If you are a college student, keeping your budget in order can be difficult. Since you are worrying about attending classes, studying and sometimes working at the same time, it is easy to lose track of your money. However, there are a number of mobile apps that can help keep your spending in line and ensure that your bank account keeps up with your bills.

Bank Account Apps

One of the most important apps that you can install is one from your bank. These apps are almost always free, and they help you easily keep track of your money. Instead of waiting to get to a computer and find out if rent has cleared or a deposit went through, you can easily see what is going on with your bank account right from your phone. Additionally, many of these apps will send you notifications if your balance is getting too low, which helps you avoid overage fees.

CheckBook Apps

Even if you have an app that keeps up with your bank account, checks and credit purchases through your debit card do not always show up instantly. This means that you can still overdraft your account even if it looks like there is money in it when you purchase something. However, with apps like Checkbook, which is free and available on both iPhone and Android devices, you can keep track of all of your spending. This will ensure that you know how much money you really have available, not just what your account balance is.

Bills and Billpay Apps

To avoid late fees and ensure that all of your bills are paid on time, you can download an app like Pageonce, which is a free app that works for both iPhones and Androids. It keeps track of your monthly bills and sends you reminders when they are due. These apps help you keep track of your rent, utility bills and credit cards all in one place.

Coupon Apps

Many retailers are now accepting coupons through cell phones, which means you can provide a discount number or show an image of a coupon on your cell phone at checkout. This means that you can skip coupon clipping but still save a lot of money by downloading coupon apps for your favorite brands and stores. You can also save money on grocery shopping and even dining out by installing and using free coupon apps such as Scoupon.

Textbook Apps

Textbooks are one of the largest expenditures related to going to college, and thanks to technology, you can save enormous amounts of money by renting textbooks and eBooks. Retailers like Amazon and Barnes and Noble now allow you to check out digital copies of textbooks for between 25 and 50 percent of what you would pay for a new copy. You can read these texts on your computer or your smart phone, meaning that you can save money and study on the go as well.

About the Author:
Today’s guest article comes from Shelly B. She teaches online accounting courses at an institute in Sydney, Australia. She has previously worked for several top recruitment agencies. Being an MBA graduate herself, Shelley knows very well on how professional learning can add great value to anyone’s career.

The Most Important Factor in Your Budgeted Study Abroad Plan

There are tons of websites on the Internet advising you on how to study abroad. For those of you without family fortunes to squander, there are just as many websites instructing you on how to study abroad on a budget. Having read a great many of these blogs, websites and recommendations in my research for this piece, I can tell you that very, very few of the authors had any idea of what a strict budget entails nor did they give any indication of an experience with the uncomfortable consequences of failing to follow one.

Behind many of the shallow instructions—such as “don’t buy too many souvenirs” followed immediately by instructions to eat out to save money—were clear outlines of upper middle class college students who needed only to email their folks back home for a deposit into their ATM account. Luckily, an anonymous financial genius posted an article on StudyAbroad101.com. Read his suggestion carefully because it can mean the difference between staying on a budget or panhandling: “Before you even decide where you’re studying abroad, make sure you choose either an appropriate destination or time frame that will fit your estimated budget.” Eureka!

Necessary—But Secondary—Factors for a Budget-Friendly Study Abroad Plan

So now that you’ve established that you could afford to stay 36 hours in Tokyo, London or Paris, start your investigations into studying in a country that’s friendlier to your bank account. As you consider each destination, keep a chart of the information you discover about different categories of information such as the currency exchange and the volatility of such; institutions offering programs, the subjects offered, tuition costs, and estimated fees for textbooks and supplies; and where you’re going to live and how you’re going to eat.

Other prerequisites for your trip that need to be taken care of before you leave include:

• Make an appointment to be seen by a travel physician in order to schedule necessary immunizations and health advice for the country in which you’ll be studying. Complete this task early, as some immunizations require a series of injections.
• Get copies of prescriptions from your regular doctor for any medications you might require for chronic conditions and those medications you take as prescribed.
• Purchase travel insurance. Before you start to object about saving costs, let me assure you that budget student travel insurance is available. Allow me also to remind you that the cost of any healthcare treatment or medical transportation back to the U.S. makes the cost of such insurance seem insignificant.
• Take the time to research your living options while studying abroad. Locating seasoned housing groups is always a good starting point to begin your comparison.

The Top Three Least Expensive Study Abroad Destinations

According to the most recent survey results conducted for 2012 by StudyAbroad.com, the least expensive destinations for study abroad options include the following:

·Mexico

• Ranked the “#1 budget-friendly destination”
• Ranked 4.3 COLA stars out of 164 reviews
• Offers 246 programs of study

·Senegal

• Ranked 2nd
• Ranked 4.6 COLA stars out of 31 reviews
• Offers 15 programs of study

·Peru

• Ranked 3rd
• Ranked 4.2 COLA stars out of 97 reviews
• Offers 89 programs of study

Au Revoir

Enjoy your time spent studying abroad. Be safe, but have fun. And if you’ve chosen an inexpensive country in which to study, you’ve already eliminated a great deal of worry about money and what you’ll be able to afford.

As if the tuition wasn’t enough, you soon discover all of the associated expenses for college: room and board, books, fees for sports and labs, your computer, your cell phone bill, transportation costs, etc. Now, the good news is that when you take out a student loan, you can use those dollars for any education-related expenses, including all of the above. It’s still in your best interest to find savings on college expenses wherever you can so that your student loan can work its hardest for you. After all, anything not covered by federal loans, private student loans, grants, and scholarships will be up to you.

Here are some easy ways to save on college expenses:

1. Buy used and electronic books or share books with classmates

This is probably the most well-known tip for saving money while in school. There are certainly times when buying a new edition makes sense. But you can also find huge savings if you purchase a used copy or split the cost by sharing a book with a fellow student. Your bookstore will sell used books, but you can find them even cheaper if you buy from students who’ve previously taken the course. Sharing books works best if you have back-to-back classes and can easily hand the book off; have complimentary study habits and you trust each other.

You can also find discounts by buying electronic books. If you carry a tablet, e-reader or laptop, this can be a great option for you. Electronic books aren’t always cheaper, but in some cases, they cost significantly less than printed editions.

2. Look for student discount programs

While you can generally find a variety of savings opportunities on textbooks more so than any other expenses for college, you can also look for discounts at shops and restaurants around campus. Some college towns and cities have a big emphasis on attracting students to stay after graduation. So, they rally local business owners to offer discounts to college students. It’s worth asking around or visiting the city’s website to see if such a program exists. It could mean saving money on food, clothes, entertainment and more.

3. Buy supplies in bulk – and not at the bookstore!

Finally, stock up on pens, binders, paper, notebooks, highlighters and other supplies before you hit campus. The bookstore tends to have a substantial mark-up on those items since they don’t deal in the volume that big box stores, office supply stores and online retailers do.

4. Consider off-campus housing

College expenses like living in the dorms and paying for meal plans can add up quickly. One possible way to save on costs is to look for off-campus housing. You may find that the costs of renting an apartment or house with friends are less than the costs associated with living in the dorms. In addition, you may be able to save on food expenses by shopping for your own groceries and cooking your own meals. Talk to upperclassmen who live off-campus to find out what their monthly expenses are and compare that to the monthly costs of living in a dorm and having a meal plan.

Keep your eyes peeled for other cost savings

You can find other ways to save on college expenses by splitting costs for food and utilities with roommates, for example. Or, carpool to campus, into the city or to the airport to save on gas. While the savings realized may not always be as substantial as they are on textbooks, every little bit helps.

Sponsored content was created and provided by RBS Citizens Financial Group.