Life in college can be really expensive.
You need to pay tuition fees, rent, and buy plenty of books. But you also want to go to concerts, get yourself new sneakers or go on a trip.
So, where can you get money for all of these things? Can you spend less, save more, and still have fun? Just because you are a college student, that doesn’t mean you have to be broke. In fact, the secrets of spending less while being a student are more obvious than you may think.
In this article, we have prepared 10 life hacks that will help you spend your money wisely.
1. Buy Used Textbooks
Yeah, we all love the smell of new books, but they are way too expensive! Hence, if you don’t want to get stuck in a debt trap because, we recommend you buy used textbooks. You can easily save up to 80%. What is more, you can resell those books the next semester for the same price you bought them! So, basically, you don’t lose anything. But, make sure to buy the latest publications.
2. Stop Eating Out So Often
Everybody wants those fancy pictures of food on their Instagram accounts. But, let’s be honest, eating out is just too expensive to be doing it all the time. So, try to limit the number of times you eat out, and you’ll have more money in your pocket by the end of the month. Cook for yourself at home instead. Not only is it cheaper, but also healthier and yes, it can even be fun!
3. Stop Buying Expensive Coffee
Stop buying coffee to go every morning and make your own at home instead. All those hipster coffee shops are, no doubt, very cool. But the truth is, such coffee places are way overpriced. So, make yourself a coffee at home and take your travel mug with you!
4. Use Student Discounts
Life in college is amazing! There are plenty of student discounts everywhere. Cinemas, museums, clothes brands – a lot of them offer discounts to students. All you have to do is to show your student card. So, before buying anything, do a little research and find a place where you can get a student discount.
5. Earn Extra Income
If you have enough time to take a part-time job, then go for it! Another option is to type in Google “do my essay for me“, and go make some money while professional writers will be working on your assignment. One of the benefits of getting a job is that it can stop you from spending money.
6. Prefer Cash Over Credit Cards
Credit cards are evil if you don’t understand how credit works and how to use credit cards wisely. Just think about how many times you have spent money on completely unnecessary things. As a student, you probably don’t have any income, so it might be really hard for you to repay the debts. Thus, it is better to stay out of it, and use cash. Plus, you tend to spend much less when using cash.
7. Use Free Entertainment
A lot of students think that they can have fun only if they have a lot of money. That’s far from the truth. There are a lot of types of entertainment available for free. All you have to do is just to put a little effort and find it. Instead of going to the cinema, why not watch Netflix with friends at home? Instead of going to the fancy restaurant, why not have a picnic in the park?
8. Use the Library
Libraries are cool. Most of them offer you the chance to check out different movies, music albums, and magazines for free. What is more, you can use the Internet here, so you don’t have to pay for it at home.
9. Find the Supermarket Sales
A lot of supermarkets have sales in the evenings. Dairy products, bread, meat, many vegetables and fruits – a lot of these things are going on sale. So, next time you plan to go shopping, try to do it in the evening. Make sure to ask yourself before you buy anything if you really need it.
Also, remember – never go shopping when you are hungry as you can end up buying potato chips that you don’t even need.
10. Budgeting
Budgeting will help you understand how much money you have left to spend, so make a monthly budget and stick to it. It can also help you prevent the possibility of getting into debt.
Who said you have to be broke throughout your college years? Stop stressing out about money with our tips above. They will, no doubt, help you save some money and teach you how to spend them wisely.