Students across campus will open their wallets this semester to buy books, frozen yogurt, pho, movie tickets, groceries, concert tickets and more. Some of these students will be pleasantly surprised to find $5 in their pocket when summer break rolls around, while others hold a more hopeful outlook for their financial situations.

With Biola’s tuition slated to rise $1,138 for this fall, according to the financial aid tab on the Biola website, five financially savvy Biola students and staff members give their top tips to help college students manage their money well starting this spring:

• Heather Hurlock, sophomore, president of Money Matters club

• Lucas Laird, senior, vice president of Money Matters club

• Jonathan Seruyange, assistant director of Financial Aid Counseling

• DJ Crawford, senior financial aid counselor

• Rick Bee, senior director of Alumni and Parent Relations, professor of Bible elective “Faith and Money,” faculty adviser for Money Matters Club

10. Give to the church first
“We need to be using our money for the kingdom of God,” Hurlock said. Although college students don’t usually have money to spare, Hurlock believes when Christian college students focus on giving first, they are building themselves up to trust in God’s provision in the future.

9. Cut down on connoisseur coffee
Hurlock recommended thinking twice before stopping by Starbucks to get your caffeine fix. “It’s only three dollars … but then when you do that four times a week, that adds up really quick,” she said.

8. Save your receipts
“Keep your receipts for a month,” Laird said. He recommended paying specific attention to how much money you spend on off-campus meals. At the end of the month, you’ll be left with tangible reminders of the things you bought and forgot about.

7. Meet with a mentor
“It’s good to meet with someone who already has a budget,” Laird said. Not only can this person keep you accountable, but he or she can also offer you wise advice on what to splurge on — or not.

6. Homemade gifts say it best
Although gifts are an easily-overlooked expense, they can end up costing a student hundreds of dollars throughout the year. Seruyange believes getting creative with homemade gifts can benefit both parties involved. “Sometimes pulling something together from whatever you have is more meaningful for a person and also will save you some money,” Seruyange said.

5. Snag a part-time job — and a competitive edge over your peers
Not only will a part-time job help bump up your extra cash supply, but it can also give you invaluable professional skills for the future.“[Working in college] supplemented some of the things that I was learning in my formal education with some sort of soft skills that have become so important in my day-to-day work now," Seruyange said.

4. Borrow books from library
As Crawford works on completing his Ph.D. at the Cook School of Intercultural Studies, he saves money as a student by borrowing books from the library. However, students should recognize the limitations of this, he said, since books can only be checked out for three weeks at a time.

3. Let Biola give back to you
“Pay attention to the stuff that’s going [on] around campus,” Crawford said. Students can save money by taking the Biola shuttle to eliminate the cost of gas when shopping or attending free symposiums and sporting events.

2. Stick to the list
When going shopping, Bee recommended making a list and only going down the aisles in which you need to purchase items. This can help curb many impulse buys — especially if you make the mistake of going to the grocery store on an empty stomach.

1. Budget, budget, budget!
Every source mentioned or recognized the importance of budgeting. Students feel as though they don’t need a budget because they have so little income, Laird said, but they can benefit in big ways from learning how to budget now. Bee advised students to start this process by recording every purchase in their phone or a small notebook. By doing this, students’ eyes will be opened to exactly where their money is going each week, helping them realize where they need to cut back.