More Ways to Track Spending

We love nifty gadgets and programs that help us with the task of tracking expenses, especially when they're free. We've posted some budget worksheets before, but the cornerstone of personal finance is tracking your expenses as you go. If you don't track your expenses, you'll never be able to create a budget that will accurately represent your spending.

Angela from thecouponproject.com made her expense tracking spreadsheet available for free! Check it out here (click on the link in the upper left). Be sure to save your own copy to your hard drive before you make any changes. Not only will you be able to track what you're buying, but you will also be able to see how much you're saving by taking advantage of discounts and coupons. The best thing about this software is that is does all of the math for you! No need to fiddle with your calculator-- just input your purchases and watch where your money is going.

Also, be sure to check out some of Angela's other features, like how to score amazing deals at Rite Aid and Walgreens.

Here's another great link with programs to manage spending, and even information on "financial groups" that allow you to compare shopping interests with people, all while tracking your goals: http://www.brokegradstudent.com/6-cool-ways-to-track-your-expenses-online/.

So remember, with so many different ways to monitor your spending and manage your budget, you should always be able to keep track of your money.

Thanks,

Savvy Student

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Getting Ready For Brandeis...

Summer is an exciting and stressful time for incoming first years, jam packed with shopping for dorm room decor and school supplies, registering for classes, communicating with new roommates and finding peers to connect with on Facebook. But what is often ignored are those tasks that relate to being independent and away from home for the first time. Knowing where the local banks are and what you’ll need to open an account, familiarizing yourself with public transportation options, and learning where amenities are in your college town should be done ahead of time to make the transition as smooth as possible. Over the next month we’ll be posting about each of these things as a part of our “Getting Ready for Brandeis” series. This time, check out our directory of local banks and credit unions (in no particular order).

Bank of America
800 Main Street, Waltham, MA
781-642-7254 (ATM located in the Gosman Sports Complex)

Citizen’s Bank
716 Main Street, Waltham, MA
781-647-8310 (ATM located in the Shapiro Campus Center)

Sovereign Bank
1 Moody Street, Waltham, MA
781-529-9001 (ATM located in the USDAN Student Center)

Danvers Bank
775 Main Street, Waltham, MA
781-891-1390

TD Bank
305 2nd Avenue, Waltham, MA
781-466-8105

RTN Federal Credit Union
600 Main Street, Waltham, MA
781-647-0848

Watertown Savings Bank
6 Lexington Street, Waltham, MA
617-928-9000

Many of these options are national branches, so be sure to visit the website for the bank you’re thinking about using to check out account options. If the bank is a local credit union, you can always give them a call at the number listed to find out if they have an account that will work for you. Always ask about student checking and savings accounts-- these tend to have few or no fees attached.

Stay tuned for more tips!
Savvy Student

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Cheap Summer Fun - Free/Discounted Concerts

We have to fight for our right to party, people. Of course, the fight isn't so difficult when everywhere you turn there are free music festivals of sorts. It seems no matter which music genres you're interested in, you can find somewhere cheap to rock your socks off just around the corner. You could even pick something that's less your passion and more of an excellent reason to laugh with friends.

For example, I am not the world's biggest Eddie Money fan (get it? Money and Savvy Student?). I'm not sure you could even call me a casual fan of Eddie Money. However, I do know his top three greatest hits - as any 80s lover should. If you're in the dark on who the heck Mr. Money is, I bet you've still heard these: Take Me Home Tonight, Two Tickets to Paradise, and Baby Hold On. If you still have no idea, just Google. Mr. Money happens to be giving a free concert this Saturday, July 17th at the Hatch Shell on the Esplanade, and I have every intention of attending. There's nothing like rocking out to awesomely ridiculous 80s tunes with a handful of friends, out in the fresh air.

You can simply Google events in your area, but you may wish to narrow your search by looking at nearby venues you've heard of or fairs and festivals usually in your area during the summer. State Fairs often host free concerts, and if you're going to the fair anyway, why not take advantage? Also check with your favorite (non-satellite) radio station to see if they have free or discounted tickets available for upcoming events. At the festivals themselves, be sure to check with each vendor for discounts. I once scored two free tickets to the local Six Flags with this technique, from Time Warner Cable. Since a friend and I spent the day there for free, we could afford to treat ourselves to a concert there that night. (Day at a theme park = 5 flags. Day at a theme park chased by a concert that evening = 6 flags. More flags, more fun).

If your shindig is a bit of a drive, you could always look for local campgrounds to spend the night at afterward - a much cheaper alternative to hotels. You can find state campgrounds for as cheap as $10 per night versus more main stream parks that could cost upwards of $70 and we all know hotels can cost more that $100 per night, so that is a huge savings.

Be sure to look for local blogs with listings of cheap events. Boston's example: Cheap Thrills Boston.

Feel free to let us know about upcoming free events you’ve heard about at sfs@brandeis.edu, and we’ll post your suggestions here.

As always, Thanks!

Savvy Student

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