Because tuition costs seem to be ever increasing at most colleges, students are looking for other ways to save money during the school year. It is usually the small, every day purchases that add up for the most savings. Students can save money by:
1) Carpooling
If a commuter student drives 60 miles round trip to college five times a week, they may use 10 gallons of gas (driving a 30 miles per gallon car). If gas is going for $2.99 a gallon, they will spend about $30.00 a week in gasoline. In a 15 week semester, they will pay $450 for gasoline. If they can find a classmate with a similar schedule, they could cut their gasoline cost in half (save $225). Aside from saving money, they would even have someone to chat with on the long commute.
2) Packing a lunch
Many students, especially commuters, choose to purchase lunch on campus every day. With cafeteria meals or fast food costing about $6 a day, this can add up to $30 a week and $450 a semester. Choose to pack lunches from home. You can make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for less than $1.00. If you must eat out, limit it to once a month. Not only will it save you money, it will help you prevent gaining weight from eating greasy, fast food.
3) Brewing a pot of coffee
You may not think it is a big deal to pay $1 every day for a coffee at Sheetz. However, that is $5 a week and $75 a semester. Instead, brew your own coffee before class. You can purchase a mug that will keep your beverage warm for hours longer than a styrofoam cup.
4) Avoid the vending machines
Steer clear of the vending machines. A 20 ounce bottle of soda usually costs $1.50. If you purchase a soda every afternoon, that will add up to $112 every semester. You can purchase a cube of Pepsi for about $5 or a case of water for $3.50. Better yet, fill up a water bottle with tap water for free. You will be saving money and the environment.
5) Purchasing used books
Search websites such as Half.com and E-bay to look for used versions of textbooks (click to try our cool price comparison tool which does most of the work for you). Most textbooks cost anywhere from $80-$200 each. If you are taking five classes and need to purchase five $80 textbooks, you will pay $400 to the bookstore. However, you can probably purchase a used version online for half the cost, saving as much as $200.
Making a few small sacrifices will save you a lot of money during college. You do not need to eat out or hit up the vending machines every single day. Save that for special occasions. Implementing a few changes could save you enough money to purchase a new computer, go on a mini vacation, or just save up for when student loan repayment starts.
No related posts.
