SMALL SACRIFICES GO A LONG WAY!
Every college student knows that it is extremely easy to burn through cash quickly. I personally live in fear of opening my bank account. Even with a part-time job, expenses add up, especially if you are no longer in campus housing and on a meal plan. Luckily, there are small changes and substitutions that you can make to start saving money.
1. Get books from the public library or buy them secondhand
Reading can be one of the best ways to relax and unwind as a college student. But if you are buying new retail price books, it can also be one of the most expensive. The Madison Public Library is a great place to get physical copies of books, as well as e-books and audiobooks via the Libby app. There are branches all over Madison, and their Central branch is just a 15-minute walk from Memorial Union. If you prefer to annotate your books, or if you have a favorite that you really want your own copy of, there are a number of good used bookstores within bus distance around Madison, including a chain second-hand bookstore called Half Price Books.
2. USE APPS LIKE TOOGOODTOGO TO GET HEAVILY DISCOUNTED FOOD
A lot of stores have started using apps like TooGoodToGo, which aim to limit food waste. They create mystery bags using leftover items at the end of the day and then sell the bags for a heavily discounted price. If you are looking to eat out and you’re not picky, this can be a great option to get items for a much lower price point. In Madison, you can get goodies from Ian’s Pizza, Teamoji and other local restaurants. This is the perfect way to treat yourself without breaking the bank and helping reduce restaurant food waste.
3. MEAL PLAN AND HAVE A GROCERY LIST BEFORE SHOPPING
Going to the grocery store on an empty stomach without a list can lead to overspending quickly. I’ve found that planning out my meals for the week and then going grocery shopping with a list in hand prevents me from buying unnecessary items. Meal planning also helps me to avoid spending too much money on eating out. It’s relatively easy to find prices for individual goods online, so if you want to be extra diligent, you can even look up items and calculate prices per meal to help with budgeting. Meal planning and buying from a set list also helps to limit food waste. It can also be extremely beneficial to keep a running list of what food you have in your fridge and when it expires.
4. GET KITCHEN SUPPLIES AND DISHWARE FROM THIRFT STORES
Most apartments don’t come with dishware and other necessary kitchen utensils, but luckily, the home decor section of thrift stores is often filled with hidden treasures. I have found some beautiful bowls and glasses for just a couple of dollars. These items are usually very high quality and unique and there is a label that tells you if the items are dishwasher safe! You can also usually find some good mixing bowls, pots, silverware and other kitchen supplies that would be much more expensive at retail price.
5. USE YOUR BUS PASS INSTEAD OF UBERING
It can be really tempting to Uber everywhere when going on excursions off campus; however, the cost can add up quickly. A lot of schools, including UW-Madison, offer free bus passes for students that can be easily requested. Madison also has a great public transit system with routes that make any destination relatively easy to access. You may have to plan out your trip a bit more carefully and walk a little bit more, but the savings are huge.
While a lot of these ideas are less convenient than the more expensive alternatives, they are easy and quick ways to revive your bank account. They are also great ways to help the environment and shrink your carbon footprint!