3 Super Simple Ways Students Can Save Money
University is an exciting time in a person’s life when they’re expected to expand their mind, meet interesting new people, and learn how to live on a shoestring budget. Being broke is one of the many challenges students face as they start this thrilling new chapter of their life. Many of them juggle their studies with part-time jobs to get by, yet — despite Ontario’s most recent minimum wage hike — the paycheque they take home isn’t enough. That deficit only gets worse when winter semester rolls around, as scholarships, OSAP, and their allowance from mom and dad start to dry up.
If this sounds familiar, then you’re all too acquainted with the broke student lifestyle. Don’t let it get you down this semester. Take a look at these super simple ways to save money on campus.
- Don’t Buy New Textbooks
If you disregard the cost of living and your tuition, books are some of the priciest things in your budget. Each professor has their own set of books and course pack, and they always demand you get the latest, most recent editions. Once you add up the cost for each class, you could be spending nearly $1,000 on books alone.
Rather than waste money you could otherwise spend on ramen, save some of it by buying used textbooks. Though older editions will vary from the latest publication, they usually aren’t significantly different. You might notice small variations in page number and figures, but nothing that would affect your grade.
You can find used copies at the local university bookstore. You might also have luck finding textbooks on sites like CampusBookRentals and eCampus. There you can torrent your book just like you would RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars 3. As for your English class, you might be able to find your assigned reading on a site like Project Gutenberg. Founded in 1971, it’s the oldest digital archive of books, most of which are titles of public domain books.
2.Take advantage of student discounts
Many students live off campus to save money on rent, relying on a car to get around. If you live in Mississauga but attend the University of Toronto, it’s a great way of zipping to and from class without ever having to jump on the TTC. Unfortunately, after parking, gas, insurance, and its maintenance, this luxury becomes one of your biggest expenses.
Don’t let the cost of its upkeep start to eat into other important areas of your budget. The next time you take your car in, speak with your mechanic about possible student discounts. If they’re anything like the mechanics that make up the VeerpreetService Centre in Mississauga, they’ll be sympathetic to your student lifestyle. They offer up to 10 percent off your invoice. Make sure you stop by VeerPreet today and bookmark their page, so you can check in to see what new offers your student ID can get you.
- Eat an affordable and healthy diet
The world sees young adults as frivolous spenders who are willing to spend their cash on a brunch that consists of avocado toast, millionaire’s bacon, and $5 lattes. You know most of your cohorts carry the weight of this reputation needlessly, since you and most of your friends are scrambling to buy groceries let alone extravagant meals out.
Food can be expensive even when you aren’t wasting it on brunch. Once you factor in tuition assignments, books, and your car, you don’t always have the cash to eat a balanced diet — let alone one that consists of avocado and bacon, two notoriously pricey items.
You can cut down on your grocery bill without having to resort to cheap and nutritionally scant ramen noodles every night. If you’re willing to hone your skills in the kitchen and make the most of your stuff from scratch, you can save tons of money. Leanne Brown, author of Good and Cheap, demonstrates how you can eat well without spending a lot. She first made this book for people on the American food stamps program, SNAP, but it’s a great resource for anyone on a tight budget. It’s available for free online, so you don’t even have to invest anything other than your time.
Time: that’s one thing you always manage to have a lot of as a student. Whether you find yourself in between classes or looking for ways to procrastinate studying for your final, spend your time trying out these budget hacks. They’re quick, simple, and convenient for students who want to save some money.
