As a junior at MCLA, I have accumulated a number of strategies to help myself save money while I live and learn at school. These are not universal methods—what works for me might not work for you—but they can certainly serve as helpful tips. Here are seven of my methods for keeping a healthy bank account:
1. Find a job and save a percentage of your paychecks
Finding a job is a great move for any MCLA student who wants to make and save money.
Many MCLA students get awarded workstudy in their financial aid package, which allows them to work at college-funded jobs like the mailroom, the Information Booth in the Campus Center, or other offices around campus. If you are awarded workstudy, you should take full advantage of this. Apply for a job as soon as you can.
If you aren’t awarded workstudy, don’t worry—there are some jobs on campus that anyone can do, such as a dorm building RASM. You can also find a job somewhere in downtown North Adams. If transportation is an issue, consider finding a job you can walk to or take the bus.
You should also regularly save some of the money you make. Personally, I save 25 percent of every paycheck. I have found this percentage works well for me. If you want to save more, go for it. If you’re someone who needs to spend the majority of your paycheck right away for bills or groceries, consider saving a small amount like five percent.
2. Utilize your meal swipes, declining balance and Blazer Bucks
If you have a meal plan, utilize it! I have an unlimited amount of dining hall swipes, which helps make my grocery bill extremely low during the year. I do buy some breakfast and lunch items to keep in my dorm, but for the most part, I eat all my meals in the dining hall.
I also use my declining balance instead of my personal money to buy some of my groceries. For instance, I always buy milk at the POD (given that they still have milk in stock). Just remember to be aware of how much DB you’re spending, as you don’t want to run out before the year ends. Ask the cashier for a receipt in order to see how much you have.
Your meal plan also comes with some amount of Blazer Bucks, which you can use to pay for food from certain local restaurants like Domino’s and Village Pizza. Just ask if you can use your Blazer Bucks when you order, and they can look up your A number.
3. Save on laundry (if you can)
I am lucky enough to live 40 minutes away from campus. Because of this, I take my laundry home every weekend or so and do it there. This saves me the $3.50 I would have to spend washing and drying my clothes otherwise. It’s a small way to save, but it adds up!
If this isn’t an option for you, a way to save on laundry is to only wash clothes when it’s absolutely necessary. Try to learn how much the washing machines in your building hold, and only do laundry when you reach that capacity.
If you have the time and energy, you could also save $1.75 by skipping the dryer by letting your laundry air-dry in your room.
4. Take advantage of free events and discounted admissions
It’s easier than you think to find free things to do with your friends. MCLA has free events happening on campus literally every week—look around campus for flyers advertising club meetings, documentary screenings, lectures, plays, SAC events, sports events, and more.
You can also get free or discounted admission to many places in North Adams. For example, MASS MoCA lets MCLA students in for free everyday, and Movieplex 8 does $5.00 Tuesdays for any customer.
5. Be thrifty about textbooks
There are so many ways to save money when it comes to books! I truly believe you should never BUY a textbook. Even if you think you’ll read it again someday, you probably won’t. You should always RENT—and rent USED if you can—as it is much cheaper, and you won’t have unnecessary books to lug home at the end of the semester. (If someday you really decide you want to read that book again, buy a cheap copy of it online. I have done that!)
If you have a week or two until you need the book, consider buying or renting a cheaper copy from Amazon, Chegg, ThriftBooks, or AbeBooks. (If you need the book in two days, don’t do this. Pay close attention to the estimated shipping time.) I once needed a Shakespeare book that the bookstore was selling for $100, and found it available to rent for $20 from Amazon.
You can also ask your professor if they put a copy of the book “on reserve” in the library. This means you can go to the library at any time and check out the book from the front desk. The downside is you have to stay in the library while you use it, but this method is great because it doesn’t cost a penny.
If you have to buy a book from the bookstore, you can try to sell it back to them at the end of the semester. You won’t get a ton of money back, but it’s still something. If the bookstore can’t buy it, post it in your MCLA graduating class’ Facebook group and see if anyone will buy it. If even that doesn’t work, try eBay or Facebook Marketplace.
6. Shop at secondhand stores and discount stores
If you haven’t yet been to the Goodwill in North Adams, make plans to visit it right now. Buying secondhand is cheaper than buying new, and it’s better for the environment because you are recycling old items that would otherwise become trash. You can also buy clothes, food and household items at discount stores like Dollar Tree, Label Shopper and Ocean State Job Lot. I prefer to buy some household necessities like dish soap, tissues, paper towels, cotton balls, q-tips, and some other things from the Dollar Tree.
7. Be smart about your refund check
About a month into every semester, you will probably get a “refund check,” which is any leftover money in your school account after your tuition and expenses are paid. It is entirely up to you what you do with this money. I suggest putting it right into savings, or asking the Bursar if they can apply that money to next semester’s expenses. You can also ask the Bursar about getting a “book advance” at the start of the semester, where you can take out any amount of your leftover money in the form of bookstore gift cards. These gift cards don’t expire, so they are really worthwhile!
Hopefully you can take one or two of these tips and save some money this year. I know most college students would put “broke” in their top five best words to describe themselves, but you don’t have to!