1. Clothes
Don’t let the idea of wearing something “too many times” break your bank account! We’ve all been told about how thrifting is the best way to save on clothes. But if you’re anything like me and don’t have the time or patience to look through thousands of clothing racks or deal with all the hassle, you could always download an app such asKloset Karma. Here you can exchange clothes or accessories with people from your area and without spending practically anything. The exchange is all based off of accumulating points (that’s right, points, not money!).
It may sound too good to be true, but I’ve already traded in some clothes without spending anything at all. As soon as I signed up and posted items to trade, I already started off with 50 points!
2. Piggy Bank
Probably the oldest trick in the book. That extra change gets lost everywhere: in your purse, car, couch, behind your friend’s ear when you’re trying to show them your cool magic trick! But building the habit of always putting it aside will bring you some extra cash for a rainy day. Plus, the coins will come in handy for when you’re doing your laundry :)
3. Groceries
It’s easy to think that the best solution is to just buy Ramen noodles and live off those for the rest of the semester, but there are way better alternatives out there that are much healthier and still cheap. It’s all about buying nutritious staple items that’ll keep you full.Also, make a list before you go and write down how much you’re willing to spend that day. This’ll force you to stay on track and will let you see if you have any left over money for extra things.
4. Going out
Unlike college towns, a city like Miami doesn’t offer the benefit of always finding cheap drinks when going out. Once you have your first drink, you may say “YOLO, I’ll get another one” and then you’ll be handed your tab and realize you’ve made a huge mistake. Next time you go out, only take as much cash as you’re willing to spend, plus a little extra for emergencies (taxi, parking, food, water), and leave your credit/debit cards at home.
5. Coups, baby.
Going out and partying with your friends is fun but it can be redundant and turn out to be pricey. Do something different on your weekend and experience new things by taking advantage of Groupon and Living Social offers. Doing new activities out of your comfort zone with your friends can become more memorable than going out for another night to the same bar as always! These sites always offer discounts to places in your city that you may have never even heard of before. They offer food tours, museum discounts, snorkeling, BYOB art classes, and the list goes on…
-Author, Alexandra Floresmeyer is part of the advertising team at Her Campus FIU. She is also a contributing writer whose articles and opinions (such as the one below) can be found on her personal blog, Go Ask Alex.