The Student News Site of Utica University

The Tangerine

The Student News Site of Utica University

The Tangerine

The Student News Site of Utica University

The Tangerine

College student credit card debt

Maggie Reid, Staff Writer

 

Money, like time, is something college students seem to never have enough of. Budgeting can be difficult when you suddenly have unlimited freedom and transportation.

Going to the mall and out to eat can be fun until you look at your balance and realize that you’re spending more money than you thought. However, spending too much money now can have a huge impact on ones future.

Good credit is necessary for a lot of things such as buying a house or a car. Most college students like to live in the moment, but living in the moment can cause financial woes in the future.

Sophomore Nikki Zizzo makes sure she doesn’t overspend her money and damage her credit by limiting herself to only 50 dollars a week.

“I budget my money by only spending it on essentials and not by going out to eat often with friends,” Zizzo said.

“I once went into debt without realizing it which made me become more aware of how and what I was spending my money on. You really have to be careful and check your balance. It might suck not being able to go out to eat with friends multiple times a week, but it’s the difference between being or not being in debt,” Zizzo said.

For freshmen, budgeting money can be especially hard. Sarina Cannavo doesn’t own a credit card, but still tries to set herself a budget every month so that she doesn’t run out.

“I have money given to me every month,” Cannavo said.

“It helps because it makes me realize how much I have to spend. I try to make it last, but sometimes it can be difficult. I’m not that great at saving my money, but it helps not having a ton in my account to spend. If I had more money in my account, I would definitely spend it all getting food with friends. Having a set amount helps me budget my money instead of spending it all,” Cannavo said.

Sophomore Courtney Dudzinski owns a credit card, but only uses it occasionally.

“I use it when I’m eating out or filling up my gas tank while I’m home,” Dudzinski said.

“I really don’t know how to manage my credit. For each semester, I put $500 in my checking account. I always spend it on food. It’s really a problem. Having a set amount helps me know when I need to slow down or stop spending completely,” Dudzinski said.

Utica College currently has no service available to help students learn how to budget or manage credit. Make sure to always check your balance before spending and try to set a set budget for every week so that you don’t spend more than is necessary.

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