Going to college is expensive and every little cost adds up. Here are 8 ways to save money as a college student.
The cost of college is certainly not just tuition. In fact, I'd say that's a drop in the bucket. When I was in college, I spent so much money on food, textbooks, living, laundry, etc! Plus, it really didn't help when people would steal my clothes or food (anyone else been there?).
Many of us pay for our own college, myself included, so I needed to figure out the best ways to save money as a college student so that I would be able to pay down my debt faster when I graduated.
I did all of these thngs when I was in college and saved a lot of money doing so! In fact, I was able to pay off $90k in student loan debt in just 2 years after college. I'll break down saving money with textbooks, food, every day supplies, alcohol, and much more!
This post is all about ways to save money as a college student.
Ways to Save Money as a College Student
1. Get Textbooks Online or Used
There are many ways to get textbooks without buying them brand new. Ask a friend or rent them from Amazon.
When I was in college, I always got my textbooks online because they were cheaper. This was easier for me so that I didn't have to carry them around the huge campus and I could access them from anywhere. Many of the sites also allow you to highlight so it made it even more of a breeze!
You can get textbooks online at so many different sites these days. Some of them are even free! Look at these sites before purchasing a hard cover textbook.
Places to Get Textbooks Online:
- VitalSource.com
- CampusBooks.com
- Gettextbooks.com
Sites to Get Textbooks for Free:
- Bookboon.com
- saylor.org
- bettwerworldbooks.com
- openstax.org
If you aren't able to find them online, you can buy them for pretty cheap in second-hand places like eBay or in the used section of Amazon products.
In addition, usually near college campuses, there's a used textbook store that buys back textbooks.
Always check those places before buying a brand new textbook.
2. Shop at Dollar Tree for Essential Items
This is one of my favorite money saving hacks. I discovered the dollar store when I was in college and quickly realized that they sell the same exact things, often name brand, for only $1.
While all my friends were buying their soap, cleaning products and school supplies at Target, I was saving 4-6 times as much money by buying things at Dollar Tree.
In fact, I still shop there for certain items to this day because they are so much cheaper than the big box stores.
Here's a post on all of the Things To Buy at Dollar Tree: Ultimate List of 50+ Items that Will Save You Hundreds.
3. Use Your Student ID
Did you know your student ID will get you discounts pretty much everywhere?
It's one of the best kept secrets! In fact, I really miss my student ID. You can get 10-15% off discounts at restaurants, movies, theme parks, and even some stores!
Make sure to keep it with you at all times as they need to see a hard copy, but it's a great mobile discount to take advantage of!
4. Leave the Car at Home
Let's be honest. Cars are expensive when you have to pay for gas, insurance, repairs, parking, tolls, etc.
College campuses usually have a great public transportation system. Use the buses and public transportation they have. This way you'll make friends, get extra steps in to avoid the college 15, and you'll save money by not having any car expenses.
5. Buy Filling Foods
You're going to have to cut some things that perhaps you always had at your parent's house. You probably will be skipping the filet mignon and creme brulee. I aimed for low cost items that would fill me up.
Yes, I did the whole cup of noodles and top ramen thing. However, I also bought many healthy foods to keep me energized for a low cost.
Things To Buy at the Grocery Store for a Low Cost:
- Bananas
- Soup
- Frozen chicken
- Rice
- Pasta
- Pasta Sauce
- Top Ramen
- Cup of Noodles
- Tortillas
- Eggs
- Milk
This list brings me to my next money saving tip for college students.
6. Learn to Cook
This one is game changer for many reasons.
Learning to cook will make food so much more inexpensive, but it will also give you skills that you'll need the rest of your life.
Get some youtube videos going if you don't know how to cook and learn to make things one at a time.
Cooking is super easy and it's so much fun! The best part is, you'll save SO MUCH MONEY by cooking as much and as often as you can!
7. Live with Roommates
This one should be a no brainer. If you really want to save a ton of money in college, live with roommates!
I always lived with 2-5 people through college. In fact, I even had roommates for many years after college. In big cities, it's normally to have roommates until you get married someday!
Don't be ashamed of it. You'll have to give up some privacy here and there, but having roommates can be super fun! It's the best way to save a lot of money up front!
8. Be Smart About Your Classes
Look at the classes needed to graduate and schedule out your classes over the years ahead of time. This way, you can be as efficient as possible.
Oftentimes, this strategy allows you to graduate early, which will save you a TON of money in the long run.
I was very diligent about what classes I needed to take and exactly when to take them. This allowed me to graduated in 3.3 years (3 years and a quarter). Tuition is expensive so that saved me a lot of money.
How to Save Money as a College Student
I hope these strategies help with saving money! If you have college debt you're looking to pay off, my Free Debt Payoff Printables and Strategy will certainly help!
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