Five steps to avoid procrastinating and pay your student tuition bill today

We're all procrastinators in some area of life. You’ve been putting something off for too long, between work, friendships, and even self-care. Life goes on if responsibilities don't get done today, but they're still important. I procrastinated writing this. Telling myself, "I don't procrastinate, how would I know what to write?" (😒) "I'll get to it tomorrow." (Tomorrow:🚴). Just now, a hummingbird came to our feeder and flew down to my eye level for a few seconds and distracted me. Sometimes procrastination can be fun, but a lot of times it’s ruled by self-doubt, boredom, striving for perfection, or fear, especially when it comes to money. Paying your tuition bill for college is a perfect example of procrastination that's not in your best interest. It's easy to hold off on the inevitable, but paying your college tuition today will save you the headache of tomorrow. 

Money is stressful 

Paying your tuition is the last major milestone before starting the semester: 

• Application? Check. 
• Registration? Check. 
• Financial aid? Check. 

But as soon as it’s time to pay, you find yourself stalling.  

Talking about money can be stressful, but the more you avoid paying your tuition bill, the fewer days you have until the deadline. And what happens when that date comes? Are you not going to school anymore, or will you end up scrambling at the last minute and stressing yourself out even more? 

Five steps to stop procrastinating and pay your tuition bill 

Procrastinating can become part of your lifestyle. And to break out of the habit of putting important work aside for too long, use these five themes to change your approach for life's responsibilities. Start with your tuition bill first. 

1. Meet your maker 

Go see what your future needs from you today.

• Open the Bill. The first step to getting to the first day of school is opening the tuition bill mail or email. Half of the work is done. 
• If you feel worried after reading the number, pause for a few seconds and take deep breaths. It’s okay not to have the money right now. Just remember, you know there are ways to get money. That’ll offer you some relief. 

2. Start learning 

Now you have to find what options are available.

• Start pulling financial resources. It may be too late for new scholarships and grants, so focus on researching tuition bill options that are more time sensitive. Start by visiting or calling your school’s financial aid office. Have a few preset questions ready.
  
  Here are some important questions to ask: 
  • Do you offer payment plans?
  • Are there any work-study jobs available?
  • Any on-campus or off-campus job resources I can use? 
  • Are there late fees if I pay after the due date? 
     
• Double-check your savings account. It’s difficult to save money at times, but if you have a savings account, choose how much you can use to pay for some of the tuition. If your bill can be placed on a payment plan, how much of savings can go toward that monthly tuition bill? 

3. Start planning 

Once you have some options, start planning all the different ways you can decrease tuition bill. 

• Ask friends and families for funds. Don’t be ashamed to ask for support from loved ones. Whether it’s adding to a savings account, or creating a new one, instead of gifts during the holidays or birthdays, ask for donations toward your future. 
• While pulling resources, start getting paperwork ready, in-hand or on pdfs, to save time on possible loan applications. If you’re planning to get a private student loan, most lenders will ask for: 
  • Identification
  • Social Security Number
  • Citizenship
  • References
  • Loan cosigners 
• Create a budget. The budget gives you the state of your financial health, so you'll know what you can afford versus what you'll need to pay your tuition bill. Once you organize your financial resources, adjust and compare the offers against your budget to see what makes sense for paying your student tuition bill. Be sure to also look for the best option that won't drastically increase the cost of education (e.g., loans with high interest rates and origination fees). 
• Reorganize your spending for a while. Once you know your budget, you may need to adjust your spending for a while. Spend money on needs and hold off on wants. 

4. Start working it out 

Get that student tuition bill paid today.

• Make time. Whether you wake up a half hour earlier and research options or fill out applications, or dedicate a late night to get it done, schedule time as soon as possible to start paying off that bill. 
• Find the right loan for you. If you’re going to school in Vermont or a Vermont resident going to school out-of-state, shop student loan offers like VSAC. VSAC offers fixed rates and zero origination fees with a wealth of resources to make you an informed loan buyer. 
• Disconnect for a bit. When important work has to be done, disconnecting from text messages, scrolling on TikTok and Instagram, and binging a new show, will keep you focused and probably lead to quicker and more creative options. You can even listen to podcasts or watch YouTube videos that share tips for paying tuition bills.  

5. Start celebrating 

Don’t Worry, Be Happy. Be proud that you're working toward a new chapter in life. Having to navigate paying bills at the last minute is an important life experience because it teaches you how to find resources under pressure. 

Imagine what you could do if you stopped procrastinating. Get to work and enjoy the semester!