Are you a college student looking for money saving tips for college students? If so, you’ve definitely come to the right place for help.
There’s no denying that paying for an undergraduate or graduate degree isn’t easy. In fact, it will likely be one of the biggest expenses you’ll be faced with in life.
The key to surviving college on a limited budget is to learn tips for making every dollar count. This article takes a look at important money saving tips for college students that will help stretch your budget as far as possible. Keep reading to get the inside scoop.
1. Get a Part-Time Job
Let’s start by discussing your employment situation. Tons of students make the mistake of taking out big student loans to avoid getting a job while in school. This is actually a huge mistake.
Having a part-time job during your undergrad and graduate years provides several benefits. First of all, you can reduce your student debt, make extra spending money, gain valuable real-world experience, and help you cover annoying everyday expenses.
2. Apply For Every Scholarship and Grant Possible
This is one of the best ways to pay for the bulk of your college expenses. Talk to the admissions office at your school and get a list of every scholarship and grant currently available. You might be surprised at the number you’re qualified to receive, how much money you can apply to your education, and not have to pay any of it back once you graduate.
And yet you’d probably be stunned at the number of students that simply fail to investigate the amount of financial aid offered by institutions of higher learning as well as federal programs that are designed to make life easier for qualified students.
3. Avoid Eating Off-Campus
Another common trap that most college students fall into is eating off-campus. After all, this is one of the most fun parts of the college experience. You’ve arrived at school, you’re meeting new friends, and looking for activities during the evening and weekends.
There’s really nothing more fun than grabbing a pizza, a burger, or heading to a movie on Saturday night. And yet this is a fast way to burn through cash fast. The best strategy for eating good food on a tight budget is to stay on campus as much as possible. Or at least be disciplined about the number of times you eat out each month.
This is another reason why working a part-time job is smart. It will provide running around money when you’re with friends, plus you’ll have less time to waste hard-earned cash eating out and when indulging in other extracurricular activities.
4. Buy Used Textbooks
You’d also be wise to avoid buying brand new textbooks.
It’s no secret that new textbooks are super expensive. And yet there are plenty of used textbooks you can purchase for your classes. At the end of each semester, most students sell their textbooks back to the campus bookstore or other booksellers for extra cash. This gives you a chance to buy your books for the upcoming semester at a steep discount.
The key is to get a copy of your upcoming class schedule as soon as possible and do some research on what used books you can get your hands on before resorting to buying anything new.
5. Go to Campus Events that Serve Food
Next, let’s talk about how to keep busy while having fun and saving money when you’re bored. These are the moments when you and your friends will be tempted to head off-campus and waste money. Especially when you have a bad case of the munchies
Keep in mind that most campuses have plenty of activities that offer food. This could be anything from pizza to burgers to hot dogs. Just remember that free food is the best kind of food, especially when you’re a poor student.
So resist the temptation to jump in a car with your besties and drive across town for dinner and a concert when you can take advantage of the chance to mingle with more of your fellow students and grab a free meal in the process.
6. Leave Your Car at Home
For many people, going to college is their first experience of living away from home. That means it’s likely your first real taste of freedom and independence. Thus you’ll probably look forward to driving around town with friends and making weekend road trips.
This is also a way to blow through plenty of cash. Or you could decide to keep that cash in your pocket by leaving your car at home.
The smart move is to carpool with a friend to school and then take advantage of free campus transportation, walk, or ride a bike.
Believe it or not, there’s actually something very refreshing about keeping your transportation options as simple as possible while you still can. Because soon enough you’ll be out of school and spending half your day stuck in traffic.
7. Become a Tutor
Being a tutor is a great side hustle. This is a way to make extra cash by helping out fellow students on campus. Best of all, you can tutor online so that you never have to leave your dorm.
8. Live with Roommates
Many students love having their own place, but this is also a costly option. Having roommates enables you to share expenses while developing friendships that will last a lifetime.
9. Shop at Thrift Stores
Need some new clothes? Try checking out some local thrift stores before heading to the mall. This is a great way to pick up the latest fashions without paying full price.
10. Get Rid of Cable
You’re in school, so there’s no reason to waste money on cable. Plus, you’ll probably be too busy to watch much TV anyway.
A Guide to Great Money Saving Tips for College Students
When you’re a college student, every dollar counts, and dealing with the state of your finances can be stressful. Fortunately, this guide to money saving tips for college students will help your university experience be a little more enjoyable.
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