33 College Budget Calculators for Students: Budget Now to Reduce Your Debt

By MyCESI.org, on August 11, 2009

Since most colleges don’t have classes on budgeting and basic money management it’s up to students to educate themselves. This collection of 33 free student budget calculators, spreadsheets and worksheets will help students of all ages create a workable budget — plus learn some basic budgeting skills along the way!

Image by Anxious Nut via Flickr

Here’s what you’ll find:

• 9 Web-Based Budget Calculators — See What Life Costs
• 10 Printable Student Budget Worksheets — Fill it Out, Tape it to Your Wall
• 9 Printable Budget Worksheets from Colleges — Are They Smarter? You Decide!
• 2 Student Budget Spreadsheets — Advanced College Budgeting 202
• 3 Money Saving Calculators for Students — Extra Credit…

9 Web-Based Student Budget Calculators

These web-based college budget calculators will help you see where you stand financially. These calculators are web-based, and you can’t save the results. This means that they’re only good for a one-time look at your financial position. To get more out of these calculators, use them as a starting point for the worksheets and spreadsheets below!

1. Annual Student Budget Calculator — The Student Budget Calculator calculates the difference between your expenses and income, identifying when you are spending beyond your means.
2. Budget Calculator from the Department of Education — Our budget calculator will help you determine your expenses and estimate your total available income. You will need to consider all of your resources and the total cost of your education.
3. College Budget Calculator — Use this calculator to itemize your income and expenses, and see how much cash you’ll have left over each month.
4. Student budget calculator — This student budget calculator allows for input of expenses and income for an eight-month school year running from September through April.
5. In-School Financial Budget Calculator — This budget calculator can be used to estimate your education and living expenses while you are in school.
6. Student Budget Calculator — Enter your monthly income and expenses in the fields below and click the ‘Calculate My Budget’ button.
7. Chase Student Budget Calculator — The Student Budget Calculator calculates the difference between your expenses and income, helps you identify the financial gap.
8. EdWise (warning — popups!) — …you will be asked to provide estimates of your monthly income, expenses, and specific information about your existing student loans — including type, amount, and interest rate.
9. Student Budget Calculator (£) — Fill out the calculator to help you understand the costs of living on your own while you are a student.

10 Printable Student Budget Worksheets

Once you know what your budget is (using one of the calculators above) it’s important to track your spending and make sure you’re not spending more than you have. Print out your budget and tape it to your wall for best results!

1. Budget Worksheet — In School — Managing your money while you’re in school.
2. Budget Worksheet — Out of School — Managing your money during the summer months, or when not attending college.
3. Monthly Budget Worksheet for College Students — For those who choose to budget month by month – printable.
4. Semester Budget Worksheet for College Students — For students who want to budget for the semester, instead of the month.
5. School Year Budget Worksheet for College Students — For students who like to see ahead for the entire year.
6. Student Platinum Budget Template — a 3 month student budget worksheet for those who like more detail
7. College Student Budget Planner — a student budget worksheet broken out into month, semester year, as well as fixed and flexible expense accounting
8. College Student Budget Worksheet — How to Budget for College Students with worksheet and common expenses and income
9. Student Budget Worksheet (PDF) — To create a budget you need to first estimate income and expenses. Use this worksheet to get started on your own!
10. College Budget Work Sheet — Use the work sheet below to create your own personal budget. At the beginning of each month, write the amount you plan to spend and record what you actually spend.

9 Printable Budget Worksheets from Colleges — Are They Smarter? You Decide!

These printable budget worksheets come from colleges themselves — and some of them quite well known. It’s interesting to note that colleges focused more on creating budget worksheets than calculators. This is probably because they have more long term impact on your spending behavior!

1. MIT — Student Budget Worksheet — Nothing fancy in this worksheet from MIT. Very straight forward – classic budget engineering…
2. Washington University in St. Louis — Student Budget Planning Worksheet — The Student Budget Planning Worksheet is designed to help you plan some of these variable costs, and get a clearer picture of the money you need throughout the academic year.
3. University of New Brunswick — Budget Template for the Academic Year
4. University of British Columbia — UBC Student Financial Planning Worksheet — To get a clear financial picture during your studies at UBC, create a budget that considers both university and living costs.
5. Eastern Oregon University Budget Worksheet (PDF) — Do you have enough funds to cover Institutional Charges?
6. Samford University — Student Monthly Budget Worksheet (PDF) — Highly detailed list that leaves very little up to the imagination.
7. University of Alaska — College Budget Work Sheet (PDF) — College can be an enjoyable experience but it won’t be if you are constantly stressed out about money issues.
8. Durham University in UK — Student Budgeting Spreadsheet (£) To make your own personal budget, click on the link below to open the budgeting spreadsheet. Fill in the budgeting spreadsheet using the step-by-step guide.
9. San Diego State University — the Study Abroad Budget Worksheet — Depending on your length of study, some costs may vary. You may wish to budget some of your costs on a weekly or monthly basis. Remember the exchange rate may help or hurt you!

2 Student Budget Spreadsheets — Advanced College Budgeting 202

If you want to prepare yourself for financial success, these two spreadsheets will really help you to lock down your college budgeting. Getting comfortable with spreadsheets may take awhile.

1. Student Budgeting Spreadsheet (an XLS Spreadsheet Download) — Use this worksheet to keep track of your financing and spending costs to avoid shortfalls and excessive debt while attending school.
2. The Monthly Budget Planner from Microsoft Office Excel — Keeping a budget, while boring, is the best way to make sure you have money for things that are important to you.

3 Money Saving Calculators for Students — Extra Credit…

It’s funny how much money people can spend simply because they haven’t considered the alternatives. These calculators will help you spot some opportunities for saving money while you’re in school.

1. Is a meal plan a good deal? — This calculator helps you make the call for yourself – don’t trust the campus marketing!
2. Should I live on campus, off campus or at home? — The comparison might seem simple, but it’s not. Remember utilities, plus a range of other possible costs!
3. Brown Bag Savings Calculator — Can you cook more meals for yourself rather than relying on campus food or restaurants? Well, you could be saving quite a bit on your debt!

You Need A Budget (YNAB)

You Need A Budget, or YNAB, is a high quality budgeting software that you can try. The software helps you through each step above and guides you through the budgeting process.

The YNAB software comes in two flavors: YNAB ($24.95) and YNAB Pro ($49.95). It also comes with 60-Day Moneyback Guarantee, so you can try it out and ask for a refund if you don’t like it.

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MyCESI.org is a Debt Management Company and publisher of 103 Free Debt Reduction Calculators.

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