Listen up freshmen. Take a hint from the millions who have trod in your future footsteps before making colossal financial mistakes during your first collegiate year. You will be let off a very tight leash, very soon, and the new freedoms will make your head spin.

Sleeping in and huge chunks of free time are part of the perks you'll enjoy.

But you'll have a myriad of clubs, shops and credit card poachers waiting to steal every extra penny. Maybe Daddy Warbucks funds all your expenditures right now, but if you don't learn how to live responsibly these early years, you'll find yourself fresh out of college with poor spending habits and, as a result, a pile of debt.

Here are several ways to be proactive with your money over the next four years:

• Don't join a fraternity or sorority.

While I get the family atmosphere and generational tradition of the Panhellenic system, it is beyond me why anyone would want to pay the outrageous membership fees and dues associated with them.

It might create some great networking, but so do the thousands of other clubs and associations your university has to offer. Because of the time requirements involved in extra curricular activities, I've known many students who've suffered irrevocably poor GPAs made during their first semester.

To give you an idea of cost, one prominent easy coast university (not Ivy League) offers new membership for $500 to $3,250 the first semester, $500 to $1,900 in dues each semester for members living out of the house, and $1,600 to $5,000 for in-house members. Add in the extras for formals, informals, T-shirts and you end up paying huge amounts just for friends.

• Buy the smallest meal plan you need.

I assume most freshmen are terrified they'll go hungry away from mom's cooking, which is why most young students have hugely inclusive meal plans that they don't utilize. Think about the quality of the food you'll eat in the cafeteria and how often you'll actually use it. Then downsize. Invest in a small refrigerator and microwave for your dorm for healthier and cheaper snacks.

• Consider your living options.

Dorm costs might seem prohibitive, but there are many financial perks to living on campus. Free laundering rooms, security, transportation savings, included electric costs, and dorm living camaraderie can make residing on campus worth the extra bucks. Get a roommate though — you'll be lonely and broke otherwise. If you prefer the solitude of a residence outside of university limits, think about renting a house with several friends. Depending upon your area, houses are usually the cheaper options as long as several folks go in together.

• Be selective in picking your friends and roommates.

Roommates can really leave you high and dry. Make sure your potential housemate is not in financial distress and that he will be respectful of your things. Two years of paying rent late, eating your cereal, and stiffing you on the water bill will take a toll. Seek out folks who are like-minded and conservative with their money. They will have a positive influence on you and reduce unnecessary stress. Utilize sites like Roommates.com or Roommatenation.com to help you in your search.

• Take as many hours as you can each semester.

The fifth year senior is more of a standard than an exception these days. While Peter Pan syndrome is largely to blame, universities also make it extremely difficult to complete an undergraduate degree plan in four years. I'm convinced it's purely for financial gain. My university put a measly 12-hour limit on the first two semesters — so if I hadn't attended summer school it would have been virtually impossible to graduate as a true senior. Often times a phone call to your adviser (along with proof of a solid prior academic record) will allow you to register for a larger class load. It's much more economical to reduce the number of semesters enrolled to avoid the costs of an additional year.

• Don't work at The Gap ... wait tables instead.

Retail pays squat unless you're on commission. What you'll do with your earnings is spend them on your employee-discounted clothing that you need to work in the store. Maximize your work hours by waiting tables or doing something that earns more than a flat rate per hour. Work-study isn't a bad option as it looks like more of a professional job on a resume and usually allows some flex-time for studying.

You don't have to hole up in a dingy $200 apartment and stare at a clock for entertainment in the name of financial responsibility. Enjoy the college years, but not at the expense of your future. Living frugally these early independent years will build a solid financial foundation.

For more savings tips, check out FreeShippping.org's "Go Frugal" blog at http://www.freeshipping.org/blog