When it comes to paying for college, responsibility is key.

Jacob Zernick doused his chicken sandwich with Polynesian Sauce in one of the campus food courts. The sandwich, fries and drink cost him one meal trade, roughly $7.50, and is just one of many expenses the psychology sophomore endures while trying to receive his bachelor’s degree.

“To pay for school means more than just paying tuition,” he said between bites. “You need a place to stay, you need food, you need books, and if you’re an art major, you need art supplies.”

He expressed relief that, as a Psychology major, his expenses are less than those of his friends. He knows art students that pay hundreds on supplies each semester.

“My biggest expense is books,” said Zernick, who spent over $400 on reading material this semester. “That’s a lot of money, especially if you can’t sell them back.”

Zernick isn’t complaining about college expenses. He manages his costs through grants, scholarships and responsibility.

“I actually get a lot of financial aid. It doesn’t cover everything, but it takes care of most of my tuition,” he said. Zernick receives about $5,000 a year to cover college expenses.

He has a plan that helps to keep him out of debt while getting an education. While many students rely on loans to pay for tuition, rent and other experiences, Zernick tries to avoid loans as much as possible.

“First I use my financial aid. What that doesn’t cover, I pay for with my job. Sometimes when that doesn’t work, I go sell plasma. When that doesn’t work, I ask my dad for help, but that’s only after everything else doesn’t work.”

Zernick’s father was one of 2.6 million Americans laid off in 2008. “I didn’t borrow much from my parents last year because they were tight for money,” he says. “I’ve really just been careful with my spending instead.”

Responsibility is the key to Zernick’s success with handling college expenses. He says students should be more adamant in applying for scholarships and aid if they wish to get through school with less debt.

While most students have about $30,000 to pay off in loans, Zernick expects to graduate with less than $15,000 in debt. He only takes out small loans for emergencies, and won’t take out more than he’ll be able to pay back.

Zernick said he has a credit card, but uses it to build his credit for later rather than creating more debt.

“I’ve had my credit card for over a year, and I’ve always been able to pay my
balance each month. You hear people say they couldn’t pay their cards off, but there’s really no excuse for that.”

Frequent notices help Zernick to remember when payments are due on his card. In the past year he has increased his credit limit to $50,000.

“I only use my credit card for things I’d pay for anyway. It’s pretty convenient to have a little extra time to save up for tuition payments,” he said. He notes that if a tuition payment is due in April and he pays with a card, he has until May to pay his balance.

“My advice to new credit card users is to always pay the full balance and to ask as many questions as possible to learn how to keep your credit up.”

While the economy is playing a large part in student debt, irresponsible spending habits will only make problems worse. Students who are willing to work through college and manage their money carefully have the opportunity to get the education they need without the debt they dread.