College life tells you to 鈥渓ive in the moment,鈥� but in money, that attitude lands you in debt, bad credit, and limited financial opportunities. As a student, I spent money like I was actually making money, treating myself to dinners and shopping on credit because I didn鈥檛 need to repay right away. These financial mistakes caught up with me when I was overwhelmed with debt and stressed out about damage to my credit score, which could jeopardize my chances to get loans, credit cards, even my first job.
College grads must evaluate their budget and what it means to live 鈥渨ithin their means.鈥� Start by having a plan of what you need to purchase before you shop, and bring only enough cash that you鈥檙e willing to spend. Then use my 鈥淟ast Aisle Stop鈥� routine before you hit the cash register: Go through your shopping cart and take out the impulse buys that aren鈥檛 on your list and anything else you can鈥檛 afford. This three-minute strategy saves you from spreading your budget too thin and spending more than you have.
