go to college.

Going to College With Young Children:

Schedule – First of all, you’re going to want to think of a schedule for you and your children.  I highly recommend going to school online.  This allows you to be home with them all day and is a lot more flexible.  Although, if you’re attending campus try to just go two days a week.  Find a sitter for these two days, and you should be fine.

Don’t over do – Make sure you don’t over do yourself.  Don’t take more than 12 credits and just pace yourself.  A steady pace wins the race!  This will also keep the stress down and keep your schedule much easier.

Patience – Have patience with yourself.  Realize this isn’t going to happen all over night.  Have patience with school, your hardest classes, and with your children.

Confidence – You also want to realize that you CAN do anything you want to do.  If you try hard enough you can do it!  Having confidence is important and is needed to succeed!  You and your children will be so proud once you’re done.

Going to college while having children isn’t impossible.  There are several moms that do it, so make yourself one of them as well.  Consider a few of these tips, and never give up until you reach the stage at graduation!

Outcome –

Making the decision that you want to go back to college isn’t easy.  No one really likes college because it just means a lot of homework and money spent.  Although, if you have a good attitude and you can see past that you will see how much your future can benefit from it.  You may feel out of wack, and a little nervous to go back, but really you shouldn’t.  Take a break, get ready, and consider a few of these tips below to get you back into the swing of things.

Credits – First of all, you want to make sure you still have your credits from the past.  Don’t let your counselor forget about the work you’ve already done.  See how much farther you need to go, which ones count and which ones don’t.

Counselor – Talk to a counselor about what you need to take in the future.  It is good to get an outline and some support as to which classes you need to take and which ones you don’t.  This will save you a lot of money, confusion and time!

Remind yourself – Remind yourself why you’re going to college.  Whether it’s to take better care of your family, make more money, or to finally achieve your goals, remind yourself the benefits you’ll have in life.

Do good – Make sure you do good in college.  You don’t want to be missing class, have your grades slip and make going back to college nothing but a waste of time.  Make the best of it, and make yourself proud!

Make friends – Also, try to make friends with people that are your age.  It will be more motivation, fun, and will make your classes a lot easier if you have a study buddy.

If you’re planning on going back to college, be sure to consider these tips above!  Also, make sure you’re really ready to go back.  Have enough money saved, have your lifestyle planned out, and how everything is going to work out!

Once we know someone that is now in their college years, the birthday and Christmas presents get much harder to shop for.  They don’t like the latest toys, the clothes we buy them or the things we think are “cool”.  Instead they have a whole different taste as to what they like now.  If you’re having a hard time finding the right Christmas presents for a college student that you know, consider a few of these ideas below!

Girls:

• Anything that is made is much appreciated.
• A purse
• Perfume
• Their favorite shows on DVD (seasons.)
• Anything from bath and body works.
• Supplies for their favorite hobbies (scrapbooking, soccer, painting, etc)
• A gift card to get their hair done or to go to the salon.

Guys:

• Anything that has to do with their favorite sports teams.
• Anything electronic
• Video games
• Items for their favorite hobbies (football, baseball card collection, guitar supplies, etc)
• Cologne
• Items for their car.

Either:

• Gift cards to their favorite stores, gas cards, and grocery stores are some of the best presents you can give to a college student.  Don’t worry about not being more thoughtful, they like the money they can spend themselves.
• A gift card that can be used at their college bookstore is also much appreciated.
• Clothing that supports their college.

Shopping for college students really isn’t that hard.  Just think of what they like, what their interests are, and look at what they have already.  Or, you can simply ask them what they want.  They will be sure to tell you, just to make sure you get something they like.  Ask for hints or maybe a Christmas list.  If you can’t get anything out of them, consider the items above.  These items are something everyone girl or guy would enjoy.

If you’re looking to find the best deals on these items, be sure to check out Amazon.com.  They are known for some great prices, and can give you even more ideas!

When we’re in college we’re not exactly made of money.  Instead we’re spending money like crazy on college, don’t have time to work a full-time job like we wish we could, and look for more ways to save money than ever.  When the Christmas holidays come up, we shouldn’t dread them simply because of coming up with money for presents, but instead we should enjoy the time with your family and friends.

If you’re looking for ways to find affordable yet nice gifts for your friends and family, continue reading below!

• You should start your shopping as early as you can.  This will help you find the best deals and avoid the weeks where there aren’t that many things on sale.
• Always price compare when you can.  See what the prices are at different stores, and see what the prices are online for the same item.  This will help you avoid spending too much on the presents you want to give.
• Try making as many presents as you can.  These are more meaningful and are known to be even cheaper!
• Check out what the Dollar Tree has.  You may laugh at this, but you will be amazed at what you can find.  Get nice picture frames, set up a gift bag with “spa like” items in it, get your Christmas cards there, and see what they have to offer for just $1.
• Avoid giving out gift cards but instead nice presents that you got for a great deal.
• If you’re really tight on money use your credit card points that you have saved up.  With these, you can get several gift cards or presents through the points you’ve been racking up.
• Check out Amazon.com to get some of the cheapest prices!

Finding affordable Christmas presents isn’t hard to do.  It’s a smart and easy thing to do.  Don’t worry about giving everyone you know a present, but give to those that really mean a lot to you.  Also, consider a few of the tips above to find the most affordable ones!