Reading Time: 2 minutes Despite what you might see on social media, healthy eating is not all avocados and $15 juices. Eating healthy on a budget is actually pretty simple. Try these tips from our nutritionist.

Reading Time: 8 minutes For most of us, student loans are a necessary evil of the college experience. Use this practical guide to pay off your student loans fast.

Reading Time: 2 minutes Yes, it IS possible to pay your bills, buy some stuff you want, and even put a bit of money aside for the future—and it all begins with a budget.

Reading Time: 6 minutes As a student, sometimes the money goes out faster than it’s coming in. Learn how to track your spending with this step-by-step guide. (Your future self will thank you.)

Reading Time: 8 minutes If you think investing is “not for you,” this article may convince you otherwise. We take you through the basics of investing on any budget so you can start saving for your future today.

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.

1. Buying new books is a rookie move

Who knew books could be so expensive? Oh, wait—we did. But that doesn’t 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 don’t 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 you’ll 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:

• Chegg
• Campus Book Rentals
• Textbooks.com

2. Decorating your space is an interpretive art

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 Grandma’s throw pillows—and you might even get more friends because of it. The point here is that your ideal room or apartment décor might be better suited for your first paycheck after graduation. That doesn’t mean you can’t 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 you’re putting safety before a good deal here because this can get weird—try to meet in a neutral, public location and take a roommate, friend, or bodyguard with you). And don’t 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.

“My first couch was threadbare and hideous, but it was free, and a neutral slipcover made it work in my apartment.”
—Emily, fourth-year undergraduate, University of Windsor, Canada

3. Stick it out for sales

If you can swing it, hold off on buying supplies—sans the essentials, of course—for 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.

4. Move beyond the microwave—or learn to cook with it

Those double XL coffees from the café add up fast, and those meal plans can be expensive. We’re 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 don’t 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.

• Microwave-friendly meals
• More easy eats for your busy life

5. Where you live matters

First year on campus? You’re probably hanging out with some roommates in a res hall. But that might not be the most financially savvy option for all four years. “Depending 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,” 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 isn’t always the most affordable option, and you owe it to yourself to figure that out. Check with your school too—some colleges require students to live on campus for a certain amount of time. And don’t forget about the live-at-home option. It may not be your fav now, but the financial freedom you’ll have after graduation could get you closer to the life you want. It’s all about those goals.

“Bulletin boards on the school campus always offer different options for housing like renting a room, needing a roommate, [and] cheaper apartments or studios.”
—Alexander, fourth-year undergraduate, College of the Desert, California

6. Your student ID is a magical, money-saving thing

Your student ID is so much more than a close-up of your face on your first day on campus. It’s essentially gold—and it can save you some too. Businesses want your business any way they can get it, and that usually means that they’ll 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. It’s 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.

Bonus tip: Build (and stick to) a budget

While we’re here, be sure you’re sticking to your budget by having one in the first place. It’s OK if you’re new to tracking your finances; in fact, that’s 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.

• Budget basics that work
• Interactive modules on money stuff: FoolProof Financial Education Systems

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When you’re deep into the semester and maybe exams, your future travel and vacations are likely not high priority. But the summer is not so far away, and looking forward to it can feel good now, as well as helping to set you up for a change of scene later. Most students want to travel, according to a recent CampusWell survey. And you’re pretty clear that the benefits of travel (including study abroad programs) go way deeper than a tan.* “I feel like I am a much better person when I travel more,” says Molly D., a student at Humboldt State University in California. “Travel encourages me to appreciate the unknown while recognizing the familiar,” says Joe Foley, a second-year undergraduate at American University in Washington DC, who in 2014 became the youngest-ever National Geographic Traveler of the Year.

What’s blocking your exit route? Not surprisingly, by far the biggest barrier to travel is cost. “You need to have money saved up to cover airfares, accommodations, food, and other expenses. As a student, it’s very difficult to do this,” says Alejandro C., a third-year undergraduate at the University of California, Irvine. In our survey, 93 percent of students who responded said lack of funds was a barrier; only 4 percent said they were uncomfortable with the prospect of unfamiliar places.

*And, by the way, there’s no such thing as a healthy tan. Use SPF 30+, whatever your skin color or tone.

What you love about travel

“The cost of taking an airplane is a huge hassle. However, what’s living if you don’t spend your money to experience new things and go to new places?”
—Steven M., fourth-year undergraduate, University of Massachusetts Amherst

“How resourceful can you be when you’re out of money and 4,000 miles away from home? Do you panic? Do you run to the consulate? Do you go native? You learn that you can wash your undies in a hotel bathroom in Rome without embarrassment. You realize that street food really is the most delicious cuisine you’ll ever stuff in your face. Travel will grind you down to your truest self. Whether that is good or bad really is up to the person. In addition, foreign candy is legit way better. So the downside is you’ll never be happy with a Snickers™ again.”
—Lori T., third-year graduate student, San Diego State University, California

“Travel is the adventure of a new place and new people. Shortly after the earthquake in Haiti, I went on a cruise that visited a private beach in Haiti. I was taking an excursion to zip line across the ocean, which was amazing, but on the drive there, we drove through some rural areas of Haiti. Seeing the devastation of the population was just as impactful as the zip lining was. Now I’m all about helping people who need the help!”
—Laura B., second-year undergraduate, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Newfoundland and Labrador

“I love airports, planes, train stations, subways and underground metro systems, meeting new people, and dancing the night away.”
—Sarah A., third-year undergraduate, Saint Mary’s University, Minnesota

“Traveling is great because it can be as simple or as elaborate as you want. It can be a road trip to a different city or it can be a cruise or it can be a plane ride to a new country—there’s an option for many budgets and comfort zones!”
—Taylor R., fourth-year undergraduate, Hobart and William Smith Colleges, New York

“Travel experiences are built by the little things. The smiles, the first bite of a foreign country’s food, the hostel chitchat. Although the globalized world of Facebook, the golden arches, and American TV shows exist in every major city, the local cultures remain vibrant. The world today is as fascinating as it’s always been, and in most places it’s safer than ever to be a tourist. Travel gives us the thrill of adventure and somewhere new while reminding us of our shared humanity across cultures and encouraging us to push our horizons.”
—Joe Foley, second-year undergraduate, American University, Washington DC; National Geographic Traveler of the Year 2014

“It’s cool to immerse yourself in other cultures and environments around the world or in your own hometown. Just make sure to learn a bit of history, culture, customs, and experience non-touristy activities in addition to the well-known attractions.”
—Amy N., fourth-year undergraduate, Western Washington University

“You learn more through experience than books or articles.”
—Sarah M., third-year undergraduate, Millersville University, Pennsylvania

Stuff you might not think of

Before you go

Check which currencies are performing badly against the dollar—your money buys more in those places.

Apply early for a passport.

If you need vaccinations, go to your student health center.

Check the insurance that comes with your credit card. Check your health plan for international coverage too.

Let your bank and credit card company know your travel plans so your account isn’t flagged for fraud and possibly blocked.

When you go

Search online for free stuff to do in any tourist-friendly city (e.g., “Montreal free”).

Electronic guidebooks and maps (not books) reduce the schlep factor. Use Google Maps offline by typing “OK maps” in the search bar; the current area will be saved.

Check the comments on Foursquare for passwords of free Wi-Fi in local shops and cafés.

Keep your electronics charged. If you’re going international, bring a converter outlet plug.

Source: Student Health 101 survey, January 2017

Your barriers to travel

“Time lost that you could spend working to help pay down outrageous college debts.”
—Colin D., second-year undergraduate, Millersville University, Pennsylvania

“Your body might not be prepared for the different illnesses and pathogens in other countries.” [Ask at the student health center about vaccinations and preventive medications.] —Domo E., third-year undergraduate, University of Hawaii at Manoa

“The paperwork for international travel. The visas help keep track of visitors, but at the same time, it’s like having to complete a totally different job just to earn the right to relax from your normal one.”
—Tyler S., third-year undergraduate, University of the District of Columbia

“Looking at your depleted bank account.”
—Jonathan L., fifth-year undergraduate, California State University, San Marcos

“Packing. It seems you never pack enough, even though you have five bags for a weekend trip, but then you still end up leaving something important at home. Then, in the end, you only needed like a quarter of what you packed!”
—Verronika L., graduate student, Barry University, Florida

“Never wear heels when you have a short layover. If your first flight is delayed in air, and you have to run to your connecting [flight], heels are not conductive to that.”
—Ashe M., second-year undergraduate, Lakehead University, Ontario

How to land cheap flights

Tips

Flexible fliers get the best last-minute fares; be open to a variety of destinations.

Use a travel search engine: ThriftyNomads.com recommends Skyscanner, Airfarewatchdog, Google Flights, and several others.

Try searching for airfare deals around 1 a.m. The unsold deals from the day before will be reposted.

Before buying any ticket to anywhere, check for student discounts.

Keep your online searches incognito to find the lowest price.

Don’t make the mistakes everyone else makes.

Be smart about budget airlines.

Get cheaper domestic flights in other countries.

Find the best way to get where you’re going.

Spend less to go farther

Best sites & tools

Kayak’s Explore
Find out how far your money can take you

Adioso
Sort fares from your city by price

Get the Flight Out – free iOS app
The cheapest fares leaving from your city today

STA Travel
Expert travel itineraries and student discounts

Student Universe
Lower-cost airfares for students

One Travel
Cheaper flights for students

More cool tools
See Find out more today.

Cheap digs

Hotels, hovels, homes, & habitats

Homestay.com
Stay with a family who lives in the city you’re traveling to

Couchsurfing
Be a guest at someone’s house; check out the reviews

HomeAway
Find over a million rental lodges, which may offer more space than hotels

TripAdvisor
Recommendations and red flags from real people

Airbnb
B&Bs, apartments, and spare rooms for rent; try to negotiate the price.

Hostels.com
35,000 hostels in 180 countries (including US)

Hostelling International USA
Youth-geared US hostels

Hotels.com
Need a place tonight? Deals start at 50 percent off

Reserve America
Beautifully habitable campgrounds across the US

National Park Service
America’s best idea (really—the best)

Recreation.gov
Way more to do than you realized

More cool tools
See Find out more today.

Why travel? Here’s how to talk yourself (and others) into it

Be a better person

Most students who participated in an international exchange program felt it helped them become more trusting, open-minded, flexible, confident, and tolerant, says a 2006 study by the International Student Travel Confederation.

Go global

Students expect travel to make them more “global”—in other words, expand their knowledge, perspective, and social and cultural connections, according to a small study at California Polytechnic State University (2010).

Run free

Students associate travel with freedom (e.g., a break in academic and work expectations), a boost to emotional health and relaxation, and an opportunity to experience nature (CPSU study).

Step it up

Students who have taken a gap year perform better academically and report greater job satisfaction than do those who haven’t, research suggests. Gap year experiences can reignite a passion for learning and influence personal goals and values, including career paths, say Karl Haigler and Rae Nelson in The Gap-Year Advantage (Macmillan, 2005).

Stay healthy

Physically active leisure helps us maintain physical and mental health, especially during times of stress, according to a study of 20,000 people in the Canadian Journal of Public Health (2001).

Get creative

Knowing people from other cultures makes us more creative in tasks that draw on multicultural influences and more receptive to new ideas from outside our own experience, suggests a study from Harvard Business School (2011).

Love your life

Even the anticipation of vacation travel makes us feel good about our lives and health, according to a 2002 study in the Journal of Vacation Marketing.

Your best Instagram

“Climbing sand dunes in the desert of Al Ain (United Arab Emirates) made me push myself to the limits. I climbed until I literally couldn’t go further, and then I sat down and let the wind whip around me. I felt strong and at peace.”
—Jamie Teal, graduate student, Arkansas Tech University

Follow us on Instagram, and don’t forget to use the hashtag #SH101Travel

	Jasmine, Los Angeles, California

“Finally, an app that makes you stop feeling so broke all the time! LearnVest helps you plan how much to spend for different occasions, whether it’s gifts, personal care, your dog’s chew toys…whatevs. It also helps make debt repayment plans. You can do it all on your own or with expert help by working with a LearnVest planner.”

Useful?

If you can’t remember where your last paycheck went (or if you don’t get a paycheck at all), then definitely! LeanVest syncs to your online bank account. There’s an option to have an expert help you plan and budget: Everyone gets a free 15-minute consultation, and you can buy more time.

Fun?

Managing money isn’t what I’d call “fun,” but it’s necessary. The app is pretty straightforward. It didn’t take very long to set goals and categorize my spending. I was able to categorize cash transactions fairly quickly and write in where I spent the money.

Effective?

No one is responsible for your money issues but yourself. LearnVest showed me how much interest my savings account was generating each month. It also showed me my net worth. All my recent transactions were displayed and categorized so I could see how much I typically spend on food, school, and personal items. It also subtracted spending from the income I said I received monthly, and so it shows me my progress.

Where to buy

iTunes 

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Where the money goes is a brutal mystery—unless we plan and track our spending. In a recent CampusWell survey, 91 percent of students thought keeping a budget would help them better manage their personal finances. These six concepts are the key to making sure you’ve got the dough for pizza night, spring break, or grad school. To put them into practice, use a digital tool like Mint.com or your bank or credit union app.

EXPERTS

• BRYAN ASHTON, BSBA, assistant director, Student Life Student Wellness Center, The Ohio State University, Columbus
• LARRY PIKE, CFA, financial planner and principal of Client Priority Financial Advisors LLC, Needham, Massachusetts

1. Know the importance of a spending plan

“The biggest challenge to budgeting is the idea that because students have limited resources, they don’t need to take steps to take control of their finances. They do.” —BA

2. Know your current spending

“The most important step is to understand where your money really is going. If you can’t get a handle on your spending, it will be difficult to take control and make changes.” —LP

3. Know which choices you want to prioritize

“Some choices or goals aren’t strictly financial but have significant financial implications. How much should you allocate each month to meet these goals?” —BA

Examples of spending choices or goals

Maybe your short-term goal is to have enough money for late-night pizza tomorrow. What could you do throughout the month that will help ensure that you get your pizza splurge and make it to February without going into debt?

4. Know your wants vs. your needs

“The key is to be realistic about what you need versus what you want. The greatest value in making a budget is seeing where your actual dollars have gone. Then we realize how much of our spending is discretionary.” —LP

5. Know the cost of convenience

“Eating out is more expensive than making your own meals, and buying coffee is more expensive than brewing your own. This is where any student has the ability to really affect their budget.” —BA

6. Know how to use your bank accounts to your advantage

Use your checking account for your current costs. Keep larger sums in your savings account for future expenses. This way, you won’t spend your tuition money on pizza.