It seems like every time you pick up a newspaper or turn on the television, you are bound to catch the news covering another story about the economic decline.

With the economy in rough shape, students are finding themselves with a much smaller budget to work with than they may have previously known.

So how are students at Sacred Heart University dealing with the current economic situation?

"I've been carpooling a lot with friends to save on gas along with cutting the cost of textbooks by either buying them used or sharing them with classmates and then selling them at the end of the semester," said senior Kristen Walsh.

With changes such as replacing eating out with cooking at home, Walsh finds small ways to conserve cash.

"We've been staying in more-hanging out at houses rather than going out to a bar or club in order to save up."

Junior Katherine Fico also finds herself searching for ways to save money when shopping and says she has definitely had to change her spending habits over the past few months in order to keep her wallet in tact.

"I've been doing a lot of sale shopping, cutting coupons, buying bulk, getting my textbooks online, and basically whatever else I can think of that will help me save some cash."

Fico added that she has also been saving by doing her own hair coloring and nails at home as opposed to going to a pricey salon.

As far as trying to bring in more money Fico is looking for a summer job with a good income.

"I've been taking on more hours at work and searching for a paid internship for this coming summer so I get the experience I want along with the money I need," said Fico.

Students have also found ways to cut corners by taking advantage of utilities provided by the school which prove to be less expensive.

"I've started going to the movies they offer at SHU instead of the movie theatre and I even sold my printer and started using the print lab more," said junior Christina Mamzellis.

"The library has tons of great books you can take out with your SHU card so I've been skipping the bookstore. It also has movies you can take out instead of spending money at Blockbuster."

Apart from changing their daily spending routines, students and their families are also taking more of an interest in financial aid than ever before.

With economic conditions tough for everyone, students seem to be realizing the real value of a dollar, and learning how to stretch it out as much as possible.