Student Finance Testimonials

Blane's Story

My name is Blane and I am a master’s student in the Higher Education Administration program at KSU where I also earned by bachelor's degree in philosophy. When considering practices that saved money during my undergraduate career, the first thing that came to mind was renting textbooks for my courses from online book companies instead of purchasing them. Additionally, I shopped at retail discount stores quite a bit (and still do) to save money by packing lunches or cooking at home in favor of dining out. They sometimes have items from Europe which are relatively inexpensive compared to other grocery chains which made it enjoyable. After adding up the cost of purchasing a cup of coffee per day for a month, I began brewing coffee at home to cut down on expenses. It also never hurts to ask businesses if they offer a “student discount." This is something I still practice in my graduate career that I find financially beneficial.

Cassie's Story

Hi, my name is Cassie! I am going into my junior year here at Kent State in Communications Studies! I have been living in an apartment since the beginning of my sophomore year and I pay for that and my other necessities by myself. I currently have three jobs to help cover the cost of living here in Kent. If you are planning on getting an apartment, I recommend looking into the prices and make sure you are able to cover the cost based on your income as well as any utility bills! I have a job at Kent State, a job in Tallmadge, and also with a delivery company. I like to save everything for rent and then make up what I still need through my delivery job.

When I get my paychecks, I normally pull the money out in cash and put it away in a secure place just so that I know I won't spend it. Personally, it's harder to spend cash compared to just swiping debit cards in stores. Saving in college can be hard especially if you are an independent student with little from others, but as long as you give yourself a strict budget and plan for how many hours you work, you should be able to set aside some money here and there for savings. Limiting how much takeout you get really makes a difference as well. You can buy lots of ingredients to cook at home that will be cheaper for you in the long run compared to eating out constantly!

Karla's Story

Hello, my name is Karla and I earned my B.A. in Criminology from Kent State. While in college, it is super important to know what your budget is, on or off campus. At the start of the term, evaluate how much money you have or will have for discretionary spending and divide that by the weeks in the term so you have a good idea of what you can spend each week so you do not run out of money. Although going out to eat and getting coffee downtown is super fun, save money by having game nights or movie nights! Utilize your meal plan for food and beverages, get a deck of cards (I definitely recommend bringing one to campus), rent a movie to watch, and head to your dorm's common rooms to have a fun filled night without breaking the bank! Save money by using the buses to get around campus and around town; there are buses that will take you from campus to areas around Kent and they are free to students. If you are low on your meal plan, you can check out some of the campus events happening as they sometimes offer free food!

Disclaimer:  Kent State University and the Financial, Billing and Enrollment Center do not endorse and/or recommend any groups, companies or products listed in these student stories.