Applicant #4: Rebekah Nelson

Rebekah Nelson is a 22-year-old from Clayton.

Rebekah's video application:

Rebekah online

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Rebekah's current situation:

Making the transition in to becoming a real adult with a career and proper sleeping habits all the while drooling over adorable Tower Grove area apartments in the process.

Rebekah's blog post:

With the prospect of becoming a real adult, not just the sheltered college version, looming over the horizon, I've been planning my future almost constantly lately. Though I expect to have a real job, not the student kind that “pays in experience,” I still cling tightly to the frugal habits I developed in the past 5 years at school.  I’ve learned these habits in order to keep the cost of student loans down because when you are paying your own way through college, you don’t want to be paying them off forever! I thought I would share a few that have been on my mind lately in hopes that they might help you too.

1. Buy Used – Check out websites like craigslist.org or freecycle.org to find cheap or even free furnishings for your apartment/dorm/etc. Even worn items can be salvaged with a little DIY painting or upholstery work.  Also, chances are you will find one of a kind items to make your place’s décor original. Can you say “vintage chic?”
2. Save with groceries – Shopping at discount grocery stores like Aldi significantly reduce your grocery bill.  Even if you only do 90% of your grocery shopping there, you will see considerable savings. In addition, make a list and stick to it. Buying groceries on the fly can lead to spending on stuff you don’t really need.
3. Make a budget – It’s important to spend less than you earn. If you don’t, it’s a no-brainer…you’ll go into debt. Nobody wants that! This is where a budget comes in handy. If you know what you’re making and what you owe in bills, you can know how much you can spend on fun stuff. Don’t know where to start? This guide offers helpful advice.

I hope that at least some of this information proves helpful to you, and hopefully, I will get a chance to share more with you in the future!  See you around.

Bekah