There are lots of ways to save money. In fact, there probably isn’t a single aspect in your life that you couldn’t cut some unnecessary costs somewhere. We’re not implying that you waste money; it’s just that a lot of us don’t really think of some of these tips and we sometimes believe there’s only one way to do something. Here’s a good example: Higher education. Most people simply think the only way to get a college degree is by slogging it out at a four year University and paying ever-increasing costs of tuition. In fact, you hear it all the time; people simply call it a “four year degree”. But there are ways you can actually save money and still get that Bachelor’s. We’ve got three educational tips for you:

Consider a Local Community College for the First Two Years

No employer has ever asked whether or not you did all four years at the University. If you know which college you want to attend, take a look at the satellite community colleges in that University’s geographical location. They will almost always have lower division classes with credits that will readily transfer to the University when you are ready to enter your junior year, and the tuition is usually half the cost or lower.

Look Online

Many reputable universities offer online classes for a reduced cost. These can not only be more affordable, but they can also be much more flexible if you are working at a job while going to school. Forgive the pun, but make sure you do your homework. You may have seen the ads for these so-called “private” online universities, but their tuition is usually much higher than a standard public University because they target those who might not have had the grades to get into a standard college. Don’t be fooled. Even if you were turned down by the University of your choice, there are ways you can pull up your grade point average; see again the local Community College.

Finish Sooner

So you got the grades and you are all set to go to the University, but the overall cost is making you hesitate. If you know what you will major in, investigate whether or not your University offers a three year program. If these aren’t available to you, take a serious look at increasing your credit load each semester. Some schools call it “fifteen to finish”, meaning you can finish your degree in four years by taking fifteen credits per semester. But did you know you can shave off an entire semester by increasing that load to eighteen credits? The tuition per credit is the same, but you will forgo other expenses like service charges as well as other costs such as food and fuel (and possibly apartment rental). We at CASH 1 think everyone should have the opportunity for a good education and better opportunities in life. If you are just short on those tuition costs, come see us for Personal Installment Loans in Nevada or Arizona. We have loan services in the greater Phoenix area (Go Sun Devils!) as well as Las Vegas (Go Runnin’ Rebels!) and Reno (Go Wolfpack!).