With a new school year almost in full swing, you may have noticed that your bank account is diminishing faster than John Mayer’s relationships.
Fortunately, there are many ways for you to get all of your necessities for college and still have some money in your pocket afterward…
- Don’t buy new textbooks! Buying used textbooks are sometimes half the price of brand new ones and if you rent them, they are even cheaper.
- Don’t purchase the most expensive meal plan. The chances of you using the entire amount of your meal plan by the end of the year are slim since you most likely will not be eating every single meal on campus. Variety is good, especially when it comes to food, so start off with one of the smaller plans and if you find yourself needing more, you can always add to it.
- Take advantage of student discounts. You will never know if somewhere offers student discounts unless you ask, so make it a habit of asking about them everywhere you go. The worst that can happen is they tell you “no”, but it is worth asking about anyway. Discounts are offered everywhere from restaurants and movie theaters to computer stores and airlines.
- Use websites like Netflix, Hulu and Pandora for your entertainment. Spending on cable and music purchases will add up quickly, so it is wise to use alternative modes of entertainment that are just as good.
- Make DIY projects your favorite pass time. If you know you are not going to stay in your dorm or apartment for more than a school year, do not spend hundreds of dollars on decorations and furniture that you may not be able to use again in the future. Consider making things yourself or buying an item used; it will save you money in the long run and is better for the environment.
- Learn the bus route. Just because you are lucky enough to have your own car to take to college does not mean you should drive it everywhere. Most colleges have buses that take you where you need to be all day long for free. Save your gas money and your road rage.
- Forego the high-end products. This doesn’t mean you have to stop painting your nails or primping our hair. You can still get the same outcome with a store brand product as you can with a big name product, but for a fraction of the cost. It may take some getting used to, but will be better for your pocket book in the end.
What tips do you have for saving money?
guest
yeah my money saving tips are taking the bus until i can buy a car, i get everything used on craigslist but theres seriously total finds on there you can find beautiful things for good prices and talk them down even lower- so i turn to CL for some furniture, the rest of my furniture i bought at a thrift store that i didn’t get off CL. im really happy with all my pieces, so unique and at very good prices! i also do the netflix thing. no point in buying cable. id hope someone would be busy enough where they wouldn’t need it in college- you only live once! i try to grocery shop for most of my food and while id love to buy all organic, delicious, healthy foods, i know my budget and work with what i have. you can still make good things though.
also i live off campus, my school doesn’t have dorms etc
id also encourage upper classman to rent a townhouse with a couple friends. the rent will be WAY cheaper and you will thank yourself later!!! not to mention, way better circumstances! sure you might not be as close to campus but theres definately ones that can be close. that also goes with renting an apt. i found good renting situations from CL since im new to the city. i lived with one girl for a year and paid $400 + 1/2 utilities to share which is pretty standard- then i found a more permanent situation and live with a friend.- we both share the townhouse and seriously there is so much more space (then dorms) and its way better looking! and cheaper!
guest
Oh my God, don’t buy new books. I feel so bad for freshman that obliviously buy things from the bookstore…. a quick online search will save you hundreds of dollars a semester. Even if you’re spending loan money, you still have to pay that back someday! I’d rather invest that cash in my car than in books and supplies i’ll rarely use during the semester (because lets be honest, most professors don’t make a point of using the textbooks they assign after the first week).
guest
Find the free meals! I don’t know about your universities but at mine the Baptist Collegiate Ministry has free lunch on Mondays and supper on Thursdays. The Episcopal church has free lunch on Wednesdays. I think the Catholic center has free lunch one day too. They’re usually good meals, like home cooked type stuff, not fast food and junk.
guest
It sucks when you have no choice but to buy the new book because your professor wants the new edition. I believe renting is the alternative, though. Or at least get it discounted on amazon instead of from your most likely overpriced bookstore.
guest
The biggest drains I see running on people are the ones who…
1) Try and live as nicely off possible off student loans. Trust me, you’ll regret it down the road… it is college, deal with a crappy studio apartment in walking distance of campus instead of trying to finance a 2 bedroom gated community that you have to drive to classes from. Every time I hear “what’s the real difference between 25,000 and 40,000 anyways?” I cry a little bit inside… both at the fact that people are no longer taught math, and for this person inevitable breakdown in 3-5 years.
2) Get a Starbucks before going into work, another one while on the job, and then are “too tired to make dinner” so they just go to Chili’s. Congratulations, you have made exactly 0$ during your day at work, because you spent it all on these restaurants. Learn to cook, plan your eating schedule in advance, and remember that dishes like tacos, that can become nachos the next day, are invaluable additions to your refrigerator.
3) Finance a girlfriend/boyfriend. I knew a girl who took out an additional 1000$ of loan money to buy her boyfriend a car payment and a television for Christmas. Naturally, they were broken up before the spring. There are times when you need to lean financially on a spouse/significant other… your undergraduate years are not those times. Don’t give anyone a free ride, and don’t expect one for yourself… establish independence, that’s what it is all about anyways.
guest
Don’t spend all your money on going out and alcohol.