Car Insurance for College Students
9 Silly Things College Students Purchase Instead of Car Insurance
We all know that car insurance is a necessity. But, unfortunately, college students aren’t known for their impulse-control or their ability to manage money responsibly. They often forgo car insurance in favor of things that give them immediate satisfaction. The following list details a few of these “instant gratification” items, and explains their different roles in the lives of college students.
- Alcohol: College campuses are notorious for being surrounded by boozy bars, pubs, and nightclubs. On that same note, college students are equally notorious for spending too much money in said establishments. You can tell them it’s a bad idea and that they’ll regret it when they’re broke and hungover, but they probably won’t listen.
- Electronics: This one is a no-brainer. Kids of all ages are obsessed with electronics, and college kids are no exception. In fact, they may be even more gadget-oriented than middle school and high school-aged kids. It seems like a new smartphone comes out every month or so: one with more storage, more power, a bigger screen, cooler accessories, etc. And if it’s not a smartphone, it’s an electronic tablet or notebook, or an mp3 player, or a plasma TV…the list goes on and on. Also, the price of the electronic device doesn’t include the services needed to make them work! Most modern electronics run on wireless or mobile internet, and these charges can be pretty hefty. But, alas, young adults love their gadgets, and it doesn’t look like this trend will end any time soon.
- Junk Food: Another obvious item on this list, junk food, is a staple for college students and most other young adults. Living in dorms with no access to a kitchen (and oftentimes where hotplates aren’t allowed) leads many students to live on chips, candy bars, and cookies. And while junk food is convenient, it isn’t cheap.
- Vacations: Two words: Spring Break. Each year, thousands upon thousands of college students travel to tropical locations such as Cabo San Lucas, Cancun, and Fort Lauderdale to partake in a week-long party session. Spring break expenses include gas or airfare, hotel rooms, food and drinks, souvenirs, and other odds and ends. To get to the point, spring break vacations are expensive.
- Clothes: Most college students like being fashionable: even if keeping up with current style trends means going without necessities such as car insurance. They want the latest clothes, shoes, bags, and other accessories, and these items do not come cheap. However, students still feel the need to look their best, no matter the price.
- Concerts: Music is important to most college students, and live shows are all a part of the college experience. Most college towns have an abundance of concert halls and other venues, and live shows can be seen most any night of the week. Costs can include ticket prices and cover charges, CDs and other memorabilia, and food and beverages. It adds up.
- Dates: Whether they’re in a committed relationship or romancing half the campus, nearly all college students date. And it’s not unheard of for a student to forgo an entire week’s worth of modest dinners (or a month’s worth of car insurance coverage) in favor of one extravagant dinner date.
- Music and Movies: Just like college students before them, today’s students still spend money on movies and music. However, these days, most music is purchased electronically and then downloaded to mp3 players, smart phones, and computers. And when it comes to movies, many students prefer renting or subscribing to online movie rental companies (like Netflix and Hulu) to buying actual hard copies of movies. These places typically charge a monthly fee (packages and prices vary) for unlimited viewing. While they may not have money in the bank or food in the fridge, most college students have extensive music and movie libraries: it’s all about prioritizing.
- Video Game Systems and Accessories: Almost all kids love video games, even “kids” in their late teens and early twenties. At any given time in college dorms all over America, there are probably hundreds of students lounging around in pajamas playing video games. New game systems can run anywhere from $200 to $600, and when you add on accessories such as extra controllers, extra memory, headsets (yes, they use headsets now) and motion sensor devices (like kinect), the price can reach as high as $1,000! And that’s not even including games, which cost about $50 if purchased new! It’s safe to say that college students love video games, and will most likely continue to do so.