Let’s be honest—we have all turned into Mr. Krabs at some point. For those who either haven’t seen SpongeBob SquarePants or thought that it was a crazy people cartoon (honestly, it was), Mr. Krabs was known for one very specific reason: being a cheap peep. But I mean really cheap, like the kind that as a kid you thought was just plain messed up!
But damn, as a college student now, he’s just so relatable! College loves to suck our wallets dry so what other choice do we have but to unleash our inner Mr. Krabs. And sometimes, even that isn’t enough! I can speed through my paycheck faster than I finish my homework and bam—I’m back at square one with both me and my bank account crying. (I blame the food, I love it too much.) So to find your more reasonable, responsible Mr. Krabs, here are a couple of tips on how to save!
- Don’t Throw Away Your Change
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Alright, so I know most people discard their change because well, what the heck are we gonna buy with it? Also, it’s annoying to carry around so we kind of just leave it in the car or in a bag and let it sit for years. But let me tell you, when you collect a lot of coins, it can actually add up!Ever since I was a kid, I collected change I found or was given by family members who didn’t want it; after a couple of months, I was surprised at how much I’d earned. To make it easier, keep track of your change with empty bottles or even a cute piggy bank.
- Write Down What You Spend
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Recently, I received advice from a financial expert at a presentation and one thing she said is that you can change your whole life by writing down what you spend. Try putting down estimates of what you regularly spend each month. Doing that allows you to be organized and puts limits on certain things you think you can cut down on. For example, if you spend $50 when you hang with friends, maybe try setting a goal of $35 instead. - Coupons!
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I’ve finally realized the magic of coupons. The joy it brings me to see that I saved $1 is insane. But really, you don’t realize how much groceries can amount to until you’re at the check-out and realize that surviving takes a lot more than $20. It sucks, but that’s what coupons are for! So use them! Look for them! They’re everywhere, whether it’s through apps, Groupon, or even asking from friends. They’re lifesavers!
- Sell Things You Don’t Want/Need
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My mom loves garage sales, both as a customer and a seller, and honestly, it makes sense. As a customer, you get really cheap things, like kitchen appliances for $5 that are worth $40 in the store. And then as a seller, you get money for things you might have thrown out originally but ended up making a profit on it! That’s why I recommend selling your stuff, especially textbooks because there’s always someone who will need it. OfferUp is a very popular app I’ve heard about. Try it out!
- DIY
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I know how lazy I can get with making things, but doing it yourself can really help save money. The amount I have saved from creating gifts is huge, and honestly, people tend to like it better! It’s a personal touch, so you can’t go wrong with that. Chances are, there’s a video out there that can show you how to make whatever you want.
I know saving money isn’t the easiest thing. Giving up things isn’t fun and it does require being more responsible, but fortunately, if we manage our finances we can afford what’s most important to us. We just have to identify what our top priorities are and eventually, we can stop complaining about being broke.