Congratulations! You have taken action to get your financial life in order. Whether your goal is saving, budgeting, investing, or repaying debt, the good news is that you started. As you begin your journey in achieving your goals, it can be difficult to stay committed and motivated consistently...

In an age dominated by social media and keeping up with the latest trends, it is easy to overspend on “wants” and ignore spending on “needs”. It doesn’t help that advertisements are constantly being viewed while using social media. For example, Instagram has integrated a “shopping” tab within the...

First of all, congratulations on graduating and being successful in your job search. That is a big deal and deserves to be acknowledged. There are some key points that can help make your career a little more rewarding, and one of those is through negotiation. That word draws many different feelings...

Most of us college students live on a budget. We plan for our known expenses such as groceries, utilities, rent, textbooks, entertainment, and more. While it is easy for us to plan for those known expenses, we often tend to forget about unexpected expenses. Unexpected expenses are any potential...

It is no surprise to anyone that college costs a lot of money. Some ways are obvious, while other costs are more subtle.  Knowing about the various costs that come along with college, as well as the financial benefits, can help a prospective student become prepared for their college years.   ...

If you have ever created a tentative NEEDS budget, it might be likely that you have some spending cash left over. It could seem tempting to spend it all at once and live paycheck to paycheck,...

Being in college is exciting. Learning things that you want to, socializing with new people, going out to eat, etc. All of this comes with the freedom of being independent. Parents are not there to tell you what to do. Sounds great, right? With this newfound freedom comes financial responsibility...

Life after college can be overwhelming as graduates begin their careers and start to face new challenges such as repaying their student loans. There are different repayment plans one can choose based on the type of student loan(s) one takes. Once you identified the type of loan, whether it is a...

Preparing for graduation can be extremely stressful. Students can easily be so distracted by the present that they don't plan for what is going to happen after graduation. There are many things to think of when preparing for graduation. Here is a list of things that could be beneficial: Look for...

Many students tend to struggle with whether they should live in university housing or on-campus apartments. Now, I would like to provide some pros and cons of living in these two types of housing, based on my experience living at University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. First, let’s talk about...

Time is a precious asset, especially for any person looking to invest or put money away for retirement. Many people may not realize just how important and simple using time to their advantage can be. Time value of money and compounding interest are two important factors to consider when using time...

There are many ways to have fun while staying safe and healthy during the pandemic without spending a lot of money. A few of my favorite activities to do are crafts, exercising, playing games, watching movies, and spending time with family and friends. There are many things to do, alone or safely...

These days, a cell phone is an essential to many people. Cell phones can help you contact people in a hurry and can help you keep in touch with friends and family. However, there is no secret that cell phone plans can be an outrageous expense every month. After paying all other utility, housing,...

Building good exercise habits leads to a better physique. The same is true for financial health and well-being. It doesn’t matter if you’re a millionaire or a broke college student; the better your financial habits are, the more financially secure you’ll be, and the more freedom you’ll have in how...

One of the most stressful things about college is determining which housing best suits you.  As a student, you have to pick between living in certified university housing or an apartment. If you have chosen to live in an apartment, now what do you need to consider? Looking at apartments can make...

If you plan to go to college, you are likely going to take out some amount of student loans. For many individuals, the process of obtaining and owning these loans can be stressful and confusing, possibly a necessary evil to get a college education. However, this debt can be used for good purposes....