College Life: Financial Advice for College Students

Join our #CreditChat on Periscope, YouTube Live, and Twitter every Wednesday at 3 p.m ET. This week’s #CreditChat highlighted financial tips to help college students avoid common financial pitfalls.

The panel included: Zina Kumok: Freelance Personal Finance Writer and Financial Coach; Dr. Sean Stein Smith: CPA, CGMA, Assistant Professor at Lehman College (CUNY), columnist, and member of the AICPA Financial Literacy Commission; Cameron Huddleston: Personal Finance Expert and Writer at GOBankingRates; Elaine Griffin Rubin: Senior Contributor and Communications Specialist at Edvisors; Kevin Bubb: Attorney, Side Hustler and Founder of Financial Panther; Brianna McGurran: Student Loans Expert and Personal Finance Columnist at NerdWallet; Dr. Barbara O’Neill: CFP, Distinguished Professor and Specialist in Financial Resource Management at Rutgers Cooperative Extension; Melisa Boutin: Certified Financial Education Instructor, Student Loan Expert and Author of Student Loan Answers; Dick Adams and Stacie Whisonant: Co-Founders of Pay Your Tuition; Kathryn and Jessica: Founders of The Dames in Debt; Jason Vasquez: Vice President of Wells Fargo Corporate Communications; Rod Griffin: Director of Public Education at Experian; and Christina Roman: Social Media Specialist at Experian.

Questions We Discussed:

Q1: What do you wish you had known about finances when you graduated college?
Q2: What should college students know about needs and wants?
Q3: What are some best practices for creating a realistic budget in college?
Q4: What are some simple ways college students can bring in extra income?
Q5: What should college students know about credit and credit cards?
Q6: What should college students know about student loans?
Q7: What should college students know about financial aid and scholarships?
Q8: What are some simple ways college students can save on activities and entertainment?
Q9: What advice do you have for a college students interested in investing?
Q10: What final tip would you give a college student trying to successfully manage his/her finances?