10 Easy Habits That Can Save You Money While in College
Posted by Chloe Chavez | January 12, 2010
College can be expensive; adopt smart budgeting habits and avoid financial debt.
Many of you are college attendees or graduates; therefore you know what it means to stretch a buck and what it feels like to have a bank account balance of $9.00 until financial aid is released for the semester. A lot of us do not make the effort to research smart budgeting methods and/or execute these practices. 97 Ways to Save Money in College is a article posted on MRI Technician Schools blog site. I have chosen what I believe to be the top ten tips from this article that students can easily adopt and benefit from, financially, while attending college. Consider it a gift as I suspect many of you are currently headed into another semester of school and needless to say –another semester of spending.
10. Rent Movies From the Library: Public and school libraries alike often rent movies for free.
9. Take Advantage of Public Transportation: In larger cities with reliable public transportation or smaller towns conducive to walking, ditch having a car and all its associated expenses.
8. Barter With Friends: Figure out ways to trade goods and services with other students in order to get things done without ever having to spend a penny.
7. Buy Store Brand Goods: Store-brand goods are almost always as good as the name brands, and many stores offer additional savings when buying store brand products while using store discount cards.
6. Buy International Editions of Textbooks: In the occasional instance where used books are not available, buy international editions of textbooks online. They are usually much cheaper and contain the same content in the same language as the domestic.
5. Drink Tap Water: Ditch the bottled stuff and drink straight from the sink. You’ll save tons of cash.
4. Set Up a Definitive Budget: Budgeting money ahead of time is one of the best financial decisions anyone – not just college students – can make.
3. Apply for Scholarships: Apply to as many as possible to help defray some tuition expenses.
2. Eat at Home: Sometimes, the cost of a meal at a reasonably priced restaurant can be used to prepare 3-5 meals at home.
1. Save the Credit Card for Emergencies Only: Use your credit card only when faced with an absolute financial emergency…and sorry, but needing that adorable Coach purse does not qualify as a dire situation.
For more ideas on how to save money while in college visit 97 Ways to Save Money in College.
