Budgeting for a Peace of Mind
KENNESAW, Ga. | Oct 29, 2025
Explore the vital connection between budgeting and student wellbeing.
Episode Transcript
Oshun Tinker
Hooty Hoo, Owls. Welcome to 榴莲黄视频 Wellbeing@KSU Podcast. I am one of your hosts, Oshun Tinker, a marketing intern student with Health Promotion and Wellness. Today, we're diving into a topic that affects nearly everyone, but especially college students: budgeting. In this episode, we'll explore how taking control of your finances can have a powerful impact on your overall well-being.
Oshun Tinker
We're joined by BethAnne Van de Voort, a financial counselor accredited by the Association of Financial Counseling and Planning Education. She brings valuable insight into how creating a realistic spending plan can reduce anxiety, improve decision-making, and help students feel more confident about their financial future. BethAnne, thank you for joining us to provide students and KSU community with insights into how we advocate for them openly and behind the scenes.
BethAnne Van de Voort
Thank you so much for having me, Oshun. This is a subject I'm passionate about and I'm thrilled to share it with everyone.
Oshun Tinker
Great. And to start, can you tell us a bit about your role as a financial counselor and what financial wellness means to you?
BethAnne Van de Voort
Sure. As a financial counselor, I want to get to know my client and meet them where they are. I want to answer all their questions and then try to educate them on new things and provide suggestions such as 鈥渉ave you thought of this or that鈥� as applicable to their situation. I always tell those I work with that the past is in the past. We can learn from it, but not dwell on it as we look at the future.
The working definition of financial wellness for college students, per the Higher Education Financial Wellness Alliance, is the ability to maintain stability, enabling students to achieve their educational goals. It is when a student has security and stability in his or her finances that allow him or her to concentrate on the majority of their time on non-financial endeavors.
Oshun Tinker
Yes. So I believe you kind of answered our next question already. But, why is budgeting such a powerful tool for improving mental health and emotional well-being, especially for college students?
BethAnne Van de Voort
Well, spending plans, or some people call it a budget, give people freedom to have control over where their money goes, as opposed to wondering where it went. Being able to dictate where you want your money to go, or just knowing where it is can really be a big stress relief. Oshun Tinker
And what are some of the most common financial stressors you see among students, and how do they affect academic performances or personal well-being?
BethAnne Van de Voort
Yeah. Students are juggling so many things. They have classes, as well as some may have jobs or even multiple jobs, as well as families. And some students may have transportation concerns, food concerns, or others. And these can add up and adversely affect the reason that they're here, getting an education that will help propel them forward post-graduation. It can also affect their personal well-being, causing one to consider taking longer to graduate or even dropping out.
Oshun Tinker
And as a current student, I definitely can connect with that, especially many of my peers that I know as well. So, and what's a good first step for someone who wants to start budgeting but feels overwhelmed or unsure of where to begin?
BethAnne Van de Voort
Sure. Write down everything that you spend for one or even three months to get an idea of what you're actually spending on things like gas or food or other variable expenses. You can take a picture of every receipt right there in the store, so that later you can, if you lose the piece of paper or the paper receipt, it doesn't matter.
Then pick a weekly day or time to review the past week. Many people have a grasp on those expenses that are the same every month. They're fixed. You know they know the exact amount, etc., but the variable expenses that may be more difficult to get a handle on, they can be - take a little bit more time. So did you spend a $100 last month on gas or $200? Did you spend $250 on food, or maybe $50 or $500? And so, by tracking your expenses, you can get to know that answer.
Oshun Tinker
And are there any specific tools, apps, or resources you'd recommend for students who want to track their spending or to start creating a budget plan?
BethAnne Van de Voort
So, students should use whatever they feel comfortable with. I've worked with individuals who liked Microsoft Excel, Google Sheets, or phone apps such as EveryDollar, NerdWallet, PocketGuard, or YNAB, which is You Need a Budget. And some of these apps have free options or trials, and others do cost money.
And I've also worked with others who just use paper and pen. So, it's whatever you like to use that works the best for you that will get the job done.
Oshun Tinker
And what resources are available on campus for students struggling with financial stress?
BethAnne Van de Voort
Students can reach out to the CARE services. They understand that the academic path is unique and filled with unexpected challenges along the way, but they can help you with housing, health care, food security, mental health, or other challenges that may affect your well-being.
So, you can check out their website at care.kennesaw.edu. Call them at (470) 578-5260, or just visit them at the Carmichael Student Center, Room 172, in Kennesaw, or the J.M.W. Student Center, Room 184 at the Marietta campus.
Oshun Tinker
Well, that's great to know that there's multiple services available for students as well as the tools that you recommended. And thank you so much for sharing all of your experiences.
And you've given us a lot of great insight for today. If students can take away just one thing from our conversation, what should it be when it comes to budgeting and mental well-being?
BethAnne Van de Voort
So, if you're budgeting and or your financial situation is affecting your schoolwork, please know that you're not alone. Managing your finances can be a really big job, but there are resources and people happy to help you learn how to manage it. So definitely don't let this affect your mental health. Reach out and connect with someone.
Oshun Tinker
Well, that wraps up our conversation for today. I'd like to thank you again, BethAnne Van de Voort, Financial Counselor, for joining me for an insightful conversation about budgeting and how setting a spending plan can reduce stress and improve mental well-being.
So, thank you so much for tuning in to the Wellbeing@KSU Podcast. We encourage you to subscribe because our upcoming episode will dive deeper into financial well-being and a discussion on financial therapy. If you're listening and ever find yourself in need of support, please don't hesitate to reach out. Wellbeing@KSU offers a wide range of resources, including counseling, health education, addiction and recovery support, fitness and recreation activities, and access to basic needs.
We also offer mental health trainings to help you build awareness, knowledge, and
skills around mental health and suicide prevention. To learn more or register, visit
our website at kennesaw.edu/wellbeing. Or send an email to wellctr@kennesaw.edu.
If you have suggestions for future podcast topics, we'd love to hear from you. Just send us a message at the same email. Thanks again for listening to Wellbeing@KSU Podcast, where we provide tips to elevate student wellbeing.
