The nation’s current financial woes are too serious to be ignored, but college students shouldn’t panic yet. There are steps we can take now to ensure or at least better the chances of financial security in the future.
Don’t withdraw your money from the bank because you’re scared the bank will collapse. The government insures deposits made to checking accounts.
If you have credit cards, pay them off as soon as possible so debt doesn’t snowball. Take another look at the interest rates you’re paying, and pay off, cancel and cut up any cards that charge high fees. If you need a credit card, try to find one that won’t charge interest the first year so you can pay it off over the course of that year without extra pressure.

Most importantly, don’t buy what you don’t need or can’t afford.
It’s one thing to get a new credit card to replace a broken computer that’s used for school, but use common sense, and don’t waste it on luxuries like
video games.

Most banks offer online banking. Enroll so you can get e-mail notifications of when your bills are due, and you can pay immediately without having to keep track of postage. Late fees add up — there’s no reason to accrue them, and they reflect negatively on your credit score and your ability to get a loan later.
If you have a job, continue to do your best work — not everyone is lucky enough to be employed, and not all students have time to earn extra income.
Put aside some money each month in case a financial emergency does happen.  If you’re laid off, you’ll have a small cushion to carry you until you get a
new job.

In the meantime, make yourself a monthly budget. Use a spreadsheet, financial software or pen and paper. Estimate how much you make in a month, and don’t spend more if you can avoid it.
Don’t be afraid to spend money, but spend it wisely.

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