New School Year: How To Get Your New College Student Ready
As the new school year gets closer, perhaps you’re trying to get things ready for your son or daughter to go off to school on their own for the very first time.
This can be a fun time for the whole family! It can also be overwhelming. We’ve put together some simple tips to help you save money and keep things manageable so you can enjoy the time with your family instead of stressing.
Don’t Buy New!
Let’s face it, dorm rooms are small and usually ill-equipped, but that doesn’t mean you need to go buy everything new for your college student. After 4 years and likely a lot of moving around, good furniture won’t be in good condition anyway, so save yourself the expense and go for some less costly options.Try resale shops and charity stores to get household, storage, or organizing items. You can often find really good deals on barely-used items! If you can’t find something used, try discount or less expensive options like Ikea, Walmart, or Target.
Teach Them to Budget!
Your student is going to be on their own, likely far away from family, for at least 4 months at a time. They’re going to need to know how to handle money, responsibly! If they have a job while they’re going to school, this is even more important. It’s also critical for you as the parent. If you and your student have credit cards in both your names, which are great for emergencies, you want to trust that they will use them only for approved expenses or TRUE emergencies. A midnight pizza craving is NOT an emergency!Set aside time to teach them about budgeting and what your expectations are. What expenses are YOU covering? What will they be responsible for? These are things that need to be made clear. These skills are invaluable. You’re giving them a life tool that they will be able to use over and over and over again. Remember to go over balancing their checking accounts on a monthly basis too! It may just save your pocketbook a time or two as well.
Time Management
If you haven’t already talked about managing time, this is something that needs to be discussed before your student goes off to school. It’s easy to get distracted by sports, events, parties, and general campus activities, but it’s important that your student knows to plan time for studying and homework. It’s important to remember to allow time for regular meals too! By talking with your child now, you can hopefully prepare them for what college life will be like and help save yourself a lot of headaches later when grades come in.
Keep In Touch!
Just because they are going away doesn’t mean they or you need to lose touch. Discuss how often and the best method for both of you to communicate. Daily texts, weekly phone calls or skype dates can keep everyone informed yet foster independence. Your job is now to provide guidance so your young adult can learn to handle life on their own in a supportive environment. They will learn to book appointments and handle issues on their own but at least you’ll be available to help if the need arises.Until next time – Keep It Simple!
