The Best Budget/Expense Tracker Template for College Students

Let’s just say I should have started using this expense tracker a long time ago.

College is expensive.

For context, I grew up with immigrant parents and a relatively frugal lifestyle. We only went out to eat once or twice a month and rarely embarked on long, expensive vacations. Anywhere that we did spend money, we optimized for the cheapest, most effective option. In high school, when my friends got cars and we started going out to stores and restaurants more, I was always careful to spend the least amount possible. And for the most part, this suited me just fine. I never felt like I was missing out on anything because most of the activities we did together were free.

But college was an entirely different beast. I was prepared for college in all of the typical ways — my study habits were top notch (for the most part), my stress coping mechanisms were effective and healthy, and my mind was ready to soak up as many new ideas as possible. But the moneyyy… Oh boy — I was not ready. Going out to eat left and right, spending on Ubers, the occasional grocery haul — these were the realities of making friends and building relationships in college. I was suddenly spending a lot more than I was used to, and despite my on-campus jobs, I knew I needed to get a better grasp on my financial situation.

Before I get into this ingenious expense tracker, I should say that I am by no means an expert. But I am a college student that hates spending…