Tips to get control of your finances

Abbey Norvell

College is hard, and stressing about money makes it even harder. With tests, presentations and extracurricular activities, there is no time to fret about finances. But fear not, there are on-campus and online resources that exist to help you become a good steward of your finances.

A great on-campus resource offered to students for free is the WKU Center for Financial Success. The WKU Center for Financial Success offers financial coaching; all you have to do is sign up to be a client on their website. The financial coaches help you develop a written plan that allots how you will spend your money, specifically tracking expenses.

A unique service that financial coaches offer includes helping students figure out exactly who their loan servicer is, said said Program Coordinator and Lead Financial Coach Zach Jones.

“Many students don’t know who their loan servicer is so we help students find that out” Jones said. “This helps students become informed and develop a plan to repay loans.”

A loan servicer is the liaison between the federal government and the students themselves. In meetings with a financial coach, students can also develop a plan to repay loans and discover ways to minimize loan costs.

A tool financial coaches also utilize is a Career Financial Reality Check. The reality check takes into account a student’s job, city and cost of living post-graduation. If a student’s loans are more than what they will make when they exit school, then they need to devise a way to pay student loans back monthly. This is where a financial coach with money expertise would help students tremendously. Financial coaches are overseen by professors with years of experience in the field.

Another great way to keep track of your finances is on your phone. There are many banks in Bowling Green that have mobile banking applications. Franklin Bank and Trust Company, US Bank, PNC and American Bank and Trust all offer helpful apps. Through these apps, you can view your transfers, deposits, balances and more. Staying logged in on these apps and turning on their notifications allows you to always be updated on your financial standing.

Another handy tool some banks offer is a text message system that sends a text to your phone whenever a transaction is approved or declined on your account. If you were to ever lose your card or have your information stolen, you would know almost instantaneously.

After taking advantage of the self-help tips and resources detailed above, you will be a balanced college student. Rather than fretting over finances, you will find success and stability in your spending.