BUDGETING

• Determine all your costs & resources ahead of time. • Develop and stick to a plan that makes sure your required expenses fit with your available resources. Find a tool that works for you; we have several college money management tools including the Schwab MoneyWise on Campus portal as well as tools on our site financialaid.colostate.edu. • Find roommates that have similar values and resources. It is really difficult to find and share living space with someone who has a very different idea about how things should be done and how much can be spent on rent, food, Internet, heating, air conditioning, etc. • You can often use financial aid to pay toward rent, food, and utilities. Financial aid applies toward your semester University expenses first and the excess may be sent to you in a refund to help pay for rent, food, etc. It is important that this refund cover expenses until mid-January, including January rent, when spring financial aid refunds are sent.

BUDGETING IT MAKES CENTS Renting Tips: • Rent a furnished apartment. • Consider paying the full semester’s rent at the beginning of each semester. • Consider buying renter’s insurance. It will cover theft or fire damage to your personal property and only costs $10-20 per month. Cooking and Shopping Tips: • Learn to cook simple and quick meals. • Pack a lunch every day instead of eating out and you could save $1,000 each year. • Never shop when you are hungry or you may spend more than you have budgeted. • Try to take cash instead of debit or credit cards when shopping so you don’t spend more than you have. • Purchase monthly food cards for the amount of groceries that you have budgeted. • Consider opening a separate bank account for rent and food expenditures. • Pay all bills on time to avoid late fees and ruining your credit. • Opt-in to have your debit card decline funds in your bank account are not sufficient. • Avoid parking tickets by riding your bike or taking the bus. • Create your own scholarships: Latte Scholarship – make your own coffee instead of buying lattes. A $4 latte every day, Monday through Friday for the academic year, is a cost of $640. Soda Scholarship – buy less soda. A $1.50 bottle of soda every day, Monday through Friday for the academic year, is a cost of $240.

Best wishes on managing your college finances well!

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RECYCLE ALL ITEMS MUST BE EMPTY AND DRY

METALS & GLASS

CARDBOARD & PAPER

PLASTIC BOTTLES, TUBS & PAPER CARTONS

Your apartment complex likely provides bins for all your trash and recycling needs. If your apartment does not currently oer recycling service, they will by the end of 2020 (fc gov.com/CRO).

You can also take your recyclables to a drop-o center free of charge. The City’s Timberline Recycling Center at 1903 S. Timberline Road (fcgov.com/TRC) and recycling drop-o center at the Larimer County Landfill accept everyday recyclables.

Contact WRAP (the Waste Reduction and Recycling Assistance Program) for help to start or improve the recycling program at your complex. fcgov.com/WRAP.

KEEP OUT OF CURBSIDE RECYCLING

FOOD

DON’T BAG ITEMS KEEP LOOSE IN BIN

Please follow this handy guide for curbside recycling. Starred items can be recycled elsewhere. Learn more at fcgov.com/recycle or fcgov.com/a-z. *

SCRAP METAL **

SHREDDED PAPER

IF YOU LIVE IN A HOUSE:

Private companies provide trash collection services. Either you, your landlord, or your Home Owner’s Association arrange for trash / recyclables collection.

Trash rates in Fort Collins are based on the size of your trash bin. If you don’t regularly use all the capacity in your trash cart, call your trash hauler to request a smaller cart. The smaller your trash cart, the smaller your trash bill.

Recycling is included as part of your trash service for no extra cost. If you don’t already have a cart to hold your recyclables, call your trash hauler to get one.