Are you the embodiment of the broke university student cliché? If so, then this article is perfect for you. It can be difficult and overwhelming to get used to the varying degrees of financial freedom that come with being a college student. I know I’ve spiraled thinking about where I should spend my money, whether I’m spending too much and how I can proactively save some money. But I also know that I don’t want to miss the fun of college, and that can sometimes require a little splurging. So here are some extremely effortless ways to avoid exhausting your monthly limit on the basics, so you have more for everything else!
- Get your discounts
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The first, and perhaps most important, one is to not be shy when it comes to availing your student discounts — you’ve earned it! Start by using your status as a university student to get cheaper (and extra baggage) airline tickets. We also all have our entertainment needs, but it doesn’t have to be an expensive affair. You can get discounted prices for music streaming apps like Spotify and Apple Music and even get half off on Amazon Prime.
- How much food is too much food?
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This one may hurt a little, but trust me, you probably spend more here than you realise. Stop eating out so much, especially when you have a prepaid meal plan in place. It can be tempting to swap out the canteen food for something a little more exciting but don’t forget that you are paying for the food whether you eat it or not. This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t treat yourself every now and then but try not to make it your go-to option on a regular basis.
- Put that pen down!
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The third one is to try as best as you can to control your urges to buy fancy stationery. Yes, I know you want it, but no, you don’t really need it. It can be tempting to stock up on stationery because you never know when you might need it, but unfortunately, you’ll need it a lot less than you think. With everything on our laptops, there’s rarely much scope to actually pull out all the hardbound notebooks and fountain pens.
- Go Thrifting
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With the thrift culture gaining so much popularity and being at your fingertips (literally clicks away), it’s the perfect time to make complete use of all the online thrift stores. Instagram is now home to a multitude of thrift shops and that makes picking out what you want easy and quick. It’s the perfect blend of affordability and sustainability!
These are some of the easiest ways to avoid spending money where you don’t need to. While it’s undoubtedly easy to lose track of where your money is going, it can help to make small changes to your spending patterns. So, try giving yourself a monthly budget and make sure you stick to it!