How to Stretch Your Money in College or Graduate School

By eHow Education Editor

Rate: (7 Ratings)

Money's tight for most college and graduate students. Take these steps to help your money go further.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

Food, Clothing and Entertainment

Step1
Shop at discount grocers. Remember to clip coupons and shop on double-coupon days.
Step2
Cook for yourself as much as you can. If you're living in a dorm, sign up for the meal plan - it's almost certainly cheaper than eating out.
Step3
Eat vegetable protein instead of meat. Beans and tofu are excellent sources of high-quality protein and cost less than meat.
Step4
Shop at used clothing stores. Used clothes are far, far cheaper than new clothes, and you can find funky stuff that you wouldn't find elsewhere. When you do buy new clothes, buy quality: the money you spend now will ultimately save you money down the line.
Step5
Learn to sew. This can stretch out the life of your current clothes almost indefinitely.
Step6
Go to matinees instead of evening shows and patronize movie theaters that offer student discounts.
Step7
Buy used CDs and books instead of new ones.
Step8
Exercise discipline. Do you really "need" that extra pair of shoes or that dinner at a pricey restaurant?

Housing and Transportation

Step1
Share an apartment or house with others. Splitting costs will save a lot of money.
Step2
Consider living in the dorms; they're often the cheapest option.
Step3
Try to live without a car if you can.
Step4
Buy monthly passes for whatever public transit you ride.
Step5
Ride a bike. It's cheap - and an excellent way to get exercise.

Finances

Step1
Join a credit union. Credit unions frequently offer low-interest loans.
Step2
Check with your financial aid office for information on getting a low-interest student loan.
Step3
Pay cash for whatever you buy. Credit card debt, once it piles up, can take a huge chunk of your income in interest alone.

Comments

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Countrymom

Countrymom said

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on 6/6/2008 Work part time in a restaurant or fast food business, they also give you a free meal as a perk when you work at an establishment like this.

latiness

latiness said

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on 6/5/2008 Another5 great tip is buy older addition textbooks. Most of the time I find my books for less than $5 a pop. The publisher changes one tiny thing or rearranges the chapters, then charges $200 for a book. :(

I buy from amazon.com --- Visit my page to read my article "Creative ways to make money"

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on 6/3/2008 I REGULARLY buy over $100 in groceries for less than $10 by using coupons. It really works! Take a look at my articles where I share how I do it: http://www.ehow.com/members/momandpopoften-articles.html

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on 6/3/2008 If you live off-campus, cook for other students for a fee!

I REGULARLY buy over $100 in groceries for less than $10 using coupons. Take a look at my articles where I share how I do it: http://www.ehow.com/members/momandpopoften-articles.html

mollyQ

mollyQ said

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on 2/19/2007 One of my biggest expenses was always books... and my campus bookstore was notorious for gouging students with rediculously priced texts. I learned that you will always be able to find savings online, particularly with used copies of your books. There are a bunch of great online bookstores to check out, so your best bet is to use a price comparison search engine like Textbook411.com (my favorite) It instantly finds you the cheapest copy of whatever book you are looking for. Saves time and a lot of money! Its the way to go for textbook shopping. http://www.textbook411.com

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eHow Article: How to Stretch Your Money in College or Graduate School

eHow Education Editor

eHow Education Editor

Category: Education

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