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There’s a lot to learn as a college student, and not all of it will come from textbooks and lectures. One of the most important areas of learning that is not often part of the standard coursework is personal finance. Learning to manage money during the college years can prevent mistakes that will take years to pay off and help to avoid the financial struggle many students experience during the school years. Here’s 5 ways to be money smart as a college student:

1. Don’t borrow more than you need to. Whether applying for private student loans or federal, don’t try to borrow beyond what you need to pay for tuition, textbooks, and other school related essentials. While the extra money may be convenient, it comes at a price - interest - and that interest adds up quick and significantly increases your debt. When it comes time to pay back that borrowed money, you’ll appreciate your restraint.
2. Avoid the credit card trap. Read the terms of some of the credit cards that you are eligible for as a student without an established credit history or with a credit score that has already taken a couple hits from youthful mistakes. The interest on a balance that is carried can be shockingly high. If it isn’t immediately, just wait ‘till that introductory period is over. You’d be far better off to keep a card for financial emergencies only, and save up for non-essential purchases.
3. Earn some money. Even if a part-time, show up at regular hours, time clock sort of job isn’t practical with your class schedule, you can still devote a few hours a week to making some money. Freelance writing is just one of many options for work that can be done on-line from your dorm room on a flexible time schedule. Having some cash flow is always a good thing.
4. Make a budget and use it. Call it a spending plan if the word budget seems too restrictive. The important thing is to plan your spending so that you are living within your means, rather than adding to your after college debt burden. A smart spending plan that manages to include adding even just a little bit into savings can help avoid the type of financial emergencies that require a credit card and double digit interest to manage.
5. Learn how to get the most out of every dollar you spend. A little time invested in shopping well can save a significant sum of money. Important shopping skills include comparison shopping - don’t buy without checking prices elsewhere - and using unit price information in grocery stores. Sales pages can help you to get great bargains on all sorts of goods, from food to computer equipment. Don’t let gotta have it now impatience make you spend more than you need to. Take the time to shop well.

Developing good money management skills early is something that you’ll appreciate throughout your entire life. Your college years will be less stressful and when the student loans come due, you’ll be prepared. As you move forward in your life and career, these skills will serve you well, helping to ensure that you will be able to get the credit you need, such auto financing, a home mortgage, or a business loan.

For many college students, starting school is the point at which they experience the first real taste of the independence that will come with the adult years. During this time, they often make their first significant financial decisions – meaning those that can impact their adult years, either positively or negatively. Because so many enter into these decisions without a great deal of financial information or experience, mistakes are often made. Here are 7 of the most common money mistakes made by college students today:

1. The school they choose to attend. This is often the first mistake made. Students often pay far more than necessary in order to attend a pricey private institution with a great name when a much less expensive college would provide the education and degree sought in a far more cost effective manner. For many students, it is financially smarter to attend a community or state college at least for the first two years of their education.
2. Poor student loan choices. Students all too often take out larger loans than they need to, unnecessarily increasing the burden of debt they will carry after graduating. Many students also make poor decisions on the use of that interest bearing borrowed money, using it for things other than the school related expenses it was meant for.
3. Bad credit card decisions. Many college students make mistakes from the moment they apply for a credit card. That’s unfortunate, as it is very easy to get into serious financial trouble through the mismanagement of credit cards. Common credit card mistakes include failing to fully read and understand terms and conditions, particularly with cards that have special introductory rates and other perks, not shopping around for the best possible terms and conditions, carrying balances and paying significant interest for non-essentials, and accumulating a debt load without a clear plan for repaying it.
4. Not being proactive in the management of day-to-day expenses. All too often, college students do not devise a budget, nor do they develop the skills that help them to get the most out of the money they do have. Many don’t work towards gaining the discipline to live within their means and spend too much trying to match the lifestyles of those with more cash at their disposal. A solid spending plan that utilizes such skills as price comparison shopping and includes economizing, such as buying used textbooks and cooking at home – which, upon doing the financial math, may or may not be student housing — can do a lot to maintain fiscal health and well-being, decreasing the after graduation debt burden.
5. Failing to understand the future ramifications of present financial actions. Being unaware of the degree to which the financial decisions of today can affect future potentials is an expensive mistake many students make. Poor financial decisions now can damage credit score and history. That can mean that the credit needed in the future – such as a car loan, home mortgage or business loan – will be much more expensive, with higher interest rates and less favorable terms, if it is available at all.
6. Pursuing an advanced degree. Some studies indicate that pursuing higher degrees or even attending college at all can be a financial mistake for some career paths. In some cases, the higher degree may not be a sound fiscal investment when balanced against student loans and their interest and the financial worth of the degree in the real world job market. In other cases, education money would be better spent on a more skill-focused type of program, such as those offered by technical and vocational schools. Running the numbers – the cost, the debt, the return in terms of realistic salary expectations – is essential to making economically solid education choices.
7. Timing school loan consolidation wrong. Some types of student loans offer a lower interest rate during a set period of time immediately after graduation. Many student loan consolidation options take the average of the current interest rates and use those in their overall interest and repayment calculations. Thus, by considering a student loan consolidation program before that low interest period comes to an end and carefully shopping around for the best student loan consolidation options, students can enjoy significant savings.

The transition into adulthood and full independence doesn’t have to be made up of costly financial mistakes that are still being paid for well into middle age. Taking the time to learn how to make smart financial decisions right from the start can significantly reduce the amount of debt a new graduate is faced with and help to reduce the cost of credit during the adult years while helping to make future loans and mortgages more readily available.