Going to college is expensive. With tuition, living expenses, school supplies, and food costs—the bill adds up pretty quickly. Here are five easy ways to stretch a dollar and save some money while in college.
Books
The price of buying new books for class is enough to make any student’s stomach churn. Solution? Buy used books or order books online. Used books often cost hundreds of dollars less than brand new books and books that can be found online are cheaper, because they do not have the standard markup in prices. If you can find all of your books in other places, have your college book slip cancelled. This will save a little bit of money towards your tuition.
Food
The dollars spent on college meal plans can rapidly wipe out your bank account. Instead of buying a new meal plan every semester, buy food from your local grocery store. You can often buy a whole week’s worth of food, for the same cost of one or two meals at your school, plus you can buy any food you want.
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Entertainment
You do not have to spend a bundle to get quality entertainment in college. Check out the entertainment your college offers. Many colleges have plays, concerts, special student activities, and various sporting events for little or no cost with your student ID. Go online or call around town and check out what local places, such as bowling alleys and skating rinks, offer. Many places will give you discounts with your college ID.
Instead paying upwards of ten dollars to go to a theater and see a movie, join an organization like Netflix, which will send you all the movies you want for $7.99 a month.
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Use Resources Provided to You
Instead of spending money on printers, ink cartridges, and printer paper, use resources like your campus to print out needed documents for class. At many colleges it is free to print off class-related materials and with black ink cartridges priced between 40 to 60 dollars or more, that ink is like black gold. Check out your college’s free meal events. College’s like Methodist University offer cookouts for sporting and other special events that are free to students, with their ID.
Walk, Don’t Drive
The average price of gas in North Carolina today is $3.58. If possible, walk to class. Don’t drive just because you don’t feel like walking. Exercise, like walking, is a great stimulant for the brain. Exercise leads to more energy, better focus, and more thorough thinking skills. When you can walk to your destination, or take mass transportation like a bus, you save on gas money. The cost for an adult to ride on a bus in Fayetteville is one dollar per trip. Not only will it cut back on your gas prices, but it will also help reduce pollution.
These tips will help you stretch your dollar during your time in college and allow you to focus on the most important part of your college career—your education.