8 Tips for a Cheap College Lifestyle

Throughout my years in college, I have accumulated many jobs including odd jobs as well as legitimate ones. I mean, everything from passing out flyers for greasy club owners, doing simple surveys to make an extra 10 dollars, to an actual job that allows me to clock in weekly. Still, with all of my hustles to try to stay afloat in college, I have continued to perpetuate the stereotype of the broke college student. It is also one of the worst feelings to constantly have to go to my parents to ask them for money to help with the basic needs of food, gas, and toilet tissue.

Photo by dborman via Flickr.com

Surviving on a college budget is possibly one of the hardest things to do when you’re in school. So much time and effort has to be to put on school work that you can only have a part-time job that only pays about $8.65 an hour, which is a complete joke when you’re trying to do so much with so little money. From my own experience as a broke college student, I have devised eight cheap tips to help you save money while in college.

1. Taking the Bus not only saves you money on gas, but it’s also free for college students to ride. Riding the bus also helps with reducing your carbon foot print and contributing to the destruction of the ozone.
2. Getting a cheaper phone plan that will provide the basics for using a phone but won’t cost an insane amount of money to maintain the bill.
3. Walking and biking to school and work will not only help keep money in your pocket, but it will also help to keep you in shape. When it starts to rain you can always catch the bus for free, just be sure to wear your rain boots.
4. Taking your lunch to school does seem like a daunting process when you’re in college, but it will come in handy when you decide to spend that 10 dollars in your gas tank instead of at Zaxby’s.
5.  Making your own coffee in morning instead of spending four dollars daily at Starbucks for a grande vanilla latte.
6. Cooking dinner will also help to keep money in your pockets and helps to contribute to a healthy lifestyle.
7. Always check for free snacks and samples of food on campus. Jimmy Johns always passes out free samples of sandwiches so don’t be afraid to ask for turkey.
8. For the 21 and up friends, find drink specials at the local bars and ladies always drink for free before 12. Sorry fellas.

Although these tips will help to save you money, they probably won’t help contribute to your social life, for your friends will have deemed you the cheap one who doesn’t want to spend any money. By following these simple tips daily, you will have more money your pockets. So, when you do finally decide to go out, you will have way more money to spend on drinks.