Student savings tips

If you play it smart, you can avoid graduating from college with debt. There are so many ways to boost your budget and hold onto your savings. Here are some Tightwad tips!

Ask for discounts Your student card can take you places! Always ask to see if a service can be discounted with it.

Get a part-time job Maybe even start your own business! Haul furniture, edit essays, fix cars, whatever you can do. If you do a good job, word will spread and you will have created a full time summer position for yourself! If you work where you shop, you may be eligible for staff discounts.  Why not see if you are a good fit to write essays for other students?

Avoid non-academic debt Haunt thrift stores for a new-to-you winter coat, kitchen stuff and sports equipment.  It may take some digging, but that’s part of the fun!

Be smart Make a budget and save receipts. You may be able to use them at tax time and you never know when you may need to return something. Stash everything away in a binder; just three hold punch and file according to type of bill.

Buy in bulk; cook in bulk Pasta and other dried goods are much cheaper bought in bulk, and easy to freeze in large batches.

Buy used textbooks This is a no brainer. Save hundreds of dollars. If you take care of the books while you have them, you may be eligible to sell them back at the end of the semester – and do it then. You’ll wish you did when you move overseas and you can’t get rid of them because they have printed a new edition.

Choose your friends wisely Don’t hang with big spenders; they will lead you down the road to financial trouble.

Cook up inexpensive date ideas When the opportunity strikes, be prepared!

Don’t get a credit card Banks want your money. If you do bow to the pressure, get a credit card with a really low limit (say, $500); this will help your build a credit score – provide you pay it off.

Use your time wisely If the amount of homework you are getting is stopping you from getting part-time work, consider help from outside resources such as Essay-Site.com

Guard your vital stats Don’t share your banking information with anyone except trusted sources.

Keep an eye on campus activities Often free, always fun and a great way to meet people and get involved.

Pay bills on time This way you will a) not lose track of them b) help build your credit score c) have the money to pay them!

Pool your resources Perhaps a friend or two want to buy a printer as a group. This is a great way to save money on printing costs on campus.

Save, then splurge Avoid paying high interest rates and spend only what you have. This will help avoid impulse purchases.

Skip the spring break get-aways Make your own fun, at home.

Take care of yourself Self-discipline is very important when you are a student. Eating well is less expensive and totally possible.

Track your spending Good record keeping will prevent overdrafts and help detect sneaky spending patterns that you may be in denial about.

Use public transportation Forget about paying for car insurance, gas, campus parking… Get a discount on public transit with your student status and make the most of it.