by Leigh Goessl

Created on: June 15, 2008   Last Updated: April 24, 2009

If you are a college student you already know how tight finances can get. After tuition, fees, books and other educational expenses are met, you likely find yourself limited on money. This is if you aren't already living off negative balances in your bank account.

The good news is there are many ways you can try and counter your money struggles to put yourself in a better financial position. To reduce your financial burdens it takes some proactive planning and a little work, but with this effort you can successfully ease the burden of some of your money struggles.

Here are 10 tips to help keep your bank account with a positive balance and keep your debt down:

1. Apply for financial aid and work study programs

This is a smart move even if you think you won't qualify due to your parents' income or if you are working, your own salary. Many students pass up the opportunity to file for financial aid for various reasons and this is one of the biggest oversights students make. Even if you don't qualify for full tuition, you might be granted some money which may at least cover partial tuition or even some books, but you'll never know unless you apply!

If you are denied financial aid, by at least filing you are usually eligible for low interest loans which will save you in the long run. Many students are also offered work study opportunities which also relieve financial distress because you are given a job (often right on campus!) without having to pound the pavement looking for one.

2. Scholarships

Many corporations and foundations generously give away thousands each year, but countless students aren't aware these wonderful opportunities exist. If you take the time to ask your school's financial office about scholarships and do some additional research on the web, it is probable you will find many scholarships you can apply for.

There are many good websites dedicated to scholarship searches. Most will ask you to register first, but stay away from sites which ask you for any sort of payment as most reputable scholarship search engines will never ask for money. Two of the better websites are FastWeb and CollegeNET.

3. Buy used text books

The required books for classes can result in severe sticker shock if you purchase books at the college book store, but you can easily cut these costs in half if you buy used textbooks. Many students are very happy to sell their used books to you at a fraction of what you'd pay for new. Another good avenue is to search online; the Internet is

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