1. Don’t pay for parking – these days a parking pass on a college campus can set you back anywhere from $300 – $500. Skip the pass, get in some extra steps, and put that $300 to better use. After all, you’ve got books to buy.
2. Join a club – Better yet, join ten clubs. Go to all the meetings and stop by every event on campus. Not only will you gain exposure to new things, you’ll end up saving some lunch money. If you’re observant enough, you can usually find one free meal day at some sort of campus event.
3. Learn to love leftovers – If clubs just aren’t your thing (see #2) learning to cook and loving leftovers can save you serious dollars and keep you calories away from gaining the freshman fifteen. Double the amount of food you make for dinner and take the extras with you to class for lunch the next day.
4. Get thrifty – You don’t need those $80 shoes or that $30 shirt. New clothes and furnishings add up fast. That time will come, post degree. For now, take a page from Macklemore’s book and visit your local thrift shop. You’ll be sure to find adventure, and what you need.
5. Get some Central Cents – Saving in college can be hard, so try this account that saves for you. It works like a piggy bank. All of the transactions you make with your debit card will be rounded up to the next whole dollar and deposited into your savings account.