College Survival Kit + Free Expense Tracker

A college survival kit and free expense tracker to help college students get the year started right! 

I’m still in disbelief that my daughter will be a high school senior this year. She was supposed to have two years left of high school, but since she attends a virtual charter school, she was able to take extra classes to finish a year early. To say that I’m proud of her would be an understatement. She will be our first child to head off to college, so it will be a bittersweet moment for this momma.

My father, who was born and raised in the Dominican Republic, knew the importance of having a good education. He instilled those values in our family early on and always had high expectations for his children and grandchildren. He grew up in poverty and faced many challenges when my grandfather passed away. My dad was only a teen at the time, and since he was the oldest of the three siblings, he had to take on a lot of the adult responsibilities. In the end, he simply couldn’t afford to go to college.

So I want my daughter to understand what a privilege it is to go to college. That she has been given an amazing opportunity that shouldn’t be taken for granted. I also wanted to offer her some advice:

• Don’t be afraid to meet new people-You’ll form new friendships that will last a lifetime.
• Don’t procrastinate-Nothing is worse than cramming in schoolwork the night before it’s due.
• Take care of yourself-Make sure that you exercise and get a good night’s sleep. Trust me on this one.
• Use your campus’ study resources-They are there to help you succeed, that includes term papers and trigonometry.
• Don’t sweat it-Your time in college will pass by quickly. Learn, grow and soak it all in, but don’t forget to have fun.

I also got a head start and created a College Survival Kit. The great thing about this survival kit is that you can pretty much tweak it to fit your college student’s needs.

Simply place everything in a basket or container. Any college student will appreciate this thoughtful gift. Here’s a quick breakdown of what I included:

1. Diet Dr Pepper
2. Disinfectant wipes
3. Coffee
4. Pringle chips
5. Cheez-It crackers
6. Coffee tumbler
7. Lint roller
8. Pens and pencils
9. Room Freshener
10. Facial tissues
11. Hand sanitizer (it’s tucked in there!)
12. Whistle (for safety)
13. Emergency cash
14. First Aid kit
15. Eye Drops
16. Sticky Notes
17. Face paint (for college football games)
18. Candles

There’s also a towel tucked under everything along with a pink student planner, but it’s hard to see.

If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you know I’m a frugal living advocate. So it was only appropriate to create a College Expense Tracker printable. It’s easy to spend a few dollars here and there while in college. But tracking your expenses can be a great way to ensure that you’re not blowing your budget. To download a free copy simply click on the image below.

Do you have a child going off to college? What are some items you plan to send them to college with? I’d love to hear your tips!