How to Save Money as a College Student

Obtaining a college degree can be very expensive. Everything from tuition, books, food, shelter and basic living expenses can be expensive for a college student. However there are some ways every college student can cut back costs.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

1. Look into scholoarships and grants. Yes this will take time, research and paperwork but if you qualify it will save you some money and be worth all that time and paperwork. Your college of choice should have tons of scholoarship and grant information for you at the finacial aid office.

2. Work study programs. This is where you work for your tuition. Some colleges do this or at least give discounts on tuition if you work and attend class at the same college. There are also federal programs for work study as well. Some hospitals will even help pay for your nursing degree if you sign a contract promising to work for X amount of years afterwards. Do some research online or check with your finacial aid office.

3. Don't throw away last semesters notebooks. Unless you have used every page in the notebook, bookmark the new semester notes and continue to use it. You will not only save on not buying a new one but will be saving a tree too! Don't go out and buy all new pens and backpacks either, the ones you used last semester will do. This goes for clothes too, unless you need them don’t buy them. Also try to do all of your printing at the college campus instead of using your ink and paper.

4. Don’t buy college books. Check with your on campus college library or even the local city library to see if they have your needed text book. Campus libraries usual carry required text books but you have to use it in the library or only for a certain amount of time. If you can handle doing your studying and research in the college library then you just saved $50 plus.

5. Have to buy college books. Don’t buy new. Try online sites for discounted used college books first. Simply Google discounted college books or the title of the book you are looking for. If you don’t find it or need it by today then buy a used book from your college campus or college book store.

6. Sell your college books back. Unless it’s a book you need in the future sell it. Sometimes you can even buy your used college book online and sell it to a local college book store for more than you paid for it. If not try selling it online yourself for the same amount you paid for it. (NOTE: This only works if the book is in the same condition you bought it in.) Worse case scenario you make only a few dollars off of it, but those are a few dollars in your pocket.

7. Transportation. If you drive to your college campus look into alternative forms of transportation. Taking a bus, subway, tram, or carpooling with fellow students even once or twice a week instead of driving can help reduce cost. If you live close enough try walking or riding a bike.

8. Food. Try not to eat out or order out so much. Do some more cooking at home or in the college dorm with easy, quick to make meals. If you do have to eat fast food stick to the dollar\value menu’s or give yourself a weekly budget on food and stick to it.

9. Housing. If possible, without being a mooch try to stay at home or with relatives while attending college. Another option is to look into local apartment rentals and roommates. Be sure and do the math when deciding to live off campus though, if the cost of living in the college dorm will be cheaper than an apartment with trusted roommates then stick to that.

10. Partying is fun and part of college. However by making sure you always put your school and grades first you will save on stress from lack of sleep and lots of last minute project\homework completions as well as on money from not buying alcohol or paying club cover charges. By putting your school and grades first you can also put more of a guarantee on not having to retake a college course and paying for it twice.