Let’s face it—attending SCAD is far from cheap. After the amount spent on tuition, housing, food and supplies, it’s hard to have any extra money left over to save. However, if you’re desperate to start putting some money in the bank for post-grad reality, or just want a little extra spending money, follow these tips to stretch your college budget.
1. Shop at Wal-Mart instead of Kroger:
Although it may be a ten-minute drive from downtown, buying your groceries at Wal-Mart can cut your bill by almost 40%, as the prices on most goods (food, shampoo/conditioner, paper towels, etc.) are significantly cheaper. One of my favorite cereals costs almost $5 a box at Kroger, and only $3.50 at Wal-Mart! Added up each month, this trip can save you some serious cash.
2. Share a meal at your favorite restaurant:
There are plenty of restaurants downtown that serve huge portion sizes, and oftentimes one plate comes with enough food to comfortably feed two. Split the dish with a friend and your bill is cut in half! Use this saving to eat out more often, or to just save some cash!
3. Do your laundry at night instead of during the day:
If you live off-campus, you know the struggle of paying an electric bill. With temperatures so hot in Savannah and your AC running nonstop, the bill can reach enormous heights. But changing when you use electricity can help lower the bill! Most times, the price of electricity is lowered after certain times of the day, so running your washing machine will cost less at night. Visit georgiapower.com for more details.
4. Only shop the sale racks:
Of course as you walk through the doors into Urban on Broughton Street you automatically want to buy everything you see. Resist the urge to grab the overpriced items on the ground floor and head to the sale rack! Every store has a clearance rack where you can find the same trendy clothes for less than 50% of the original price. So what if you have to wait a couple months to snag that dress you’ve been eying? Getting it at a discounted price will make it even more special, and will keep your wallet feeling a little fuller.
Living on a student budget can be tough, but if you follow these quick and easy tricks, you’ll be shocked at how much extra money you’ll have in your bank account by the end of the quarter!
Got any money saving tricks? Comment below and share your ideas!