Ways To Save Money In College

The following is a guest post from Gregory Pennington.

By following the tips in this short guide, you should be able to save yourself a considerable amount of money,stay out of debt and still have a great time.  Going to college can be a particularly expensive time for anyone. The cost of buying your own food and looking after yourself can soon add up if you’ve never done it before.

We have all at one point or another read a list of ways to save money in general. Now it’s time to look at easy ways to save money when you go away for college:

Split the cost of your shopping

If you live with a few people, why not split the cost of your weekly shop? You could collectively create a shopping list and agree to eat the same meals on some nights each week – that way, you don’t have to buy too much while in the store. There really is no best way to save money but by splitting the cost of your shopping you will save yourself a considerable amount of money while at college. Money that could be spent on other things (like books), or put away in a savings account.

Nights in are just as good as nights out

Again, if you live with a few people, you should try having nights in as well as nights out. By this I mean throw your own parties and movie nights. For example, if you wanted to throw a party, you could invite all your friends and ask each of them to each bring something when they come (that can cover their ‘entry fee’) – so, one friend could bring some popcorn, someone could bring the music, while another could bring some drinks. This is arguably one of the best ways to save money because you won’t have to go out and buy everything yourself.

Snap up all those second-hand items

While away at college, second-hand items should be top of your shopping list. If you need textbooks, workbooks or anything else for that matter (other than food!), go out of your way to find them second-hand. Save money by ordering cheap college textbooks from an online used textbook distributor. Another example, when I was at college, I needed a textbook that was priced at $48 new – but I managed to pick it up second-hand for just $5! Students at your college may post their old books and possessions on the ‘for sale’ notice board, so it’s a good idea to check the board every day to find the latest bargain – but only buy it if you need it. Remember that it can’t be one of the best ways to save money if you simply don’t even need the book for the course. Before you begin to save money on college textbooks you should ensure that you save money on your college tuition.

Travel to college? Share the ride

If you don’t live on campus and have to travel in every day, it may be worthwhile to find someone to share the ride with. There should be someone who drives past (or at least near) where you live, so if you can find out who it is, offer them some money to pick you up on the way to college. This will save you money in bus fares, cab fares and gas.