Limit eating out to special occasions like birthdays and anniversaries. If you’re in a rush, fast food can be a budget-friendly option. Many fast food places offer salads, wraps, and low-calorie versions of their more popular entrees, like a little hamburger from Five Guys or a classic cheeseburger from McDonald’s. [3] X Research source
If you spend $3 on coffee each day, you’re actually spending $600 during the school year.
See if your school has a Facebook group dedicated to used textbooks. You might be able to take someone’s old textbook off their hands!
Google Docs, Sheets, and Slides is a free alternative to Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Avast and AVG offer free antivirus programs. GIMP and Fotor are free image editing programs, while Audacity is free audio editing software. Prezi is a great presentation tool, Evernote is great for note-taking, CCleaner is excellent for optimizing your computer, and Sketchup is a handy 3D model program.
Apple, Sprint, AT&T, and Lenovo all offer discounts on their electronics. General Motors, Amtrak, Eurail, and Shortline/CoachUSA provide discounts. Clothing shops like J. Crew, Banana Republic, Levi’s, and Club Monaco offer a 15% student discount.
Any type of scholarship, award, or bursary is a great way to cut tuition costs.
You could switch to a cheaper video streaming service instead of paying an expensive cable bill. Apps like TrueBill, Bobby, and Subby can provide a list of your subscriptions.
Instead of buying a famous brand of canned veggies, look for the store-brand or generic-brand option instead. Some common store brands are Great Value, Market Pantry, and Up and Up. [13] X Research source Foreign brands tend to be cheaper, too. [14] X Research source
In the UK, Co-op stores mark down groceries after 4 PM, while Tesco marks them down after 7 PM.
Scope out the calendar pages on different websites—these will be chock-full of upcoming events. During COVID-19, there might not be a lot of in-person events. See what kinds of online events are going on, instead!
In most places, you can get a library card for free. You might be able to find some textbooks at the library, too.
You might budget $100 a month for groceries, $40 for a cell phone plan, and $75 for clothing and toiletries. Consider making a second spreadsheet that charts how much money you’re making, whether it’s financial support from family, scholarships, or a part-time job. This way, you can compare your monthly budget to your monthly income! Make sure that you aren’t living beyond on your means or relying heavily on a credit card to make ends meet. [19] X Expert Source Trent Larsen, CFP®Certified Financial Planner Expert Interview. 22 July 2020.
For instance, you might spend more money on Fridays than any other day of the week. If you notice unhealthy spending habits in the app, you can cut back and amend your budget accordingly.
In the USA, Bank of America has special student accounts with no account or overdraft fees. Although more well-known for credit cards, Capital One also offers inexpensive banking, with no account or overdraft fees.
If you shop frequently at a certain store, consider signing up for their loyalty program. You can get extra discounts and coupons this way!
If you think you’ll need a bill extension, call your creditor before the due date to see if you can work something out.
When you live with friends, you can also save money on groceries.
If you smoke regularly, quitting could save you at least $2,000 each year.
