Whether you’ve gotten quite skilled at sniffing out the free food on campus or learned how to feed yourself on ramen alone, college is a difficult place when everything it cost money and you, coincidentally, don’t have any. From Ubers to laundry detergent, college comes with a lot of expenses. Fear not, though, because with this guide, you’ll go from rags to slightly fewer rags in no time.
Tip #1: Prioritize your spending!
Make a list of everything you NEED to buy and then everything you WANT to buy. You may think money for drinks should be at the top of that list, but you’ll be surprised how reluctant you’ll be to go out when you couldn’t afford to get shampoo, deodorant, or some other hygiene essential.
Tip #2: Your meal plan IS real money.
It’s easy to fall into the trap of overspending the money for your meal plan because it doesn’t feel real. You only use it on campus, there seems to be a decent amount, and you want dessert after every meal. Even I have to admit I’ve bought an eight-dollar crepe after spending nine dollars on stir-fry for lunch. Yeah, it was an amazing crepe, but seventeen dollars for one day’s lunch is out of control. The best way to budget this money is to divide the money in your meal plan by the days in the semester. That way you know exactly what you can spend each day, and if you go a little under one day you can splurge a little the next.
Tip #3: Target may seem like heaven, but really it’s hell for your bank account.
Nothing feels better than strolling up and down the aisles of your local supermarket with the freedom to buy whatever you want. Your mom never let you buy chips? Doritos here we come. Your parents never kept ice cream in the house? Welcome to the party, Ben and Jerry. Your dad didn’t think PopTarts were a sufficient breakfast? Three words: Brown. Sugar. Cinnamon. It’s easy to forget that saying goodbye to our parents’ rules also means saying goodbye to their wallets. That doesn’t mean we can’t have a fun snack every now and then, but next time you’re stocking up don’t go overboard. It’s okay to get the Oreos and the Cheez-its, but maybe leave the Chips Ahoy behind. Another helpful idea is not demolishing your snacks as soon as you get them. The faster you eat them, the faster you’ll have to re-up so try to make them last.
Tip #4: Unlike Peek-a-boo, your money will actually disappear if you don’t keep track of it.
We’ve all felt the gut wrenching feeling when the balance in your account is way below what you thought it would be. Not checking your bank account won’t stop the money from leaving. It’s better to keep track of what you’ve been spending because then you’ll realize before it’s too late that you don’t need another pair of black leggings.
Tip #5: Compromise.
If you spent twenty dollars getting into the club Thursday night, thirteen getting late-night burritos Friday night, and nineteen dollars getting dinner with your roomies Saturday night, then it might be a good choice to make the next weekend one that consists of staying in. Play UNO, watch a movie, play midnight capture the flag with your friends, or any other fun activity you can think of that won’t break your bank account. So when someone mentions another pricey weekend, gently let them know you won't be there.
