You Need A Budget

By: Dallas Jones

A common issue for, well, just about everyone is money. The way you handle your money as a college student sets a precedent for how you will do after you graduate and get into your career path, so why not get a jump on how you budget now? It may not work for everyone, but I found the solution to years of stress with budget in a simple program: You Need A Budget.

You Need A Budget, or YNAB, has four very simple rules to follow:
1. Give every dollar a job.
2. Save for a rainy day.
3. Roll with the punches.
4. Live on last month’s income.

This extremely forgiving budget system helps you keep track of every single penny you spend, and how you spend it, without causing undo stress if you go a little over in one area of your budget. They offer a myriad of online classes to help you not only navigate the program, but also give you tips and advice for future budgeting needs. They also send out a “weekly roundup” e-mail (but only if you want it!) containing even more content.

YNAB is wonderful on its own, so much so that it’s one of the few programs I was willing to pay for to help me continue budgeting. Thankfully, you don’t have to! YNAB is a free, yes, free resource for college students.

All you have to do:
1. Send an e-mail to support@youneedabudget.com and include a proof of registration* at your college.
            *Just something that shows your name, the college name, and proof of current enrollment such as a student ID card, report card, transcript, tuition bill or statement, etc…
2. They’ll send you a special license key good to the end of the calendar year.
3. At the end of the calendar year, if you’re still in school, simply repeat Step 1 and they’ll send you a new license key.

Just to tell you how ridiculously simple this process was for me, I pulled out a copy of my Trident student ID card, set it on my leg, snapped a picture with my cell, and sent the e-mail from my cell while sitting in my car between classes. I received an auto-reply message, but within an hour of my initial e-mail I already had my activation key for the program.

While this may not be the perfect program for you, I highly recommend it, at the very least to get you in the right money mindset until you find what works best for you. Happy budgeting!

 

Taxes and Budgeting

By Levena Lindahl

Tax season is often a big deal for college students.  Not only are you heading in to midterms and cramming for tests, you have to make sure you are doing your FAFSA and your taxes too.  It can all be very overwhelming!  (But have no fear! TTC very kindly offers help with your taxes, if you need it.  There are flyers up on campus telling you when and where they will be!)

This time of year is also a good time to start thinking about budgeting.  This is often a fact of life for most college students, the phrase ‘broke college student’ started for a reason.  Instead of running out and spending all of your return on impulse shopping, see if you can save some of your return instead.  Budgeting is a way to save up money for emergencies, for a big purchase you’d like to make, or to go on vacation.  The possibilities are endless; you just have to save first.  

Starting a budget can be daunting, but here are some easy tips you can follow to get started.  And once you get into the habit, you can really start to see your savings grow!

Be Realistic
To start your budget, you need to start figuring out how much money you’ll have coming in every month, and what you think you’ll be spending. Be honest! The more realistic you are about your expenses, the easier it will be for you to stick to your budget.

“Needs” And “Wants” in Budgeting
As a college student, your money’s tight, so it is really important for you to know the difference between “needs” and “wants”.  Knowing this can help you stay within your budget. Remember, needs have to come first, and if there’s money left over in your budget, you can spend the things you want.

Guess Low For Income and High for Expenses
It never hurts to be conservative with your budget, and one way to set yourself up for success is to guess low for income. The reason for this is that you don’t want to be caught short because you were overly optimistic on the money you have coming in.  In addition to guessing low for income, guess high for what you are spending on bills and other expenses.  This way you have a little breathing room in your budget.

Review Your Budget and Adjust if Necessary
A review of your budget every month or so can help you stay on top of your finances. This also helps you see if you are being consistent in what you are doing in terms of spending or saving your money.  Do you overspend? Were you able to save? If so, how can you fix the issue or do the same next month?

Pay Cash
Give yourself a daily, weekly, or monthly allotment of cash, and use it whenever you can. With debit and credit cards, it’s really easy to not really understand how much you are spending, but with cash it’s really easy to see how fast those coffee breaks add up.  This is an easy way to keep an even closer eye on your spending habits.

Forgive Yourself For ‘Splurges’
It’s almost impossible to follow a budget all month, every month. Sometimes unexpected expenses pop up, and sometimes there is that impulse buy that you just had to have.  Don’t sweat it, but don’t let it become a habit either.  

And that’s it!  It really can be that easy to follow a budget!  If you’d like to check out a helpful budget guide, check out this online guide here.

Fun without Funds: Comedy Improv Club 99 Budget Night

From the Theatre 99 Facebook page

By Liz Hair

With the rising costs of everything from groceries to concert tickets, I find it hard to find quality entertainment on a tight budget. Even a movie costs a single person ten dollars and that is before I purchase drinks and snacks.  Fortunately, I stumbled upon a hidden gem for entertainment in downtown Charleston. Theater 99 is a local comedy club right on Meeting Street that serves up plenty of hilarity when funds are scarce. While most comedy clubs charge twenty bucks even for no-name acts and require a 2 drink minimum, Theater 99 offers “Laughs for Lincoln” - a five dollar improv comedy show on Wednesday nights. 

Every Woman Needs a Tool Box

Photo by Graeme Weatherston

by Lisa Kight

The one thing you should know – everything, I mean everything, is fixable. So don’t worry about doing something wrong. There is no wrong, only better. With that said, start by looking around your place. What needs to be done? With a few key tools and a little gumption, you will no longer have to endure an endless litany of excuses when it is time to ask for help. Roll up your sleeves and start your first project with a fearless and positive attitude.

Imagine your honey’s surprise when he asks if you need his help to hang that curtain rod, and you smile and say, “No, thanks. I can do it myself.”

Bow Mania

Provided by author

By Kelly Phillips

Living in the south, we tend to see little girls with sizeable bows in their hair. My mother was one of those women who dolled her little girls in frilly dresses and big hair bows. Now that I’m a mother with two little girls, I see myself doing the same thing. After living in a small town most of my life, I see that great things do come in small packages. Shug’s Southern Bows is a local business that provides more than just a bow. Shug is a southern lady who has a unique style and pride in her work. Having a bow for each outfit can get expensive. So finding a local bow dealer that’s inexpensive with a creative style is a refreshing change on our wallets. 

C of C Athletics Receive an Upper Hand from TTC Massage Therapy Students

Photo provided by Sharyn Nichols

By Jarrod C. Fritz, LMT

Most people are aware that massage therapy is great at relaxing you, but most don’t know that massage therapy can be used in rehabilitation and recovery. The students in TTC’s Massage Therapy Program have learned that massage therapy expedites recovery times and benefits athletes. In October 2011, TTC’s Massage Therapy Student Organization started working with the College of Charleston Sports Medicine Department to help athletes rehab quicker and get them back to their sports sooner, with increased performance.

2011-2012 Pell Grant Changes: How Will You be Affected?

By Taylor Hastings

Federal Financial aid demands are at an all time high, and funding at a low point. In 2011, nine million undergraduate students were awarded Pell Grants. However, Congress voted to change the Federal Pell Grant program for the next year. 

What is a Pell Grant? A Pell Grant, unlike a loan, does not have to be repaid.  The maximum Pell grant for the 2011-12 award year (July 1, 2011, to June 30, 2012) is $5,550.  The amount you receive depends on your financial need, costs to attend school, status as a full-time or part-time student, and plans to attend school for a full academic year or less. A number of students at Trident Technical College receive financial aid in the form of Pell Grants.

Take Our Money, Please: TTC Scholarships

Photo by Stuart Miles

by Roger West

Students now must have plenty of money to devote to the cost of their educations. Why? Because so few students have applied for the scholarships that are available to them at Trident Technical College. It must be a sign that the economy is improving or, better yet, booming. If you are not one of those fortunate students who have their tuition and funding set for next year, then you still have time to complete the scholarship application.

Freshwater Fishing on a Student Budget

Photo by Dino De Luca

By Taylor Hastings

Why fishing? South Carolinians are blessed with a wonderfully tangled web of water and land. Fish is a mainstay in our culture, recipes, tourism and economy. Charleston offers a great variety of fish, temperate weather, and numerous bodies of water. Fortunately, fishing is inexpensive, local, and without a dress code. Charleston’s waterways never close up shop. And fishing can be whatever you want it to be, casual or competitive, enjoyed individually or with your friends and family.  Did I mention it is for women too? Men can no longer keep the fun all to themselves. Fishing is for everyone.

Low Cost Beauty Services on Campus

By Zaneta Kennedy

Did you know that you can get a free or low cost haircut at Trident Tech? In fact, there are several services offered through the TTC Cosmetology Department for less than five dollars.

The Cosmetology Department offers a number of services at the Berkeley Campus: highlights, under-the dryer deep conditioning, relaxers and more. These services are open to the public, and walk-ins are accepted. Sometimes, certain services can be arranged for free if there is a need; contact a cosmetology instructor for more information. To make an appointment, call 899-8052.