8 tips on how to have money for college and make your dream come true

Here's how to save money for college and start your degree

In addition to planning and studying, one of the main concerns of college entrance exam candidates is how to have money for college.

After all, starting a degree is something that affects your pocket, as this new stage in life requires financial organization for several years.

By the way, we are not just talking about the monthly fee. There are other costs involved, such as transportation, materials, food, books, among others.

For this reason, putting together a financial plan is essential.

And if you want to know what tips we have prepared for you to save money for college and make this important dream come true, keep reading!

How to have money for college?

Entering a university is a big dream for Brazilians.

After all, with a degree, it is possible to stand out in the job market. Furthermore, college is also a personal dream, that is, a life goal!

However, most of the time, it is not cheap, as there are several costs involved. And this is one of the reasons why planning is important!

To make this process easier, here are some tips we have prepared:

1. Cut unnecessary expenses

The first step is to manage your personal finances.

In a spreadsheet, put all your expenses, including the smallest ones.

Financial planning It is one of the best ways to save money for college.

Check for items that can be cut, at least temporarily. If you take a closer look at your budget, you’ll probably notice that there are some unnecessary expenses that can be eliminated or reduced.

2. Make an action plan, values and deadlines

Plan the amounts needed to pay the monthly fee, materials, books and other costs involved.

At first, you might be scared by this account. However, main objective of this stage, is to make a plan with the initial values and also subsequent actions.

In other words, the objective here is to understand how much you will need to start classes and what actions you can take, such as cutting costs, finding an extra source of income, among others.

3. Try to find extra income

Even with planning and cost cutting, you may still need an extra source of income.

And there are several options for making extra income.

One of them, for example, is selling sweets and snacks to sell at work. In addition, working as a dog walker is a good option for those who need extra money and like animals.

4. Sell things you no longer use

How about taking a look through your closet, desk and other places in your home to find items that you haven't used in a while?

If these items are in good condition and you are sure that you will not use them anymore, take the opportunity to put them up for sale. This way, you will get rid of things that you do not need and still earn some extra money.

It could be clothes, sneakers, bags, books and other items that you can sell online, through platforms such as Mercado Livre and Enjoei, for example.

5. Set goals and invest part of your money

Even if the amount is small, the most important thing is to start.

Do you have money left over at the end of the month? Then put it into an investment that yields interest, like digital accounts, such as Nubank or Picpay (digital wallet).

These accounts yield more than traditional savings accounts and offer daily liquidity, meaning you can withdraw the money whenever you need it.

Furthermore, it is also worth starting to study about investments, such as fixed income investments, which offer greater profitability than savings and are also considered safe.

Remember that this planning is for your studies and your future.

6. Have an emergency fund

An emergency fund is essential for your financial security.

Basically, the reservation is a value that you save to use in times of financial hardship.

Unexpected expenses can arise at any time. To prevent them from causing even more problems, it is best to always have some money saved so that you do not need to resort to new loans.

7. Consider extra expenses

It is common for university students to only consider the cost of registration and monthly fees when planning their studies.

However, an undergraduate course involves several other expenses, which must be analyzed and included in your planning.

Other costs need to be calculated, such as:

• Displacement

• Accommodation (if you are going to live in another city)

• Food

• Extra courses and lectures

• Teaching materials

8. Apply for scholarship and funding programs

There are several scholarship programs available that use Enem or entrance exam scores to distribute scholarships.

Already student financing, basically, it works like a loan. The student will sign a contract with an institution, which will pay the course fee or part of it.

Thus, the student acquires a debt and, after completing the course, will need to pay it.

If you have already done the math and decided that the best option for you is currently student financing, you also need to plan.

The financing models vary, but in most cases, you only need to start paying off the debt after completing your degree.

Additionally, depending on the financing program, interest rates and terms may also change.

Before signing any contract, find out about all the conditions, rules and fees.

Conclusion

These are our tips for saving money for college and making your dream of graduating come true!

Financial planning is an extremely important tool for organizing your budget and paying for college.

Creating a spreadsheet and managing your expenses may not be easy tasks, but they are essential to keeping control of your finances.

With this in mind, it is also worth trying to negotiate a discount with the college, or looking for scholarship and financing options!