I think one thing everyone can agree on about college is that it is expensive. From books, to food, to the freedom of being able to blow money on whatever you want, college is the pricey experience of a lifetime. After blowing through thousands of dollars freshmen year I learned it's extremely important to have a budget to help guide yourself and your purchases throughout the year. When setting up your budget though, many things should be taken into consideration:
-How much money do you usually live off of?
-Are you saving up for anything?
-How much income do you expect to have per month?
By taking these things into consideration you can set up a realistic budget for yourself that will help you from going broke throughout the year.
Now how should you keep track of your budget?
I've found it beneficial to keep every transaction I make in a spreadsheet. You can enter formulas into this to keep track of your bank account and to also figure out how much money you can allot yourself per month.
Make yourself a spend plan by breaking down what expenses you usually incur. Things like gas, food, shopping, and income should be taken into account. So, if you know you plan to purchase a plane ticket for a spring break trip, then your March spend plan should take that into account.
Making sure that you have money set aside for these things will ensure that your budget is realistic. For example, a person who goes out to eat a lot should probably not plan to only spend $25 a month on food. A budget is important, but if you can't stay within the guidelines you set yourself- then it has no purpose!
All in all, your budget should be tailored to your lifestyle.
There's no doubt that these will be the best years of your life- but they don't have to be the most expensive!