In the past week, I have received at least four letters from Discover or Sallie Mae about why I should take out my loans with them. Every time I see one of these in the mail, I want to crawl into my bed and never think about student loans again, but unfortunately, for many college students like myself student loans are a necessary evil. Everyone wants to save money to make life after college better, but it’s easier said than done. So I am here to share a few of the tricks that I have learned a few tricks to save some money that won’t force you to change your whole life style.

1. Give homemade gifts.

Sometimes it seems like there is a birthday or holiday every week, and giving everyone a gift can break the bank. My advice is to make your own. A handwritten card or letter can be so much more meaningful than something from the store. If you are artistic, then draw or paint a picture that your friend can hang on their wall. There are so many ideas online that barely cost a thing and mean so much to whoever receives them.

2. Buy snacks from the store, not the vending machine.

Lets face it, we all crave chips at 1 a.m. (if you don’t, then you’re lying to yourself) and it’s all too easy to walk down the hall to the vending machine. The problem with this is that each bag of chips is $1 and that can add up really quickly. To counter this, I pick up some larger bags of snacks (goldfish are my favorite) at the grocery store and then hide all but one away, so that I don’t eat them all at once. That way, I have a snack when I need one, but I also don’t waste money at the vending machine.

3. Take Amazon off of your bookmarked pages.

I spent way too much money on random stuff I didn’t need on Amazon. I would scroll through and search for anything that came to mind. This lead to pillow cases, lampshades and decorations I did not need. The best part was a few days after buying something I got a package in the mail! It was a hard cycle to break, but let me tell you it’s worth it. I have probably saved hundreds of dollars doing this.

4. Ask around before buying something.

One of the perks of living in a dorm is that there are a bunch of people around to share with. If you need a shirt for a costume or even a book for a class, ask your neighbors before you go out and buy it. Chances are, someone has the thing you need and you can borrow it or buy it from them way cheaper than anywhere else.

5. Take advantage of free things on campus.

There are so many events on college campuses where students can get free things. If an event is giving out free T-shirts, then stop by and grab one. Clubs might have pizza nights open to anyone who wants to check out their club. If you like the club, then it’s practically a two for one! Campus events like plays and performers are almost always free for students and can be a great place to hang out with friends. There are so many opportunities as college students to get free things others might pay for.

These tips have probably helped me save hundreds of dollars, but they haven’t forced me to change how I live my life. Hopefully, they can help you do the same. Do you have any money saving tips that college students should know? Please share (I’m always looking for tips myself)!