Five Easy Ways to Save Money: College Student Edition

Most college students have a monthly budget or try to watch their monthly spendings for the purpose of being responsible with finances. Unnecessary splurging often adds up quickly, leading you to pick and choose necessities to buy. Here are some ways I have learned to save money that usually is spent without much thought.  

Stop Buying Unnecessary Cravings on a Usual Basis  

Everyone deserves to splurge every once in a while and get drinks from Starbucks or Dunkin’ Donuts, but money quickly adds up when it becomes an ongoing habit. Before you get a Starbucks drink, think twice if you need it. Many of their drinks cost up to six dollars. A way to control your cravings is to buy ingredients to make your favorite drink at home. You will be spending money either way, but saving a lot more by making your own at home. I love iced green tea matcha drinks from Starbucks, which cost an average of six dollars, so I bought matcha powder on Amazon for eleven dollars and oat milk for around six dollars. I spent seventeen dollars on the simple ingredients, which will make more than ten drinks. Think smarter, not harder.  

Double-think Your Desire to Shop at Unreasonably Priced Clothing Stores  

Before buying an expensive shirt at name-brand stores, look at other stores with just as suitable clothes for half the price. A simple google search will save you money. TJ Maxx is an excellent alternative to many stores at the mall as they have a wide variety of brand names that everybody loves for a low price. TJ Maxx has every type of clothes as well as shoes and gadgets. Many people say you get what you pay for; TJ Maxx proves this is false, as low prices do not always mean poor quality. Remember, nobody truly cares what store you got your latest favorite shirt from.  

Use The School Gym Instead of Paying For a Gym Membership Outside of College 

So many college students work out and rather than pay for a fancier gym, use the college gym included in their tuition. Having a more high-end gym may be nicer to go to but will also waste unnecessary money. Most gyms at college have a wide variety of equipment and workout machines that may be on the older side versus a more excellent gym. If you genuinely love working out, you love it for the progress and outcome, not the gym you go to. 

Watch a Movie at Home Rather Than Going Out

Going out to the movies with friends or a partner may be nice every once and a while, but if you are tight on money, it may not be worth it. Since COVID-19, many movies in theaters are also available for purchase or rent on demand, which would be cheaper if you are watching with multiple people. Explore different accessible networks like Peacock that will let you explore a variety of movies and TV shows. Buy microwave popcorn that comes with many bags to enjoy for your next movie night as well. Following the theater rules may add to a more realistic movie night, so put away your phone and live in the moment watching the movie. The best part, if you need to go to the bathroom, you can pause the film so you don’t miss details as you would at a theater and then interrupt a friend to ask what you missed. Enjoy your movie night!

Driving Friends Wastes Gas

All listed above will help you save gas since pricing is always going up. Driving is necessary for most people, so it is essential to be mindful of how much you drive. If you follow the tips above, you will for sure save money in more ways you can’t even think of. Also, keep in mind how often you are driving friends as you may be following the tips, but picking up and dropping off friends often could take away from having your goals met and find yourself spending extra money.  

The most important thing is to think about what you need versus  what you want. Splurging is okay, but splurging is often hard to control, which will show up on your credit card bill. Everyone wants to save money, so try these simple tips.