Money Saving Tips Every College Student Should Know
Are you the kind of person who has a taste for fine wine, but can only afford a beer budget? It’s okay, we understand. College can be expensive. Actually, let’s scratch that; college IS expensive. However, there are multiple money saving tips that can save you cash and increase your savings. By following these guidelines you will be drinking that glass of that perfectly aged Merlot in no time.
Start Adding a Monthly Contribution to Your Savings: We all know the saying, “The early bird gets the worm.” It’s not just a saying; it’s a practice to live by. Use this quote to your advantage and start saving today. One easy way to do this is to set up an automatic transfer each month. Start small and transfer $10.00 from your checking into your savings account and have a goal to increase the amount a little more each month. By setting up automatic transfers, you are consistently adding money to your savings without having to set reminders for yourself each month. Plus, if you put it into savings and forget about it, you won’t be tempted to spend it. #Save
Don’t Buy New Textbooks: Put that book down! At least the full priced one at your local campus book store. As school kicks off, you can normally hear the soft weeping of student’s wallets. Why? Some textbooks can cost nearly as much as a TV! It appears knowledge doesn’t come cheap, but busting your bank account doesn’t have to happen. You can save hundreds of dollars by buying or renting books online. Here are a few of the best resources we found for online textbook shopping.
- Chegg: Chegg offers both textbook and eTextbook rentals, with 21- or 14-day satisfaction guarantees, minus the cost of shipping. You can also sell your old textbooks to Chegg and make some extra money. This company offers buyback quotes online, so you can find out how much you could get for your books at the end of the semester without wasting time!
- Amazon: You can find almost everything on Amazon, and at an affordable price. The same is true for textbooks. Amazon also offers rental textbooks, an automatic savings over purchasing the book. What’s even better? Students with a university email address are eligible for six months of free Amazon Prime through the Amazon Student deal. What does this mean? It means free two-day shipping on thousands of items. Cha-ching!
- Textbooks.com: According to their website, Textbooks.com is home to the most used textbooks on the web, with prices up to 90 percent off the cover price! You have the options to buy, rent and sell textbooks, making it a great place to save you money. One extra perk, if you spend more than $25, shipping is free.
Collect and Redeem Cans: Pay off your college education - one nickel at a time. Throughout your four years in college, how many sodas, wine bottles, and beer cans, do you think you accumulate? For most, that number can be astonishing! What can you do with all those bottles and cans? Recycle and redeem! For one, it is good for the environment, and two, it can help pay school expenses. Visit your nearest Walmart or Hy-Vee as both have can and bottle returns, and earn as much as five cents per can. Overtime, this can really add up; 400 cans equal $20 dollars!
Check Your Bank Statements Regularly: One of the best ways you can avoid overdraft fees is to check your bank statements on a weekly basis to keep track of your balance, so you don’t spend more than you have. With convenient and rapid access to online banking, you can now check your accounts, pay bills, and stick to a budget with the ease of your smartphone or laptop.
Look into a Campus Gym: Many colleges and campuses offer students free or reduced rates for the on-campus gym. Take advantage of this deal and avoid paying full price at other local workout facilities. Burn through those calories; not through your savings.
Bus, Bike, or Walk: Instead of driving a car and paying for insurance, gas and the possible parking tickets, use city transportation. Pay a small fee each month for a city bus pass. Some campuses even offer their own bus system which provides free rides for students. Another option is bringing your bike school. Biking is easy, affordable, and offers “FREE” oxygen to any rider. If biking isn’t your thing, you could simply walk to class. Plus, the exercise is always a nice health benefit.
Borrow DVD’s of Movies and TV Shows from the Library: No need to shell out money each month on Netflix and Hulu. Rent movies and TV shows from your local library. You’ll be pleasantly surprised at the massive collection the library has, including current movies and shows. Best of all, they are FREE!
By following these simple rules, your savings will be ‘breaking out of the bank’ in no time!