During your semesters in college, you often find that your bank account has gone nearly empty without even realizing how. You think that you have your finances relatively under control, until one day you find your card being declined when making another take-out order from Domino’s. Unfortunately, the “broke college student” trope is definitely more than a stereotype, but it’s definitely something that can be combated with some more financial planning. Here are 5 things you can do to prevent the depletion of your bank account while still treating yourself:
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Set a limit on how often you choose to order food. Ordering food, whether that’s a pizza from Domino’s or Chinese take-out, is something that tends to almost become a lifestyle in college. Although making regular calls to Domino’s is pretty tempting, setting a limit to ordering food, depending on how frequently you do so, is a choice that is good for both your health and your bank account. Another thing you can choose to do is when you do decide to order food, split the order with a few friends- not only are you paying significantly less, you’ll be way less tempted to eat the entire order in one sitting.
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Create a Unidays account!- When signing up for Unidays, you get discounts from popular brands that are exclusive to college students. These discounts are often for on-trend brands such as Urban Outfitters, Missguided, and Asos, and can definitely help you find what you need at a more affordable price, whether that’s some cozy winter sweaters or an on-trend pair of sunglasses to rock.
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Purchase a Keurig or coffee maker.- Although this may initially sound counterproductive, if you find yourself constantly purchasing coffee at the Library Cafe, Bison, or at 7th street, you’ll find that making your own coffee beforehand will have your Dining Dollars lasting significantly longer. As someone who constantly has a cup of coffee in hand, when I began to skip my daily trip to 7th street to pop in a K-cup into my Keurig, I found that not only did I not have to refill my Dining Dollars midway into the semester, but I somehow had Dining Dollars remaining, even while treating myself to the occasional Bison smoothie.
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Create a shopping list prior to going to Walmart, Weis, or Giant: Often you’ll find that when going to Walmart, you promised yourself you would only pick up two or three things, and next thing you know, it’s been two hours and you’ve purchased $100 of things you may never touch again. To prevent yourself from getting into this situation, create a physical list, whether that’s in your Notes app or a handwritten copy, with a list of items you specifically have to buy at Walmart. In doing so, feel free to add in some Halo Top ice cream or hot chocolate- just don’t go overboard.
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When at Walmart, try to purchase your own breakfast and snack items.- By purchasing pre-made oatmeals, granola bars, fruit snacks, and anything that suits your interest, you’ll definitely save lots of time and money from picking up breakfast or snack foods at the Bison, which can definitely add up. A personal favorite of mine are Mott’s fruit snacks, along with watermelon fruit cups, which are much cheaper to buy at Walmart than at the Bison.
So as the semester comes to a halfway point, I hope these tips can help you out a bit in saving some money, whether that’s just to have some more pocket money or for some fun summer break plans. And don’t feel ashamed to treat yourself every once in a while!