College can be a difficult experience for those that worry about money. Moving into the world where your parents don't pay for everything can be hard. So here are a few tips that can help you save money throughout your semester, whether you consider yourself rich, poor, and/or starving for food and fun.
1. Commute
If you live off campus, consider using your school’s transit system. It can help you save your gas money and keep you from paying hundreds on a parking garage.
2. Couponing
Take advantage of coupons. I am constantly getting various restaurant and store coupons that allow me to get the best sales and even free food. Collect these coupons and use them to satisfy any food cravings you may have.
3. Holiday sales
Okay, so Christmas and New Year's may be over, but there are still some stores out there that give deals for any upcoming holidays. Search for these deals and use them to build up your stash for the next couple weeks.
4. Resist the temptation
So that shirt is in your size and you really love the design of the Death Star on it, but you must resist! Try not to buy yourself everything you want and focus on what you need. Basically, no impulse buying.
5. Happy birthday!
Much like Christmas lists, my family has always made birthday lists and scattered them to our friends and family. If you can resist the temptation to buy what you want rather than need, then put it on your birthday list along with other items you may desire. Personally, I may very well put coffee and chocolate on my list.
6. Saving gas
Ride your bike or walk to places that are not far from your residence. If you live on campus, then you should definitely be walking or riding. This will save the gas in your vehicle and, in turn, save you gas money.
7. Textbooks
We all know that textbook prices can be absolutely dreadful. I have a textbook this semester that’s approximately $350. If you don’t already know the tips for obtaining your textbooks for cheap, then here they are.:
Online
If you have a laptop, then getting the online textbook is definitely an option for you. If your professor doesn’t require you to bring the book to class, then you can even get it on your desktop computer at home and not have to worry about the physical book itself.
Rent
The store usually always has the option to rent the textbook. Last semester I rented my textbook for half its buying price.
Used
Various sources on the Internet and even other local school stores have used textbooks that you can buy extremely cheap. There are even some on Amazon that can be bought for a few dollars.
Share
If you and a friend or sibling have the same class, but at different times, then there’s no question about it: you can split the book between the two of you so that you’re each only paying half the original price. Also, if you rent the book and then share it, you are saving even more.
8. Campus activities
Your campus will likely hold many different events where you can hang out and get free food. So before you go out with friends to a restaurant, check out your campus schedule first to see if you can get a delicious and free meal while having fun.
9. Bye, cable
If you live off campus and your parents aren’t paying every single bill for you no questions asked or job required, then you don’t need to worry about this. However, if you’re like me and only receive help from your parents with the full expectancy for you to take on all the bills later, then getting rid of cable is a must. There are all sorts of sources you can watch your TV shows on instead for a lot cheaper. While Netflix and Hulu are definite options, there’s also things like the Fire TV Stick that can save you money.
10. Air conditioner and heater
I live in Louisiana, and because of that, there may not always be a need for the heater in winter. However, on those rare cold days, I turn on the heater only a little and allow my blankets and fuzzy socks to do the rest. By not turning your heater on all the way to keep yourself absolutely warm without a blanket, you can save money on your electricity bill.
The same thing goes for the air conditioner. In the summer it can get astoundingly hot, so the air conditioner is a godsend. Rather than blasting your air conditioner and making your house as cold as the air reaches in winter though, have the cool air on a moderate temperature and maybe invest in a low powered fan.
11. Free music
Do not buy music. If you discover an album and suddenly want to buy every song that ever had to do with the band, the cost can add up. There are free music apps that you can use instead that will still give the bands credit. For example, Spotify and SoundCloud.
12. Coffee maker
We all have that craving for Starbucks coffee once in a while, and that’s okay. However, buying from a coffee shop every day every semester is not a good idea. That price, like the music, will add up to quite the amount of money that you could have used on something else. Instead, invest in a coffee maker. Even though you will have to buy the machine and resources to actually make the coffee, you will still end up saving money.
13. Generic brands
I have known people that are highly against buying anything generic, but if you do, you can save money. Generic brands can be much cheaper than the name brands and have the same quality you need.
14. Student discounts
One of the best things about being a student is that you get discounts. Some stores in the area of your school may offer those discounts if you show them your student ID. But mainly, you get to have opportunities like free Amazon Prime. All because you pay excessive amounts of money to go to school. Yay!
There are countless other ways that you could possibly save money, but doing even a fraction of these main 14 can really fill your piggy bank. Good luck!
