Forget about midterms, finals, and papers. The hardest thing about being in college boils down to one thing: budgeting money. Between grocery shopping, dining out, and going out, it’s easy to quickly lose track of how much money you’re spending. Just because life proves to be expensive doesn’t mean you have to stop doing the things you enjoy.
Here are some quick tips on how to save money in college.
Create a Meal Plan
Oftentimes, going to the grocery store without a list results in purchasing miscellaneous items that can’t be combined to make multiple meals. Coming up with a meal plan will help maximize your groceries and keep from aimlessly spending money at the supermarket. Your meal plan doesn’t have to include a gourmet menu every single night.
Even investing in frozen dinners can be a simple yet effective way to have food ready to go. Trader Joe’s has a wide range of delicious and simple frozen meals, including orange chicken, chicken tikka masala, spaghetti cacio e pepe and many more. If you don’t have a Trader Joe’s near you,any grocery store should have reasonable and healthy frozen options. Once you have some meals that you particularly enjoy, make sure to write them down so you can add recipes on a weekly rotation.
Another plus of a meal plan is that having an idea of what you intend to eat in the week can help minimize the urge to hop on DoorDash and get food delivered to you. Food delivery services, while convenient, are some of the biggest money suckers out there due to the copious of fees they tack onto every order. Between the delivery fee, the service fee, and a general markup of prices, you could be spending an average of $10 more than if you were to go to the restaurant in person (But if you can’t give up your Door Dash, See Tip #3). If you want to save money in college, try to have quick and easy food items on hand that you can make even when the thought of pulling together a full meal seems draining.
Research Textbooks Before You Buy Them
It’s the first week of classes, and the list of textbooks on the varying syllabi might seem daunting and pricey. Before anxiety about falling behind on profuse amounts of reading sends you running to your school’s bookstore, pause. Do a quick scan of other means of purchasing or renting your textbooks. There are a variety of outside sources that offer textbooks at a significantly marked-down price, such as ordering used books or finding electronic textbooksWith all the fun activities going on in college, textbooks are the last place you want to spend an exorbitant amount of money. If you’re lucky, you might find a PDF available online for free if you simply Google your textbook’s name.
Heads up: Not all classes will use the textbooks listed on the syllabus, either. Speaking to the professor or reading the course evaluations— are different ways to feel out the level of intensity regarding the need for a textbook. If course evaluations by fellow students are not provided to you by your college, you may be able to look up reviews of a particular teacher and class on a website such as Rate My Professor. This is not to say that you should skip out on buying textbooks simply because they’re expensive. Invest in materials when you need them, but it can’t hurt to explore other avenues before making a final purchase.
Utilize Student Discounts
Student life is expensive, but luckily many major corporations recognize that. There is an abundance of student discounts available from a wide variety of stores, including Amazon ($7.49 per month or $69 per year), Spotify ($5.99 per month for Spotify Premium + Hulu Bundle), Peloton ($6.99 per month) and more. Even DoorDash and other food delivery companies have a discount they offer students, such as no delivery fee and a reduced membership price. That way, if your meal plan isn’t sounding great or if you just need a relaxing night in, a little splurge on a dinner delivered right to your house won’t break the bank.
Just because you’re in college doesn’t mean you have to stop your TV binge sessions. There are also many streaming services that offer student discounts, such as Hulu’s deal at $1.99 a month, with ads. If you live with a roommate, making a joint account and splitting the cost of all the different platforms is an economical way to avoid having to buy every single one.
If you aren’t sure if the business you’re interested in has a specific discount, Student Beans is a great place to begin your student discount journey. There, you can search for specific deals or just browse to see if anything catches your eye. It’s free to sign up, too. All you have to do is verify your school email address, and then you’re free to get started saving.
Take Advantage of Your School’s Facilities
As simple as it may seem, using your school’s amenities is a big way to save money in college. It is easy to forget about the things they might provide, but there are lots of small ways to utilize the opportunities offered. Instead of spending a large monthly fee for a gym membership, find your way down to the school’s recreation center. Most colleges will have either a free workout space to use or at least a membership offered at a discounted price.
Don’t forget about the academic opportunities at hand. Every school is different, but make sure to check out what newspapers, magazines or other media outlets you might gain access to through your institution. This way, you’ll get to enjoy various resources that you otherwise might have to pay for.
Find an On-Campus Job
Sometimes to save money, you have to make money. It may seem daunting at first to apply for a job on campus, but these jobs are fit for students. Finding a position that is meant to accommodate a busy student’s agenda is convenient and valuable. Depending on the type of job, you might get the chance to network with alumni, or you could meet more people who live on campus with you. Establishing connections with past and present students is a great way to build a sense of community and set yourself up for success for future jobs. Either way, it’s a win-win.
These five examples just scratch the surface of what you can do to save money in college. With a variety of means to save, there is nothing stopping you from enjoying your time in college while also saving a little dough.
