ashleytwigg

Being a poor college student is pretty much inevitable when entering your Freshman year. Unfortunately, that lack of funds seemingly continues throughout your college career. However, there are little ways to cut corners and make things work, so you won’t be forced to live off of Ramen Noodles for every solitary meal. Here are a few ways to keep the (little) money you have in your pocket.

DIY Caffeine Fix:

I know there are plenty of students who need their Marylou’s, Dunkin Donuts, and Starbucks fix in order to make it through the day, but if you are buying that $2-$3 coffee every single day- it adds up. Do yourself a favor and find some other ways to feed your caffeine addiction. Buy coffee on campus using your dining dollars, or invest in some fancy flavored creamers to mimic your coffee shop favs. Skipping the Dunkie’s drive-thru 3 times per week can save you $10-$20 per month.

Save At the Pump:

As expensive as it is, we all need gas in order to get from point A to point B, however, there are smarter ways to save a at the pump. Do some research and fill up at the cheapest place you can find- it will last you so much longer than just tossing 10 dollars in there every two days. Trust me. There’s even an iPhone app to help you find the cheapest station near you!

Some supermarkets like Stop & Shop even allow you to rack up rewards points by buying groceries that will let you buy gas cheaper (as much as $1-$2 off per gallon). If you have to buy groceries any way- sign up for these!

Textbooks:

I’m sure most of you have heard of these before, but there are dozens of ways to save money on textbooks that everyone should be utilizing. Getting text books is inevitable but spending hundreds can be avoided. Sure, the bookstore can be good for specific books you can’t find anywhere else, (books your professor wrote, obscure old editions etc)- but for everything else again, do some research. Websites like Chegg, Ecampus, and Half.com can enable you to save tons of cash.

Also, before you bust out the credit card, ASK around. If you can’t borrow books from a friend, I’m sure other students would be willing to sell their old books much cheaper than any website.

Stop Eating Out:

While it may be true that sometimes Chessman’s at 1am is your only option, eating out shouldn’t be a regular thing. Save your money by utilizing your dining dollars and cooking at home. Restaurant checks add up very quickly so make those things occasional and cut back on spending on food! You’ll be much happier with $30+ more dollars per month in your pocket.

Online Shopping:

I would typically assume that it is just me who falls prey to online shopping, but with 65 sorority sisters, I realize I am not alone. The problem with being in college (for me anyway) is that despite my lacking funds it doesn’t seem to change the fact that I still like nice things- I just like them to be cheaper.

If you must shop at all or must shop online- be smart about it. I never buy anything online without Googling free shipping coupons (which are surprisingly easy to find). Keep the shopping to a minimum if you can, but if you do- avoid paying full price!

Do What You Can:

Being a college student isn’t the easiest job. You are in class half the time and the other half you are working your part-time jobs while trying to cover your car insurance, cell phone bills, and textbooks. It’s not even that you are spending that much-it’s simply that the money just doesn’t seem to go very far. Use these little tips to help you save and be aware of where your money is going each month so you can adjust your spending accordingly.

What do you spend your money on? What things do you do to save money?

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