American consumers are keeping a close eye on their expenses in an effort to stretch their dollars as far as they can go in the current economy.

A number of Marquette students are also being affected by the recession the country currently faces.

Whether it means buying a 24-pack of Minhas for $6.99 at Kampus Foods instead of paying $4 for a Bud Light at a local bar, or microwaving a cup of Ramen noodles for dinner instead of eating out at the Dogg Haus, some students are cutting back on leisure spending to keep up with rising rent and utility bills.

Carolyn Fitzgerald, a sophomore in the College of Arts & Sciences, lives in a house close to campus with two other students.

Fitzgerald said each roommate pays $425 a month in rent, and the utility bills added up to be $150 for each roommate last month.

Both gas and electric prices increased in her last payment period, Fitzgerald said.

"I normally pay my rent and utilities myself, but the cost of living has gotten so bad that I had to take out another loan," she said. "It's ridiculous."

Kate Merrill, a senior in the College of Arts & Sciences, lives in a two-person apartment by herself.

While her mother pays the $450 rent that a roommate would pay, Merrill pays her half of the rent and a $75 electric bill, which she said has increased since the last time she paid.

"The first year I lived here, my electric bills were about half what they are now," Merrill said. "I'm not sure why that it is, because I haven't increased my electricity use."

According to projections We Energies recently filed with state regulators, electricity bills for residential customers around campus will increase 4.9 percent in 2010 and another 4.5 percent in 2011.

Jake Hartlmeier, a sophomore in the College of Business Administration, lives alone in an off-campus studio apartment.

Hartlmeier said he pays $405 a month in rent, a number that will increase to $450 next year, along with an electric bill that falls somewhere between $20 and $30 every month.

"For me it's pretty much just paying rent and electric," he said. "I cut my expenses by choosing not to pay for cable TV or Internet."

Instead of paying for Internet access in his apartment, Hartlmeier said he walks to the Alumni Memorial Union or the library to use the Internet. But there are other expenses he keeps a close eye on, like food.

"I'm definitely cutting back on stuff like Qdoba and (Marquette) Gyros too," he said. "I used to go there two or three times a week, but it would add up to be like 20 bucks, and that is a month's worth of electric for me."