Guest Post By Mary Walton – SimpleGrad.com
College is a time when you’re going to be fighting for every last cent. Those who aren’t careful with their money will struggle, but those who pay attention to how they spend and save will do a lot better. Here’s how to save money and earn a little extra while you’re at college.
12 Tips to Make Your Education Affordable
12 Tips to Make Your Education Affordable1. Borrow or rent textbooks rather than buying them.
Textbooks are the number one pet peeve of many a student. They’re hideously expensive, and you feel like you barely use them, so why bother buying them? Look to see if the library has copies you can borrow when you need them. You may also be able to rent an electronic version of your textbook for much less.
2. Become a tutor.
Are you well versed in a subject? Then why not be a tutor for your fellow students? You can either tutor online on sites such as AustralianHelp, or you can tutor students at your college. You can make a decent amount of cash this way, and you don’t need any additional skills to do so.
3. Save money on coffee and tea.
It’s a well-known fact that many students live on caffeine. You need your fix, but you don’t want to pay Starbucks prices. If you order a plain coffee or tea, you can get it for $2 and then get free refills as long as you’re in the coffee shop. If you’re a tea junkie, bring your own tea bags. After all, hot water is usually free. There may even be a lounge or two on campus that offers free tea. Explore every corner of campus to find all the options- free or cheap.
4. Don’t go grocery shopping when you’re hungry.
If you’re feeding yourself while you’re in college, never shop for groceries when you’re hungry. You’re more likely to pick extra items off the shelves, and unhealthier ones at that. Eat before you go, and you’ll save a lot of cash doing so.
5. Use dollar stores for school supplies.
Your notebooks and pens don’t have to be fancy at all to get the job done. Go to the dollar store to fetch the essentials at the start of the year. You’ll save a huge amount of cash not buying your supplies from more expensive stores.
6. Participate in writing contests.
Your notebooks and pens don’t have to be fancy at all to get the job done. Go to the dollar store to fetch the essentials at the start of the year. You’ll save a huge amount of cash not buying your supplies from more expensive stores.
7. Take care of your living space.
Be careful with any apartment or house you rent while you live there. When you moved in you paid a deposit. If there’s any damage to the building, then that deposit won’t be paid back to you. It doesn’t take much extra work to make sure that cash ends up back with you besides regular cleaning and common sense.
8. Sign up for paid scientific studies.
It’s not as scary as it sounds. There are lots of science students on campus who need people to test out their hypotheses. If you volunteer, you could be paid a few dollars for carrying out very simple tasks. It’s not a lot of cash, but it’s often enough to cover dinner.
9. Stay in touch with the financial aid office.
Your financial aid office is a place that you should be checking out regularly, not just when you’re in need of help. The staff there can help you with all kinds of things, such as grants and tuition fees. They are also usually the first to know when useful scholarships arise, so make sure you keep in touch.
10. Take advantage of student discounts.
Whenever you buy something, make sure you ask whether the retailer gives student discounts. You’ll be amazed at who actually does give them, and you’ll save a ton of cash. However, make sure you’ve always got student identification with you to ensure you receive the discount.
11. Sell your car.
Are you living on campus? Then it’s probably not worth bringing your car with you. Everything you need will be on campus, and the car will suck up funds that you need for other things while you’re there. If you can’t bear to part with it, at least leave it with your parents during the semester. Taking the car off the road can save you money on car insurance.
12. Use second-hand items.
Before buying furniture, ask around if anyone has anything they’re getting rid of. You’ll be amazed at what people will offer you before you move away from home. Be sure to visit thrift stores and yard sales as well to score good deals on furniture, clothing and other housewares.
Use these tips, and you’ll be saving plenty of cash. You’ll never have to eat Ramen again…unless you want to of course!
Mary Walton is a professional editor at BigAssignments. She helps various businesses with building content marketing strategies and increasing revenue via email marketing. Read Mary’s blog here.
