Once young people make the transition to college, they want to be able to get around so that they can explore and enjoy their new found freedom. During an economy crisis, parents may be weary and concerned about how they can help their college student with their transportation needs without it costing the family an exorbitant amount of money. Here are three great and cheap ways that everyone can get what they want…students can get around and parents can keep some of their hard earned cash in their wallets:
Bus it! Using public transportation is one way that many people are able to get around without the expense of maintaining a vehicle. This economy crisis and the high gas costs have made it more feasible for people to use buses, subways, and trains more often. Students usually qualify for low price tickets or special pricing for monthly passes for unlimited riding. Students can buy for cheap a bus or transit pass as they learn the different routes to meet their own personal travel needs.
Always encourage them to use school provided transportation when available. Many colleges and universities will offer students free transportation to popular local venues. The cost is often incorporated into their university fees. This can be a great benefit for students that need to go to places within walking distance of the various university bus stops. Not only is this a chance for frugal students to get around and save, but it is also a safe alternative that parents can appreciate.
Encourage your frugal student to create a carpool or ride share program at their school. It’s fairly easy to set up and would allow for everyone involved to save money and still do their local travel around town. These types of ride share programs work great for students that don’t have any other transportation access and for students that work at common places like malls or city centers.
The way that a ride share program would work is that those who have a vehicle would charge a small fee for others to ride along to these places. The fee could cover the cost of gas and possibly insurance for the students. Students without vehicles benefit because they can buy for cheap rides all over the place, and their parents don’t have to worry about paying high insurance bills or keeping their gas tanks full.
Set a gas budget for students with vehicles. If your college student just has to have his or her own wheels, then, it is best to set a budget for their gas expense. This will help them to learn to manage their time and resources. When students understand that they can only spend a certain amount of money, which parents can regulate by providing students with a gas card or prepaid credit card, they will limit unnecessary travel.
One of the best things that you can ever teach your college student is how to practice money saving, cost-consciousness, and careful spending. Tell him or her to buy for cheap their gas so that they can stretch their budget and still have gas to get to all of the places that they want to go. College is about learning to be a responsible adult. Finding ways to save and still enjoy life are a big part of that. When it comes to your college student, help them to become the frugal fashionista that they need to be to take care of their transportation needs by researching and spending wisely during the economy crisis, and for the rest of their lives!
