Unless you are a part of the Kardashian clan, or your uncle is Bill Gates, at some point down the line you have been concerned about the amount of zeros (or lack thereof) chillin' in your bank account. Fear not, I and Lil' Dicky (if you haven't heard Lil' Dicky, shame on you) are counting up the ways to "Save Dat Money".
1. Don't Eat Out For Every Meal
(Us collegiate scholars in appx. 5-10 years ^)
Eating out is a fun way to hang out with your friends and try some delicious food, but the costs can add up quickly. Limit yourself to only snagging delectable Chinese take-out or the steak from your favorite restaurant to only once a week, and your bank will thank you.
2. Grocery Shop For The Week Instead
Buying groceries and cooking your own meals for the week is the best way to budget your food intake/save cash. Make a list of what you need and try to find what is on sale. Making your own sandwich at home costs you way less than spending $8 on one each day.
3. Find A Friend Who Cuts Hair
(^My roomie Mike - look at that approachablesmile and stylish cut)
If you have a friend or acquaintance you trust well enough to chop your precious locks, let them! Haircuts, plus the tip, run about $20 dollars for boys and God knows how much for you poor girls. Mike not only puts up with me every day, but gives me a buzz for free. It's a win-win (for me anyway).
4. Stay Away From The Cigs
Along with cigarette's slew of malicious heath affects, they also can cause cancer in your wallet. They can be up to $12-13 for a pack! Depending on how much you smoke, you can really find yourself spending a boat load on them. Do yourself a favor and quit—your poor wallet is on its last limbs.
5. Don't Buy 10,000 Drinks At The Bar
If you are of age and decide to go out one night, refrain from buying 35 different drinks at the bar. Depending on where you are, you could actually drop $200 on some liquid. Not worth the decrease in bills (or the hangover).
6. Do An Alternative Spring Break
If you want to do something with spring break, but dropping $1,500 on a seven-day booze cruise to Cancun isn't your style, look into alternatives. Many colleges offer alternative spring break trips at a fraction of the cost and are actually beneficial to yourself/society.
7. Actually Go To Class...
(^ Eerily similar looking to roomie Mike)
College (unless you're actually a genius) is not free by any means. It's crazy to think about, but depending on your tuition, each class you skip technically costs you hundreds of dollars. You are at school for a reason—get your a** to class.
8. Make Your Own Coffee
(^ No clue who this girl is but I feel her)
I have ventured into Starbucks and other coffee places before, and those drinks actually cost you upward of $2-3 million (slight exaggeration) per cup. Brew your own in the pleasure of your home and save yourself cash each day.
9. Weigh Your Textbook Options
This little Eggman should be your best friend when your'e sadly dropping hundreds of dollars on textbooks for the semester. However, sometimes it's cheaper to buy a used copy from your school's book store, or rent one from Amazon—it's important to weigh out the different options to save yourself some green.
10. Scope Out Deals Around You
Many places on your campus probably have some quality deals going on. Find them! Many restaurants give you 50 percemt off lunch if you wear your school's attire, dining halls usually have a deal on Fridays, and some Cosi's offer free coffee on Wednesdays. If there is one thing college has taught me: it's that I am very attracted to free things.
11. Refrain From Excessive Shopping
(^ Me, often)
Hey, sometimes you shop because you genuinely need a new pair of shoes or a jacket. But, shopping because you're bored and have $20 to spend sounds like a way to empty out your bank account. Before you buy those new kicks, ask yourself if you really need them. And if not: remember SpongeBob.
12. Get a Job On Campus
There is a myriad of work-study and on-campus part time jobs available to us students. Take advantage of them! A lot of jobs on campus are extremely flexible to your schedule. A little extra cash at the end of the week is a great addition to your life.
