5 Ways To Tackle Your Post-College Money Troubles

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After four or more years of college, the transition into the real world can come as a bit of a shock. Between your student loan repayments, navigating new living costs and a social life to keep up, you could soon find yourself experiencing money troubles post-college.

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To help you manage your finances and still enjoy your post-college experience, here are five ways to manage your finances after leaving college.

1. Stick to a budget
Budgets are boring. Unfortunately, they’re almost an essential when it comes to navigating those first years after college. With a limited income coming in and a lot of outgoing to get used to, you need to start the next chapter of your life right. Fill out a budget template for new graduates and get a grip on your finances before they spiral out of control.

2. Clear your debts in a manageable way
Dealing with student debt can be stressful, especially if you have multiple debts from credit cards, student loans and overdrafts. With rent to make and other bills to pay, it’s no wonder that so many graduates end up moving back home after college. It always makes sense to tackle the debts with the highest interest rates first to avoid paying more back overall. By using a service like refinancestudent.loan, you could save money on your student loans and reduce your debts. If you are having major debt issues, speak to your parents or seek advice from a debt management charity – there’s help available to you to make sure that you don’t suffer alone.

3. Be more frugal

While you’re waiting for your big break, it doesn’t hurt to be frugal with your spending. Cutting down on your grocery spending, setting yourself a spending limit on nights out and cutting down on Ubers and cabs will make your money stretch further so that you’re not counting the pennies at the end of the month. Put those extra savings away so that you’ve got a rainy day fund should you ever need it.

4. Reduce waste
We live in a wasteful generation, where food waste and energy waste can all damage the environment, but also harm your finances too. Could your home be wasting energy? If so, make a plan to reduce how much energy you use around your home. Get outdoors more, rely less on technology and recycle as much as you can to benefit the environment and help you to think twice about your actions.

5. Take on a side hustle
Feeling the pinch and wish you had more money coming in? A side hustle could be the answer. You could start a side hustle today to boost your earnings or contribute to your savings. If you’ve got a talent, use it and start making money on the side. You never know, it could even turn into a new career!

Life after college can be tough, but your finances don’t need to be. Find ways to help you manage your money to stop debt from becoming a problem and allow yourself to enjoy your graduate experience.