Winter 2004 Online Publication    





What things could you still manage with "one less" of?

“One-Less” Strategies Can Mean Real Savings for Your Students
By Mae Dunn-St. Julien and Sandy Holt, USA Funds Services

Graduate and professional students and adult learners often find that they have to downsize and readjust their standards of living to meet the lifestyle and budgetary demands of continuing their studies.

“Reentering School — How Do I Adjust My Standard of Living,” the new minimodule from the USA Funds® Life Skills® financial-literacy program, offers “one-less” strategies to share with graduate or professional students or adult learners who are struggling to find ways to save money to meet their educational expenses.

The following list of small sacrifices, and the savings that result, can help you show your students how cutting out a few expenses over time leads to significant savings:

“One-less” … Monthly savings Annual savings
Dining out per month $50 $600
Car wash per month $15 $180
Manicure per month $20 $240
Movie per month
 $9
 $108
Cappuccino per week $12 $144
Magazine per month $4 $48
Fast-food meal per week $40 $480
Toll-road fee per week $8 $96
Candy bar per week $4 $48
Drink with meal per week $8 $96
Music CD per month $15 $180
Soft drink at school per day $20 $240
Haircut per year   $50
DVD rental per month $4
 $48
Ice cream per month $3 $36
Novel per month $24 $288
Dinner party with friends per month $50 $600
Vacation per year   $1,200
Pair of shoes per month $50 $600
Concert per year   $100
Round of golf per month $50 $600
Pro-basketball game per year   $150
Gift purchase per year   $50
Dessert “out” per week $20 $240

USA Funds Life Skills suggests that students select the “one-less” strategies that they are willing to follow and consider whether there are other items of which they could do with “one less.”

More tips for coping with the costs of reentering school — as well as information about financial aid, completing school on time, succeeding in school and after graduation, and repaying education loans — is available in USA Funds Life Skills.