Economic Behaviors and Budgeting Practices of College Students: A Correlational Study

This study investigates the economic and budgeting behaviors of college students in the Philippines, focusing on how efficiency, creativity, diligence, and non-consumptive practices influence saving and spending habits. Using a descriptive correlational design, data were collected from 385 randomly selected students through validated survey instruments. Results revealed that students generally exhibit responsible financial behaviors, with strong agreement on efficient, creative, and hardworking traits, while showing moderate agreement on non-consumptive practices. Budgeting behaviors reflected rational spending and moderate saving, though savings were often managed informally through wallets or piggy banks rather than formal banking institutions. Spearman correlation analysis demonstrated significant positive relationships between economic behaviors and budgeting habits, with efficiency and diligence showing the strongest associations with both saving and spending. These findings highlight that while students demonstrate financial discipline and awareness, gaps remain in their use of formal financial systems. The study recommends integrating financial literacy programs into university curricula, promoting mobile banking and FinTech tools, and encouraging long-term saving practices. Future research should adopt longitudinal designs to examine whether improvements in economic behaviors lead to sustained financial outcomes.