It’s about time students learn how to save money. If you spend too much, you risk accruing a large amount of debt; if you spend too little, you may be left wondering what the point was if you didn't even get to have any fun experiences.
The first step in learning how to save is to adopt a saving mindset and adjust your spending in all areas of your life. For example, you might learn to cook or begin to walk more to start saving. Nevertheless, this doesn't mean you must be terribly strict. If you don't enjoy your lifestyle anymore, you'll likely revert to your original overspending habits. Instead, you'll need to strike the right balance between being financially smart and having fun.
Save money NOW! And still, enjoy your student life with these easy and smart tips.
Buy or rent used textbooks and sell last semester’s books back.
Textbooks can be super pricy, and you may not even need to keep them for your courses. Wait a while to find out which core texts you’ll really need, and even then, you can buy them second-hand from older students. You can also try renting used textbooks from Amazon or borrowing them from the school’s library
Shop where they offer student discounts.
Students with school IDs can get discounts at so many places. Many companies, such as Apple, ASOS, and food stores, offer discounts to students. It is always worth asking if these offers are available--the worst thing they could say is no!
Sell what you no longer use or need.
There are plenty of apps and websites designed to sell old clothing, technology, or furniture items. Poshmark, offer up, Mercari, and Facebook Marketplace are popular resources for those looking to make some extra cash.
Make your own coffee.
Even though coffee shops are convenient, they can be quite expensive. Take the extra five minutes at home instead. By skipping Starbucks, you can save $5 a visit.
Eat out less
If you live in a city where there are a lot of expensive restaurants, you may find yourself eating out a lot. Buying prepared food may sound appealing, but it will cost you considerably more than cooking your own food. Besides being more affordable, cooking for yourself is healthier, better for your body, and a lot more fun!
Find free entertainment
Despite popular belief, there are many free local entertainment options in every city, you just need to put in a bit of effort and dedication. The internet is a great place to find free things to do. Spending tons of money on restaurants, movies, and clubs are not the only way to let loose and have a good time.
Not to mention, it's likely that the university itself has affordable entertainment, and joining student clubs will give you access to even more discounts.
Plan your meals
When you're in control of your own food budget, it can be easy to go overboard, especially when you shop hungry Instead, plan your meals down to the last ingredient, and you'll know exactly what you'll need as you shop, and you’ll be way less likely to waste anything.
Dealing with course load is hard enough, the last thing any student needs is to have financial stress as well. Luckily, these small adjustments will help you save where you can and keep your bank account from 0. Are you ready to adopt a savings mindset?
