No offense, but sometimes you really aren't worth another unnecessary trip to Chipotle... that ish is expensive!
The reality (for me at least) is that nothing in college is free. In fact, I feel like everything in college is three times more expensive. And coming from a family where money is always earned and not given, I learned the value of a dollar at a young age.
Before I began my journey up the mountain to school, my dad laid out three envelopes on a table labeled: tithe, savings, and spending. He told me how he used "The Envelope Method" for many years and that's how he saved so effectively. The method goes like this:
Clearly the tithe is the first 10 percent of my paycheck to give back to for all the blessings I've received. With the rest of my paycheck I put 60 percent into savings and then the remaining 40 percent to live off for the next two weeks. I don't like boasting or gloating but I really am proud of how well this method worked for me.
And then I hit college. There are SO many things to waste money on and the worst is food. I killed way, way too much money my first semester because I didn't know the balance. It's important to know when and what to spend money on and whether a drink at Parthenon is worth saving for something important.
I've compiled some easy things that'll help leave more money in your pocket by the end of the week.
DO NOT EAT OUT EVERY TIME YOU'RE INVITED: Do not, do not, do not, do not, do not, do it! It's so easy to say yes (especially with the food on campus), but this will tear through your money! LIMIT YOURSELF. I only let myself eat out once a week with my weekly allowance, sometimes two if classes are killing me.
(If you're 21) drink before you get to the bar: Drinks are way too expensive to be spending your money on three nights over the weekend. Save yourself some money and drink (responsibly), and take a beeper to the bar! If you're lucky perhaps someone will buy you a drink!
Come prepared to campus: Not everyone is blessed with a meal plan after they live off campus and food is expensive there! Pack some snacks or make your coffee at home!
Happy saving this year, kids.
