2 Secret Ways to Be Frugal as a College Student

College is expensive. Not only the tuition, but life as a college student.

Though it can seem that the time that a student is in college is simply an expensive time when there is not much that a student can do to save money, that is not true!

Here are two easy ways that a college student can be frugal.

Delay Your Book Purchases

When it comes time to purchase books for classes, instead of purchasing books before the first class, a frugal student should wait until after they meet their instructor.

Many times students will have books on their required texts list that turn out to not be required. If a student waits to meet their instructor first, they can avoid the hassle of returning a book, or the financial loss of not being able to return the book.

Once a student knows which books they need, instead of going straight to the university store and paying the big bucks for a new books, students should look on the web and at different book retailers to see if there are used books available.

Used books are cheaper than new books and are typically in good shape.

If a website or retailer does not have used books for sale, frugal students should network to find out if any of their fellow students are interested in selling their book, or simply loaning it out for the duration of the class.

In addition to these options, many university book stores have begun renting books to students. If  a student is confident that they will only need a book for a class, this is a great option.

Save Tons By Cooking Your Own Food

Outside of tuition and housing, the biggest cost of college is food.

Many schools offer dining plans, and though these can be a great idea, it is possible for a frugal college student to avoid shelling out hundreds of dollars for these plans or dining out.

An effective way for students to save money on food is to cook for themselves.

A few hundred dollars in a grocery store takes someone a lot further than it would in a restaurant.

Students can make large amounts of casserole, spaghetti, and soups, consume what they wish over the course of a few days after making it, then freeze the rest and thaw it again later in the semester so that their food doesn’t get monotonous.

To avoid the high costs of dining out, but still have fun get together with friends, students can have potluck parties.

Each student prepares something on their own then brings it to someone’s house. This allows students to experience new foods without paying what they would to dine out.

To avoid any monetary cost of food, students can join youth groups or clubs. These groups typically have events, sometimes weekly, where food is free and available as an incentive for their presence.

So even though tuition is expensive, students do not have to face college as a time when they are doomed to be unable to save money. Using these tips, students can save on books and food costs.

What is your favorite way to be frugal as a college student?