It is very common for college students to get themselves into a large amount of debt.  We’re not just talking about college student loans but that average daily spending that is done.  If you’re afraid this may be you in the future or you want to teach your college student the importance of debt prevention, now is the time to review.  Below are some ways to keep yourself saving money for the future and avoiding debt entirely.

Get a job – First of all, every college student should have a job without question.  You can still go to school full-time and work even 10 hours a week.  Just make sure you’re bringing in some type of income even if it is little.

How much money do you make? – Sit down and write out how much money you make.  Write out a minimum per week and a maximum per week and divide the two to find an average amount.

Save – Next step, you should always save at least 10% of each paycheck and put it into some type of savings account.  It may not sound liked a lot of money but trust me, it will add up over time.  You should treat each 10% like a bill.  Make it a must and a habit so if you don’t you will feel guilty.  Also, putting in more is even better, do as much as you possibly can, yet nothing under 10%.

Bills – Now, sit down and write out every single bill you have to pay.  This means rent, cell phone, car insurance and so on.  This should be every bill that would get you in trouble if you don’t pay, not like gas since gas can be different each week.  Now find out a total of how much you have to spend each month.  Now you may have some money left over.  What are you going to do with that money?

Left over – You now have money left over, where are you going to spend it all?  Does most of your money go towards the mall, car accessories, or unnecessary things like getting your hair and nails done?  Find out where the majority of your money goes and think if it is really worth it.  This means stop going out to dinner 3 times a week and spending $10 a plate, or stop driving so much so you can save on gas.  These are all unnecessary.  Yes, it is good to have fun but you can also have fun without blowing a ton of the money.

Alternatives – Keep yourself busy, having fun and healthy by doing outdoor activities.  Instead of going to the movies for $10 a ticket, buying popcorn and pop go to the park/beach with some friends and go bike riding or something.  Or have movie night at someone’s house every week for $2 a person.  There are always alternatives to saving money!

If you’re really looking to save your money, avoid debt and still have fun, be sure to consider these ideas!  They really work and are keeping people like yourself debt free!