Schoolcraft College will host a pair of free financial well-being workshops in February. The first, “Reality Check,” is from 2 to 3 p.m. on Thursday, February 6, in the VisTaTech Center, Room W210B. This workshop will cover how to keep a written budget and start to save.

For college students in particular, studentaid.gov offers these general budgeting tips:

• Overestimate your expenses: It’s better to overestimate your expenses and then underspend and end up with a surplus.
• Underestimate your income: It’s better to end up with an unexpected cash surplus rather than a budget shortfall.
• Involve your family in the budget planning process: Determine how much income will be available from family sources such as parents or your spouse. Discuss how financial decisions will be made.
• Prepare for the unexpected by setting saving goals to build your emergency fund: Budgeting will help you cover unusual expenses and plan for changes that may happen while you’re in school.
• Finishing school in the next year?: Budget to include job search expenses such as résumé preparation, travel to interviews and job fairs, and professional exam fees. Also, you may need to think about how you will manage your money between leaving school and finding a job—this is a time when an emergency fund can really help out.
• Review your spending for little items that add up to big monthly expenditures: The daily cup of coffee and pop at a vending machine adds up. Consider packing your lunch rather than eating out every day. Spending $10 a day eating out during the week translates to $50 a week and $200 a month. A $5 packed lunch translates into a savings of $1,200 a year. Save even more by looking for ways to manage and reduce your transportation and entertainment expenses.

The second workshop, “Renting Right,” is from 4:30 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, February 27, in the VisTaTech Center, Room W205. If you have questions about landlord rights, what to do about unresolved disputes or issues, or simply want to better understand Fair Housing laws and landlord-tenant laws that protect both tenants and landlords, this program could be highly beneficial.

Security deposit laws, financial management and other topics will be covered as well. In Michigan, for example, the law states that a security deposit shall not exceed 1 ½ times the monthly rent. That means that if the rent is $500, the security deposit can’t be more than $750.

An attorney will be present to answer questions. Housing commissions, landlords and property management companies are invited to the workshop as well.

Registration is required for each event. To register, call the Hinkle Center at 734-462-4443 or email at hinklecenter@schoolcraft.edu.