This article covers some really easy and convenient things one can do to save one’s bank as a college/university student.
1. Groupon for food and drinks or activities and adventure.
A superb way to cover your adventurous side and that weekend festive spirit, groupon offers 25% off on various deals related to food, drinks and fun, on and around campus, to students via its Groupon Select Student Program. Available in the US only for now, this membership is available for free to US Title lV accredited colleges and universities( for those who don’t know what this term means, aTitle IV school is an institution that processes U.S. federal student aid.) Once students’ status as a university/college goer is approved based on some basic information like full name, name of institution, date of birth, email etc, members can enjoy 25% discounts on various deals, some of them already discounted for up to 6 months. After this it’s 15% till a student is enrolled. Some of the amazing offers include activities like concerts, escape rooms, nightlife, and fitness classes. Need a gift for somebody else or even yourself? Try taking advantage of these offers on things like flowers, spa treatments, custom photo books, and more! So dear thrifty spenders that’s what’s called many a mickle makes a muckle!
2. Coffee machine
So how many times a day one needs a cup of coffee? Let’s count. First thing early in the morning. Check. Then one after the 11 a.m class, just before one is starting his/her study session is the library to feel active. Check. Then one if you have that evening lecture just to stay alert during the class. Check. And maybe one for the late night sessions.Check. Damn! But if we even keep this count realistic and say a student has two cups of coffee on average each day on campus, each costing $8, 5 days a week and 16 weeks per term for a total of 3 terms, this amounts to a figure of $3840. And how much does a coffee machine cost that can allow you to fill your vacuumed flask with a hot brew daily? $70 or so on average. Now that’s a smart purchase if you are looking to save some bucks.
3. Purchasing e course books:
Price of college textbooks can range anywhere from hundreds to thousands of dollars per semester. For an average student this can add up to approximately $5000 just for textbooks and never mind how bad one feels highlighting, marking and inking on these books when they are that expensive. But thankfully these days there are some good opportunities to save money online. For example:
Chegg
Chegg is a fantastic resource for finding affordable course books online. You can rent them and get free shipping upon return. Another option is to get a new or used book with a 21 day refund guarantee. Similarly, you can avail coupons or get free shipping for orders over a certain limit for some extra savings.
BiggerBooks
A store with a vast collection, it can be used to rent books cheaply at a highly discounted rate. You can also rent physical books, ebooks, or even sell your used textbooks once the semester is over. They also offer free shipping for orders over USD$59.
4. Water flask
Who has heard about the legend that drinking from the fountain of youth will provide you with immense luck and well being? I think the water station at one’s college/university campus is the new fountain of youth for students, but this time just take a refillable water flask with you every time. It will save you much needed money spent on recycled water bottles all day along, whatever the time is, or whatever the season. Also if you are carrying a water bottle with you throughout your day, it’s easy to drink water, more of it, helping with keeping you more hydrated and more alert as dehydration causes fatigue.
5. Washing your own laundry
Here is my favourite one. Doing the laundry yourself rather than using laundromats or other coin services can save you a couple of dimes every month. All you have to do is make a set up for it in your sink or shower and voila you are all set up! It’s that easy.
6.Cooking your own food:
Ah but I don’t have the time or energy or the mood for it!
But one has to find time and take that conscious decision to prepare food for themselves for some great benefits like money saving, nutrition, health etc. When you cook your own food, you save a lot of money by not paying hefty amounts in the campus cafeteria on a daily basis or on measly meal plans. You can work your budget to your advantage by cooking large quantities of foods and then freezing them in numerous ziplocks to take benefit of economies of scale, or buy ingredients on sale that can make the entire meal preparation much affordable or simply opt for recipes that are easy on the pocket and simple to make for starters. So the world is really your oyster when one can just challenge him/herself to not eat out and do much of the cooking personally and can save a lot of bank’s worth at the same time.
