**It’s Grad Week here on the Credit Karma blog! Tune in each day for a new post geared toward high school and college graduates.**
College is a time to explore who you are.
You can become someone completely different and redefine yourself. But in the real world you might find that some of the best-known clichéd college personality types can be wallet-toxic personalities.
See if you fall into any of these college personality types, and then read on for strategies to make sure they don’t do damage to your life or wallet.
- The Partyer. You were the one who knew where all the good parties were. Most didn’t even start until you arrived there. In college, you were like John Belushi in “Animal House.” But in the real world, you’ll find that clubs aren’t like your buddy’s house parties; you’ll pay $10 to $20 in cover charges just to get in. Once you’re in, food and drink will really cost you because most clubs don’t offer take-out pizza and cheap beer.
Get over it: Budget your money so you can still have fun without going overboard. If you avoid hitting up a $10-cover club every weekend, you can stand to save $520 in a year. Find out when clubs near you offer free or discounted nights. Try happy hours for a cheaper alternative to eating out with friends. There are lots of ways to still have fun without breaking the bank.
- The Sorority Girl. Clothing and accessories often spelled status, so you were dressed to impress all the time. That new Louis Vuitton bag looks great hanging on your arm, but it cost you significant credit card debt that you still haven’t paid off. In college, you kept up and socialized with the best of ‘em. But if you max out your credit cards every month, it’s bad news for your credit score.
Get over it: Don’t let your penchant for designer labels cause you to rack up some hefty credit card debt. Keep your spending and credit health in check by spending under 30% of your available credit and always paying your credit card balance in full each month. You’ll maintain a healthy credit score with your good habits.
- The Charming Slacker. Like Judd Nelson’s character in “The Breakfast Club,” you got by on your charisma and your good looks, barely passing your classes and getting that diploma. Unfortunately, in the real world, this just won’t cut it if you want to start making a steady paycheck.
Get over it: Living in your parents’ basement might be a great way to save some cash for a while, but it shouldn’t become your permanent residence. Polish up your resume and start adding some reputable activities to it, like volunteering and tutoring. The faster you make a move, the sooner you’ll get hired. And remember that future employers might check your credit, so give your finances a check-up before you start applying.
- The Activities Junkie. You were president or two clubs, secretary of three, and treasurer of several more. You attended every event you could, filling your schedule and rubbing elbows along the way. You were barely in your dorm room because your calendar was packed with events each week. Do you even remember what your roommate looked like? While there’s nothing wrong with wanting to attend events and be seen, in the real world, you’ll find fewer events that will let you in for free (and you won’t get the student discount anymore).
Get over it: Look for deals on websites that track cheap and free activities, like Fun Cheap SF for the Bay Area. Budget a limited amount of cash each month for activities, and stop when that cash is gone. Check daily deal sites like Groupon and Living Social, or track several at once by using a daily deal site aggregator like Yipit.
- The Class Clown. You made everyone laugh in class, even your professors. Plus, you were behind most school pranks like Ryan Reynolds in “Van Wilder.” Your smart-alec moves masked your poor grades, but somehow you still managed to graduate. Now you’re looking for a job in the real world and banking on your comedic genius. Unfortunately, it takes a lot more than a few good jokes to make it in a career.
Get over it: Tread wisely, because your humor or pranks might cost you a job. There’s a difference between being witty and being obnoxious and you don’t want a potential employer to get the wrong impression, or think that you aren’t serious about your career. Tone down the kookiness while you’re on the job hunt, and slowly introduce your humorous side, keeping it in a professional context.
Bottom line: Make sure your cliché habits back in college don’t transition into the real world to cost you your job, your money, or your reputation.
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