14 ways to build better money habits today
Reading Time: 12 minutes Easy ways to stop spending all your money.
Reading Time: 12 minutes Easy ways to stop spending all your money.
Reading Time: 2 minutes A student reviews the app Mint and shares how it helped her.
Reading Time: 6 minutes Learn the ins and outs of budgeting including useful apps and tools and how money can help you reach long- and short-term goals.
Who knew books could be so expensive? Oh, waitâwe did. But that doesnât mean you have to buy into the idea that new is better. In most cases, new is unnecessary. Go for used or even rentals, which you can get from your library for free or online at a lower cost. And donât count out e-books. These are often more affordable and have the added bonus of being environmentally friendly. Just make sure the e-book includes all the pieces youâll need, such as a digital access code for supplemental online content.
Before you shell out $500 for a new bio book, check out the best sites for book deals, recommended by students like you:
That picturesque collection of extra-long sheets and coordinating lampshades is lying to you. You can get just as much use out of a Craigslist desk and Grandmaâs throw pillowsâand you might even get more friends because of it. The point here is that your ideal room or apartment dÃĐcor might be better suited for your first paycheck after graduation. That doesnât mean you canât make your space feel like home; you just need to be a little flexible doing it.
Shop around on sites like Craigslist and OfferUp (but make sure youâre putting safety before a good deal here because this can get weirdâtry to meet in a neutral, public location and take a roommate, friend, or bodyguard with you). And donât discount Facebook Marketplace or other social media groups where students can buy, sell, and trade old stuff. Your school might have one just for students looking for the futon of their dreams. Check it out.
âMy first couch was threadbare and hideous, but it was free, and a neutral slipcover made it work in my apartment.â
âEmily, fourth-year undergraduate, University of Windsor, Canada
If you can swing it, hold off on buying suppliesâsans the essentials, of courseâfor the first few weeks of the semester. A lot of stores put office, desk, and room supplies on sale after the big rush, and that means you can get a lot more goods for your green. So treat yourself to that extra-plush body pillow; your patience paid off.
Those double XL coffees from the cafÃĐ add up fast, and those meal plans can be expensive. Weâre talking $1,000 to $3,500 per semester expensive depending on your school, according to a 2015 NBC News report. Ouch. Many schools offer a range of meal plan options, and choosing a smaller one might save you some money. You still have to eat, though, so shrinking your meal plan goes along with expanding your kitchen skills.
Before we lose you completely, this is an awesome time in your life to learn to make some basics, like pasta, tacos, roasted vegetables, and killer quiches. You donât even need to make peace with the oven to get going here. Check out our article on five recipes you can make in a microwave to get started.
First year on campus? Youâre probably hanging out with some roommates in a res hall. But that might not be the most financially savvy option for all four years. âDepending on where you go to school, living off campus with a few roommates could be less expensive than living in a [residence hall]. At other campuses, [residence halls] are the best value,â says Amy Marty Conrad, director of the CashCourse program, part of the National Endowment for Financial Education that helps students plan how to pay for college.
Bottom line: Do your research. The default option isnât always the most affordable option, and you owe it to yourself to figure that out. Check with your school tooâsome colleges require students to live on campus for a certain amount of time. And donât forget about the live-at-home option. It may not be your fav now, but the financial freedom youâll have after graduation could get you closer to the life you want. Itâs all about those goals.
âBulletin boards on the school campus always offer different options for housing like renting a room, needing a roommate, [and] cheaper apartments or studios.â
âAlexander, fourth-year undergraduate, College of the Desert, California
Your student ID is so much more than a close-up of your face on your first day on campus. Itâs essentially goldâand it can save you some too. Businesses want your business any way they can get it, and that usually means that theyâll cut you some slack in your student years. But you have to know what it gets you, and you have to be willing to ask. Some retailers might not advertise discounts, and others might only grant them to the brave few willing to ask the question. Itâs worth it to do so, even if they say no.
And remember, this applies to way more than just clothes and food. Car insurance, flights back home, and an evening at the museum are all things you can save on with proof of your student status. Use it before you graduate and take a moment of silence for all the money you save. Or don’t.
What can a student discount do for you? Check out some of the deals here.
While weâre here, be sure youâre sticking to your budget by having one in the first place. Itâs OK if youâre new to tracking your finances; in fact, thatâs the best place to start. Try a budgeting app like Mint and see where you can make adjustments. Remember, small tweaks can mean big savings. You got this.
[school_resource sh101resources=’no’ category=’mobileapp,counselingservices, healthservices, wellnesspromotion, drugandlcohol, residentlife’] Get help or find out moreAll hail the student discount: Carrington College
Amy Marty Conrad, director, CashCourse, Denver, Colorado.
Borges, A. (2016, August 23). The 6 best sites for scoring cheap textbooks. Her Campus. Retrieved from https://www.hercampus.com/life/academics/6-best-sites-scoring-cheap-textbooks
Durand, F. (2016, September 14). 11 things we wish we had known about cooking in college. The Kitchn. Retrieved from https://www.thekitchn.com/11-things-we-wish-we-had-known-about-cooking-in-college-208283=
Jhaveri, A. (2016, August 2). 22 healthy college recipes you can make in your dorm room. Greatist. Retrieved from https://greatist.com/eat/healthy-dorm-room-recipes
Krrb. (n.d.). 37 money saving college life hacks. Blog.krrb.com. Retrieved from https://blog.krrb.com/37-money-saving-college-life-hacks/
National Endowment for Financial Education. (n.d.). CashCourse. Retrieved from https://info.cashcourse.org/#
Pack, R. (2016, July 19). 25 essential dorm room cooking hacks. Daily Meal. Retrieved from https://www.thedailymeal.com/25-essential-dorm-room-cooking-hacks
White, M. C. (2015, August 25). School meal plans convenient, costlyâĶand sometimes required. NBC News. Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/freshman-year/school-meal-plans-convenient-costly-sometimes-required-n415676