How to Save Money for College

1. Plan
   If you don’t have a plan, you will end up waiting until the last minute, which will result in less opportunity for money. There are timely scholarships that you may miss out on. Not planning to save will result in not having money for college. This could mean that you can’t go to your dream school or you may have less options on where you can attend.

2. Fill out the FAFSA every year.
   The FAFSA is free and should be filled out every year, despite your income status. Your financial situation may change year after year, so you can expect your financial aid package to look different each year.

3. Apply for scholarships.
   There are plenty out there-through different schools, companies, and communities. Don’t wait until the last minute for this, either! You can start as early as you want and continue to apply throughout college.

4. Sell text books
   You can rent text books to save a few dollars, sell them back to incoming students, or sell them back through Amazon. Find frugal ways to purchase your text books and school supplies. You don’t need any other “hidden fees” that aren’t included in your tuition/Cost of Attendance. Don’t forget to factor books and supplies into your college budget.

5. Get a job
   Don’t hold off on getting a job in your first semester of college. A lot of students wait until later to get used to the time commitments of college-level courses. However, this is counterintuitive. Students should learn what it is like to manage their time with a job on their plate. This actually makes students more productive when they have to learn to section out their time. This also allows them to have more connections and experience, which makes them more marketable for future jobs.

6. Financial Aid Appeal
   Did you know you can appeal your financial aid award? Your original financial aid offer may not be the best offer you can get. You can show a college the FAFSA is not accurately reviewing their financial situation.

The most important thing to know about saving for college is to PLAN! Plan ahead to save and to search for scholarships and budget out. This will save plenty of time and stress later! If this all sounds overwhelming and you don’t know where to start, feel free to reach out to me for questions on great companies that can offer expert assistance for each of these tips.