My parents are of the over-protective kind. My curfew was 10 p.m. (even the summer after my freshman year of college), I am still forced to go to family get-togethers and I was never allowed to go to a sleepover. Ever.So when I got to college and was finally able to break free from their over-bearing reigns, I went a little crazy – but not in the slutty, drunken, “Girls Gone Wild” way; rather, I went wild financially.My first taste of personal freedom came hand-in-hand with economic freedom. Suddenly, I was able to spend all night out on the town – and I do mean spend. After Fall Quarter, I had overdrafted my bank account three times (believe me, the irony in the $34 they charge you each time you overdraw isn’t lost on me). I quickly learned that with the freedom of staying up until 4 a.m. comes the responsibility of building your financial independence and finding a way to afford staying out until 4 a.m. While in college, there are many lessons to be learned. How to eat properly, how to make good decisions, how to get yourself out of sticky situations after not making good decisions, etc. For those spend-a-holics like me, the hardest lesson to learn is how to spend your money properly and learning to be frugal. Suddenly, you realize that you really don’t have to buy that pair of jeans because they are on sale, or that you don’t have to eat out for the third time in a week. All that advice from your mother about saving your money suddenly becomes so much wiser.But how do you save money when you have no self-control?First, learn to find the free food. Dining hall food becomes pretty dull after a while, and you will grow tired of it. But instead of running around Evanston and spending your own money, make an effort to really go to all of the activities that offer free food. Dorm munchies are a great way to try all the different restaurant offerings in town without paying out-of-pocket. Especially during New Student Week, restaurants around town will be handing out coupons for discounts at their establishments. You can also find discounts and coupons in Daily advertisements, and be sure to keep this Freshman Guide for its deals. Also keep an eye out for Big Bite Night in Evanston, which happens in the fall. Evanston restaurants will be giving out free samples.Student groups will also have special nights when part of their programming offers traditional ethnic food. Hispanic Heritage Month in October, for instance, has nights when typical Mexican, Puerto Rican, and other Latin-American cuisines are available.Next, learn to distinguish between what you want and what you really need. It’s easy to fall into the trap of buying stuff just because it looks cute, or because you think it will spruce up your dorm room. Before you buy it, think about whether you really want to lug it around the various places you will call home over the next four years, and whether it will still look good four years down the road (unlike that ‘No Smoking’ sign I bought at Urban Outfitters).When you’re planning escapades into Chicago, take the Intercampus shuttle as often as you can. It saves you $4, and the view of Lake Shore Drive is much better than the dark and dank El trains. If you are planning on taking the El around town often, invest in a Chicago Card. For an initial $5, you get a discounted fare ($1.75), and an extra $2 when you add $20 on your card.Also, use cash whenever possible. It’s easy to get carried away when using your debit card and not realize how much you are spending. Seeing how much cash you have left in your wallet makes it easier when making decisions about what you should and shouldn’t buy. Last, learn to check your bank account before you go out. And after. Trying to remember how much money you have in your account is pretty difficult, especially when the bank takes days or weeks to withdraw the money for a purchase you forgot you made.Just because you still can depend on your parents doesn’t mean you always should. College should be a time of taking the baby steps towards full adulthood and learning how to handle yourself – and your wallet.Reach Marcy Miranda at [email protected].