Money Saving Tips for College Students

By Uloop Guest Writer on July 29, 2015

We’ve all been there, or will be there–college and the notorious money crunching strategies! Whether you’re the one taking out loans, with three part-time jobs, or trying to just make it to pay day, there are some seriously great ideas out there to help you live a more frugal life and have fun doing it!

So here you go, money saving tips for the college student, from a former college student.

Image via Pixabay

On-Campus Food Options

Now every school will be different and depending on your situation of living at home, going to a community college, public college, or private college, you are likely going to have to use this post as more of a guideline than true fact.

However a great way to be fed, and fed well at times, is to take a look at your school’s event calendar. More often than not there will be free food, oftentimes pizza, or veggies and dip, certainly enough to save the hunger and provide a little nutrition. Events within the residence halls as well as on main campus happen every week; it would be permissible to think you could get a couple lunches, as well as a couple of dinners each week by following the campus events board.

If you live in the residence hall, make friends with your resident assistant. They’ve had the experience as well as the connections to point you in the right direction.

Off-Campus Food Options

Other ways to eat cheap are to plan your meals. It may not be the most gourmet or palette-enticing option, however planning rice or noodle dishes (gluten-free if you need to) with beans or one or two vegetables will satisfy your hunger.

I often made one of each of these dishes in large quantities over the weekend and rationed it out for the week. I would find the fruit that was on sale that week to offer additional nutrition. Eating cheaply doesn’t mean you have to forego a healthier diet. There are many ways to eat on a budget and do so while getting your necessary nutritional needs with less calories.

Oftentimes grocery stores will have promotions on sale items. Also think about which store you are going to and what you are paying for. Is there an option that has lower prices because they don’t have as many options or as fancy décor? Maybe that would be a better option for you while money is tight.

Image by Chris Potter via flickr.com

Coupons

Ever think about coupons? Truthfully, this age-old tradition of cutting out magazines or newspapers is something worth looking into! Digital coupons are out there and you can find numerous ones right on your cell phone or computer with services like CouponBox for all kinds of different goods and services, ranging from clothing, food, gift stores, movie tickets, etc. The average person can save over $150 from coupons alone, so what are you waiting for? Give it a try!

Basic Saving Tips

When it comes to saving money, the first thing to think about is a budget. Figure out how much money you have coming in and how much you absolutely have to spend. This was once known as balancing a check-book; so, ask your grandparents, they’ll have a good idea on how to get you started! If that isn’t your style, try apps and websites to help you balance your cash flow. There are many out there that help you step by step so the guesswork is taken out.

It is always a good idea to think about if you absolutely need something before you purchase it. Sure impulse buys and shopping therapy can be fun, but will it hurt you in the long run? Think about purchases for the time it would take to save up for them. If you do this you’ll not have to worry about credit card debt or paying off interest because you were smart enough to plan ahead and have the patience to value the money you have rather than spending what you don’t.

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