While there are tons of benefits in college, we all know it’s not cheap. Going into my freshman fall, I assumed that I had spent most of the money I was going to spend all year on room decor and new clothes, but three months and at least $350 later, I can say that mindset was wishful thinking. Here are some ways to try and cut back the spending during the transition that is freshman fall and save up for life after college!
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Just Eat at the Dining Hall. It’s no secret that dining hall food is not the best. Especially here at a small school when there are only three places to regularly get a meal, the food can sometimes be tough to swallow. However, especially as a freshman, there is no reason you need to leave campus to eat food if you’re willing to get creative.
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Look at the menus. That way you can judge before getting to the dining halls if you want what they offer.
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Use your creativity. You will have to make so many different stir fries and salads. Use chicken in every way possible for protein.
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Just tough it out. Freshman fall, you’ve only been at school for a couple of months, so no matter how much you hate dining hall food, the upperclassmen hate it more. My tip: freshman year just embrace the experience and use it as a time to get to know more people!
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Shop in The Sale Section. When you go out and see everyone else’s cute clothes it is very tempting to want them too, however, you can blow so much money this way. Shop under the sale section on websites, especially for party clothes because they will probably get ruined sooner or later anyway. Here are some sites with cheap sale sections.
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Revolve
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Forever 21
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Zaful
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Try and Stay on Campus. One nice thing about college is most everything on campus is paid for by tuition. The gym, food, and transportation (if you take the shuttle) are all covered by tuition. Use these amenities because they save a lot of money!
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Be careful with your Colby Card. This one also depends on if you are paying for your own Colby Card, but either way, the expenses add up fast. The Colby Card that can be used everywhere is a blessing and a curse. Late night trips to the SPA add up fast as do coffee stops and trips to the Bookstore.
Though these are only some of the ways to save money freshman fall, little tricks and creativity will go a long way to keep life interesting and your pockets full!