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It's the most wonderful time of the year. But it's also the time you'll do the most spending in the span of a single month. How will you survive the winter? Hard work and careful  

Money management

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Get a Second job. Angie Shearer, a 19-year-old sophomore at Point Loma Nazarene University (San Diego, CA), supports her holiday spending and an upcoming trip by working in the marketing and communications department at her school, and babysitting.

"[Since] the holidays are coming up, I decided to apply for a part-time babysitting job to save money - not only for presents for family and friends, but also for a skiing trip I'm taking right after finals," explains Angie. "[With my] job on campus and [a course load of] 16 units, I don't have a lot of extra time. This was the best choice to make extra money."

Earn Moolah Using Your Talents. In Leah Davy's family, coming home for the holidays without gifts was unacceptable, but not conducive to money management. "Every year, I would have to think about what to get my family," says the recent Hampton University (Hampton, VA) grad. Only problem is sometimes the business marketing major would be short on cash after spending on student expenses - textbooks, food, and socializing.

Her solution: "I would do hair, makeup, or nails for students on campus since that's a talent of mine," explains the 22-year-old. "I actually made a lot of money doing it."

Keep a Lid on Purchases. Debby Fowles, author of "1,000 Best Smart Money Secrets for Students: Find Money, Make Money, Save Money" (Sourcebooks, 2005) has some good tips for money mangament. To starty, she advises requesting your favorite CDs during other gift-giving occasions, and swapping old CDs with roommates and friends.

You can also check out garage sales, thrift stores, consignment shops, and eBay for dorm furniture, decorations, and household items. "People get rid of perfectly good stuff just because they don't need it anymore or have grown tired of it," Fowles explains.

Another key to money management is watching your entertainment expenditures. "If you and your friends rent lots of movies, sign up for Netflix.com," Fowles suggests, which offers unlimited DVD plans starting at $20 a month. Save on Holiday Travel. "Plan your trips home well in advance to take advantage of the best available airfares," she adds. The best rates often require 21-, 14-, or seven-day advance booking and then sell out fast.

You can also save travel money by comparing prices on sites like www.sidestep.com or www.orbitz.com, Fowles adds. And do your best to travel on off-peak days when airfare is less expensive, or consider alternate routes. "Amtrak trains also offer student discounts," Fowles asures. Search your rail travel options at www.amtrak.com.


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Ysolt Usigan is a frequent contributor to The CollegeBound Network. Learn more about finding a school that's right for you.

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