You don’t have to be a rocket scientist or change a lot to live your college days more frugally but happy. Preparing for a future career doesn't mean you have to spend a lot in college. College students are known for being hungry all the time and nose around for fast food. Aside from stuffing your figure with cold pizza or yogurt in the wee hours of the evening, you can try these 6 great tips on how to save money while living on a healthy diet inside the campus. You can also be a responsible student even while you are taking college degrees online.
Plan your menu. It may sound overwhelming but it’s just a matter of taking advantage of sales in the stores and storing left overs the right way for consumption instead of ordering another box of expensive pizza. Dorms usually have their common kitchen where you can prepare your own food by getting ingredients from your own cafeteria.
Be resourceful. You can save money by using all your possible resources instead of spending money to pay bills or buy new gadgets. Charge your cellular phones or laptops at free charging stations when you still have time. This will cut down your electric bill. If you’re not really connecting to the internet 24/7, you can just take advantage of the free wifi at coffee shops or in school to do your research or send emails. Use an energy saver bulb to light up the whole room instead of using 2 or 3 lamps at the same time. Learn to sew and knit so you can fix your torn pants and sweaters instead of bringing them to the seamstress.
Keep track of super sales. You should shop early for holiday and birthday gifts. When walking around, spend a few moments to check out deals or some items on slashed prices. Stock school supplies and refills instead of buying a new item each time. Use credit cards on emergency only. Do not fall victim to the idea of buy now pay later. Instead, find bargains which you can buy when you have ample cash.
Ask for hand-me-downs. Your parents surely have a lot of items in their garage which you can bring to your dorm for personal use. There is nothing shameful about getting hand-me-downs even from your friends. It could be an unused fleece blanket, old lamps, stool/chairs, or work table. You can even make money out of the old items if you know how to dish them off properly.
Use the school library. They have countless CDs/DVDs you can borrow for research or even to watch for entertainment without having to pay any fee. Do not charge your credit card just to get the top of the line laptop when you can use the library to do your research and assignments. Remember, it’s better to buy your stuff in cold cash you saved or earned while studying rather than swiping away.
Stay indoors. It’s fun and exciting to go out with friends but instead of going out for date nights, order a DVD to watch together and get some popcorn to go with it. If you really have to meet someone outside of the campus, better plan an ice cream or coffee meeting instead of going out during dinner time. And instead of going to the movies at the mall, take a walk and just window shop with your girlfriends. You’ll enjoy each other’s company more as you have more time for giggles and chitchats.
By: Cleo Capili
By: Cleo Capili
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