After a long week of crying over homework and stressing for every reason under the sun, going out over the weekend, or in Laurier Brantford’s case on Thursday nights, is something every university student looks forward to. On the other hand, being broke university students, we need to realize how to go out and have a good time for as little a cost as possible. These are some of the biggest and most important tips that I personally use every time I go out to ensure that I have a great time and my wallet is not crying afterwards either!
- Celebration.
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Going out is always a good time, but to make it even better, save those fun nights out on the town for when it is a real special occasion. A birthday, friends coming to visit from out of town, even your best friend finally dumping that psycho boyfriend of hers are all great reasons to go out and celebrate. Making this a criterion for having a night on the town will help you save money because it will stop you and your friends from going out every Thursday night because you “have nothing better to do”.
- Budget.
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Before you leave to go out, budget how much money you will need for the entire night. Factor in the number of drinks you would want to buy at the club, the cover for entry into wherever you are going that night as well as any money for the Uber or Taxi at the end of the night. A rule I typically follow is to make sure that the money I carry with me for the night is counted out and always in cash. That way, once I run out, I know I have no more left and it helps me stay on budget.
- Pre-drink to your heart’s content.
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Clubs, bars or even the keggers at someone’s house tend to overcharge you, so the best way to save money is to pre-drink because the coolers or beers you buy from LCBO are going to be so much cheaper. It also adds a lot more fun to your night because you and your friends get an opportunity to talk and play games while getting ready for your night out.
- Data usage.
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Until someone has the smart idea to install Wi-Fi routers in all the clubs and bars in the area, we are all stuck using our data to the max on our nights off. The best way to save money in this area is to limit your data usage by avoiding the snapchats of the club music to everyone on your contact list and maybe add your new-found best friends on Instagram when you get home or in another Wi-Fi zone. You will thank me later for this tip when your data usage is not through the roof and you aren’t getting the “Fifty additional dollars will be charged to your account because of data overages” text from your service provider!
- It’s about the people, not the money.
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The most important way to spend money is to remember the night will be the most fun you’ve had if you enjoy the people you are around and the moment you are in currently. Some tips for this is to choose the cheaper club than the one that’s more high end, or even cut your night short and enjoy the rest of it at home with your best friends and a pizza. Your night will still go amazing and in the morning, when sober, you will look at your bank account and thank yourself for all of your smart decisions from the night before.