Being a college student is hard; you're paying thousands and thousands of dollars to be there, but everywhere you turn, there's the temptation to spend even more money. While it is nearly impossible to cut spending entirely during your undergraduate years, here are a few tips to leave you with a little extra cash at the end of each paycheck.
1. Use coupons
They're like free money. Use them. They don't have to be traditional coupons that you cut from newspapers and flyers, sites like GroupOn and Ebates offer exclusive money-saving deals that could really save your wallet next time you want to go on a shopping spree.
2. Take advantage of your meal plan
We've all done it: It's 2 am and you're still up writing a paper that's due in about 6 hours. You start to get hungry and next thing you know, you're paying $25 for a sub-par calzone to be delivered right to the door of your dorm building. Of course, this is going to happen a few times per semester, but limiting it is easy. Next time you use a meal swipe at your dining hall, bring a tupperware container, fill it with food, and stick it in your fridge. Next time you're hungry, you have a pre-cooked meal already waiting for you!
3. Avoid coffee shops
I know, it's inevitable and almost impossible, but it really does pay off. $5 for a latte doesn't seem bad at the time, but if you get into the habit of doing it once a week, that's $20 a month! Instead, make your own! I personally, don't drink coffee, but I've found ways to make my favorite Starbucks drinks at home for a lot cheaper, just Google it!
4. Find fun stuff to do for free
Going out on the weekends is absolutely necessary to the college experience, but also extremely pricey. Take advantage of your student ID while you can. Most museums and even some restaurants have student discounts and if you live in a college town, most places host some kind of student night at least once a month!
5. Compare prices
Before you make a big purchase compare prices. Compare. Prices. Most of the time, you can find the same or comparable product online for a lot cheaper than you'll find in a store. I'm all for supporting local businesses, but sometimes you just can't afford it.
