With the increasing cost of a college education on the rise, college administrators need to address the long term financial, psychological, and academic risks associated with the increased responsibility of personal debt. In this qualitative study, college students' perspectives regarding the need for a personal financial management center at a regional public institution of higher education in the Southwest were obtained. Themes that emerged from participants' responses were: (a) the need and desire to understand personal budgeting, (b) learning about personal financial management to obtain a sense of independence, and (c) developing personal responsibility as it relates to controlling need versus want purchasing habits. Implications of our findings are discussed. [The source id v4 n2 Apr-Jun 2009 found on the pdf is incorrect.]