So after this week, I’m actually feeling a little bit guilty.

But probably not for the reasons you’re thinking. No, I didn’t go on a major shopping spree. And yes, I did actually manage to balance my checkbook. I’ve even been keeping track of my purchases, but the thing is, since it’s winter break post-holidays and high school reunions, I’ve spent pretty much this entire week watching Netflix, reading The Hunger Games, and sleeping until noon. So I haven’t actually been spending all that much. And it’s made for a pretty easy week. I didn’t even have to buy the sequel to The Hunger Games because Amazon prime members can now borrow digital editions for the Kindle for free. (Have I mentioned how much I love Amazon lately?)

So tracking my expenses hasn’t been all that difficult. But something tells me that next week, when classes start up again, and I’m doubling my caffeine, going out with friends who are back in town, and walking by stores on my way to and from class, my tracking of expenses will become a bit more strenuous. Read More »

Most of the time, I’d like to think I am a pretty diligent person. I know how to take control of a situation, to figure out the problem and fix it. And I know how to do all that in a neat, orderly, color coded and filed sort of way. I don’t ignore things and I don’t have other people handle my problems for me. I take control and I get things done…with one notable exception.

My finances.

Maybe it’s because I’m the daughter of an investment banker. Maybe it’s because I had a job that paid well throughout my college career. Maybe it’s because I’m more of a words person than a numbers person. Or maybe it’s because I just can’t resist the urge to splurge on a new pair of boots, but financial matters have never been my thing.

Now, I’m not in any crazy sort of debt (unless you count looming post-grad school loans). And it’s not that I spend my money that irresponsibility. I just spend without thinking. And I spend without needing. So I don’t always know where my money goes. I know I have it, and then I don’t, and I have a rough idea of where and when it disappeared, but I’d like to change that. I’d like to keep track of my money and my spending habits and also take control of them. I want to figure out which ones are good, and which ones are…not so good, which ones I should keep, and which ones I should cut out. And I’d like to do so before I move onto a job that doesn’t pay by the hour. Read More »

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It should be no surprise to my fellow college students that I’m broke. We all are. So it’s also no surprise that my boyfriend is too. But sometimes this little fact of life can get in the way of our relationship. It’s hard to have spectacular dates when your electric bill is past due, and you can’t really expect fancy anniversary presents when you’re digging into the couch cushions for gas money.

Sometimes this can get a bit stressful. No one likes the feeling of being in debt, it’s emotional, so naturally when the subject of money comes up in a relationship, it’s bound to start some fights. Matt and I have gotten into plenty and it’s mostly because he gets about 4 times the amount of financial aid that I do. How is it fair that we split things evenly if he’s got more to spend than me? And if he’s got more, why isn’t he offering to do more?

And so the fight begins.

The best thing that I’ve learned from those types of fights is that you should sit down, actually talk about your finances and try to find a balance. For me it was accepting the fact that I just don’t have as much money for Matt, and he agreed to divide up the expenses accordingly. I always hated asking Matt for money and it’s much easier now that we’ve sorted everything out and have an understanding. Read More »

We hate to be bearers of bad news, but it’s August — meaning the glory days of sippin’ summer cocktails and rapidly developing skin cancer at any locale offering a mid- to large-sized body of water are, unfortunately, coming to an end. We know it’s hard to snap out of the beach-bum mindset, which is why we’ve got you covered with a checklist of things to do before full-time academia is back in swing.

Beautify. Nothing like cruising into a new semester of classes feeling like hot sh*t. Book your appointments early for those caterpillar eyebrows, exposed roots, and crusty feet.

Prepare for potential hanky-panky. (Yep, I did just call it hanky-panky.) Visit to the gyno? Check. Birth control stockpile? Check. Brazilian wax? Check. Stop trying to salvage period-stained panties — as my motto goes, new school year, new lacy underthings.

Buy new dorm / apartment / house décor! Draw some inspiration from Apartment Therapy and go to town. May we suggest wall decals, some choice picture frames and scented candles?

Pick up a new planner. Steal one from freshman orientation if you have to, and then neatly pencil in important dates (your boyfriend’s grandmother’s birthday, any club meeting with free food, the three-year anniversary to the day you got your v-card swiped, etc.) There’s nothing quite like touching a spankin’ new notebook — devoid of uncompleted to-do lists — for the very first time. Read More »

You might think Small Claims Court is only for trashy folks on Judge Judy, but when you’re a college student with little power, it can be easy for someone to blindside you by taking advantage of you (and your finances) when you least suspect it. That actually happened to me, when I was subletting from a psychopath who decided to change the locks on me one day and keep my entire rent check (it was the first week of the month when I was forced out) and my security deposit.

If I thought I was shocked when I was suddenly barred from my own home, I was even more surprised when I learned the ropes of actually going to small claims court. Why does this lesson fit into Money Matters? Because you actually have to spend quite a bit of money if you want to get what is owed to you in the long run.

In order to file your claim, you will need any articles of evidence pertaining to your case. Any contracts, agreements, or legal statements should be compiled and photocopied. Then you will have to pay a fee just to have your case processed. For me, I had to pay to get several of my documents photocopied, and then cut a check for $100 to the court just to proceed. $100 when I was already out over a grand. Still, at that point, it had become a pride issue, and I wasn’t going to let this snake take advantage of one more poor, naive girl.

Depending on the rules of your particular state, you may also have to pay for an officer to personally deliver the small claims summons to the other party. The problem with that is that the officer can only try the house so many times before all of your paperwork is returned to you, with a stamp that reads “Undeliverable.” So I had to try again. After the second set of docs was returned, I found my villain’s work address (ironically, he was a bank teller) and the po-po brought his small claims summons to the bank where he worked. Read More »

The economic crisis has not stretched my wallet to the breaking point just yet, but our intelligent President-elect does say that it’s going to get worse before it gets better, so I’m not about to dole out any more than I have to on holiday gifts this year.We all know the traditional ways of saving money on gifts (knitting scarves for everyone on your list, offering homemade coupons or baked goods in lieu of actual presents, etc.). But what if you do want to get actual gifts for people without going bankrupt? Try these hot tips to save some moola while doing your shopping.

Tip 1: Search/Clip Coupons

I ordered my dad $30 worth of merchandise from Land’s End the other day and almost had a heart attack when I saw that the shipping was $8. Let’s get real here—it does not cost $8 to send two turtlenecks via 7-day delivery. In my incensed state of rage, I went to Google and typed in “land’s end coupons”—and lo and behold, a page with a free shipping code on it popped up.

Deals like that are only a few clicks away, so make sure to search every time you buy something online. If you prefer to do your shopping in the flesh, cough up a few quarters for the Sunday paper and comb all the ads. You can clip coupons from there and learn about the hot sales going on near you. It takes extra time, but you’ll make up for it in extra money. Read More »

[College kids are notorious for being poor. And why shouldn’t we be? We take out student loans to pay for private universities, can barely balance a part-time job with our full-time courseload, and the only “balance” we’re familiar with refers to the number of points left on our dining hall cards. Oh, did I mention many of us tend to splurge every extra penny on PBR’s at the campus bar?

If you disagree with everything I just said, you probably don’t need this column. But if you’re nodding along because you’re officially an adult and still don’t know how to manage your money, then you might want to pay attention every week, because I’m going to (try to) get you through this, and make you a successful saver and a wise spender.]

Congratulations! You’ve got a job! You can start making money… and the government can start taking money from you!

On your first day at a new job, you’re going to get slapped with a stack of paperwork: company handbook, sexual harrassment awareness statement, and, of course, the W2 form. How many of you have snuck into the bathroom to call your parents and ask them WTF to write in this form? Yeah, me too. Here is everything you need to know:

The W2 determines how much money in taxes will be taken out of your paycheck. Typically, dependents have the most taken out, independents are somewhere in the middle, and people who have dependents have the least. Usually, college students are either “dependents” or sole “independents.” If your parents claim you as their dependent, they are basically telling the gov’t that they support you; therefore, the gov’t sees your wages as extra cash, and will take more money from you. If you are independent with no one to provide you, the tax form says (in layman’s terms) that you are responsible for living expenses (rent, utilities, tuition, etc), but don’t have to spend your money on anything else. Read More »

[College kids are notorious for being poor. And why shouldn’t we be? We take out student loans to pay for private universities, can barely balance a part-time job with our full-time courseload, and the only “balance” we’re familiar with refers to the number of points left on our dining hall cards. Oh, did I mention many of us tend to splurge every extra penny on PBR’s at the campus bar?

If you disagree with everything I just said, you probably don’t need this column. But if you’re nodding along because you’re officially an adult and still don’t know how to manage your money, then you might want to pay attention every week, because I’m going to (try to) get you through this, and make you a successful saver and a wise spender.]

Everytime you whip out the plastic at the grocery store, liquor store, or gas station, the cashier asks automatically, “Credit or Debit?” It’s a simple enough question, though to many, it may be redundant. I mean, who cares what type of card it is as long as it buys you a pack of smokes, a 30-pack, or a week’s worth of Ramen Noodles?

There are a lot of pros and cons to using both credit cards and debit cards, and many people adamantly side with one form of plastic or another, much like people adamantly side with either Obama or McCain. Personally, I’m a debit kind of girl. My brother, on the other hand, swears by credit. What gives?

A debit card is like your plastic checkbook. You might not need cash in your hand, but you need to have the funds in your bank account to make a purchase. A credit card, however, lets you splurge now and pay later– even in small monthly increments. In this case, the credit card may SEEM like it has its advantages, because you can pay for your spring break trip now, and spend the next three months waiting tables to pay for it. Read More »

If the last time you opened up your checkbook to track your expenses was around the same time you snuggled up with your parents to watch a Disney VHS… well, then, maybe you need a little help.

Balancing a budget is the kind of thing that everyone hates, but we all know it’s necessary. Especially now. While the economy crumbles around us. And our money disappears.

Unless you are truly loaded and/or naturally meticulous, you could probably use a few tips to help you get your stash of cash in order. So read on:

1. Save your receipts.

That’s right… all of them. This might sound unnecessary, but it’s really important. If your bank statement comes and you find something on it that isn’t right, you’ll need those receipts to prove your point and get your money back. After your statement comes, you probably won’t need the receipts anymore, so you can get rid of them then.

2. Write stuff down in your checkbook.

Every time you make a purchase with a check or your debit card, write it down! That means you’ll have to keep your checkbook with you almost all the time, which can be annoying, but it’s worth it. (Not only does this protect you later, but it also forces you to pay attention to your spending!) Keep a separate list of your credit purchases. Write down the date of each expense and its exact amount. Then…

3. Go over your bank and credit statements.

As soon as you get those statements, bust out the checkbook and your credit list and compare each transaction, cent for cent. If there are any discrepancies, consult your pile of receipts (which you could neatly store in a box by date… but OK, that’s not entirely necessary). Talk to your bank or credit company about incorrect charges. Finally… Read More »