NIU students may complain about lack of money, but altogether they spend $3.6 million a month and generate business for the city of DeKalb.

A survey taken by Belden Associates from Feb. 5 to March 1 shows that the average amount of money spent monthly by a student is $201.

Most of the money spent by students pumps dollars into the local economy and helps the local businessowners.

Also, the survey found most of the money was spent on food prepared by local fast food restaurants.

Convenient grocery stores also drum up a lot of business because they are accessible to students that don’t have cars available to them on campus.

DeKalb’s Northland Plaza, which includes such stores as Walmart and JCPenney, is shopped at on a regular basis by NIU students, according to the survey. About 59% of NIU students shop there, the survey stated.

Alcohol is also another gobbler of the student’s money because 21 is the median age of NIU students.

Record Revolution and Maurice’s also attract students that want to buy clothes or tapes.

“My type of store wouldn’t be as successful as it is if the college wasn’t in DeKalb,” said Record Revolution manager Mark Cerny.

Maurice’s store manager, Gloria Snell looked at the situation differently. “The traffic pattern is very interesting. When students leave, more local people come in, and when they come back, more students are seen. No difference is noticed in the drop or rise of business.”

For entertainment, the survey said studens spend most of their money on either attending movies or renting them.