6 Tips For Saving Money As A Student

I try to save money wherever I can. I consider myself an above average manager of my own finances, this with thanks to my mother who’s helped me open a savings account at a tantalizingly low interest rate as well as balance a checkbook. The root of our keen financial eye comes from being stuck in harsh positions, requiring us to perform some extreme monetary acrobatics, challenging us to always learn new ways to stretch a dollar along with finding ways to make a quick buck. So we arrive at this listicle- as the new school year sets in and we compile our school-related shopping lists and agonize over the money we don't have, here are some of my own tried-and-tested tips on how to save money as well as make the most of your buck as a student. Note that a lot of these are not exclusive to students, either.

1. Sell items through apps like Depop.

Before you buy all of what you need, sell what you don’t need anymore! Though there are a bunch of "flea market" apps my personal favorite is Depop, which I've been using for over a year now. If you have unwanted/no longer needed clothes, accessories, shoes, backpacks, cell phone cases or anything similar lying around in good condition, there’s a solid chance someone else will want to buy it. Selling this way does mean buying packaging (cheap at dollar stores and Walmart/Target) and frequent visits to the post office. With that said, I’ve easily made over $200 this and last Summer combined selling clothes and accessories exclusively. Buying on these apps can also be a money-saver, which I’ll get to in a bit.

2. Put needs before wants.

Pretty self-explanatory. It probably reads as stupidly obvious to some, but I've seen (and experienced) moments when the thrill of shopping for new items unfortunately overrides what's more rational. While it's not wrong to buy decorations and splurge here and there, if you're on a tight budget, it typically isn't the best option. I've created some of my own room decorations by cutting out images from old magazines I like and turning them into wall decor. Some necessities you quite possibly already own, too. Your parents may have an excellent memory for where they stored that one lamp in their closet or that cabinet in the garage. Taking a washcloth and water to old items is a sure-fire way to save money.

3. Use the UNiDAYS app to get student discounts.

My most recent discovery in savings is the UniDays app, an organized place to find discounts tailored toward students. They offer deals for Bed Bath & Beyond, Forever 21, Microsoft, Frye, Volcom Mixology and many more. While more expensive stores, the discounts can help lower the expense of needed dorm accessories and electronics. Do note that some of these discounts are exclusive to online shopping.

4. Find out if your school offers any local discounts.

At the beginning of my freshman year I was given a paper listing discounts offered at local shops. I don’t know if that is commonplace at other universities, but it doesn't hurt to ask whenever you're about to pay, wherever you are. You can also go to your administrative building for a comprehensive list of what places give student discounts. If you have no luck with this, know that you can also search online for discounts you may use at the register of certain stores, good examples being craft and office supply stores.

5. Buy your textbooks from AbeBooks.

This is by far among the greatest life-savers I've had when it comes to student expenses. Textbooks on AbeBooks.com are outlandishly cheaper than what I've seen anywhere else. Do note which editions your professors want you to have and, in some cases, that you have the correct ISBN numbers.

6. SAVE YOUR MONEY.

Save your money. Meaning, only spend it when necessary. This can involve planning ahead before you go out to eat, go to the grocery store and hang out off campus in general. If you have a job and/or work study, try to put about 45-55% (8-26% if you pay rent off campus, depending on how much your rent and necessities pull from your pay) of each payment aside and try not spending it for at least a month. If you keep it up, that money will snowball beautifully. It certainly takes a level of self-control, but if you dedicate yourself to saving and only splurge occasionally, you'll certainly thank yourself later.

If you have any of your own tips, feel free to add them in the comments!