College is stressful. It’s also expensive. Don’t let the expense of college add to your worries. There are many easy ways to save money in college. Here are some helpful tips to save on everything from housing to tuition while earning a degree.
Saving Money on Housing
Living at home is one of the easiest and best ways to save money in college. Housing is a college student’s most sizable expense after the cost of tuition.
If living at home isn’t an option, inquire about the possibility of becoming a resident assistant. Sometimes colleges allow upper-class students to live in the dorm for free or at a discounted rate in exchange for acting as a dorm monitor.
Compare the cost of living on campus with living off-campus. Students pay an average price of $11,427 per year at universities nationwide for room and board. It may be cheaper to live off-campus, so be sure to explore the possibility of living with a roommate. Splitting rent and utilities saves money.
Saving Money on Food
One of the money-saving tricks students often overlook is making full use of their on-campus meal plan. Eating in the student cafeteria reduces unnecessary food expenditures.
Students can stock their dorm room with food purchased in bulk by enlisting friends to share the snacks and costs. Packing snacks and drinks for class instead of buying on the go. Snacks and beverages from vending machines can add up.
Cooking at home is a simple way to reduce costs. Eating out can be expensive and adds up quickly. Don’t stop at meals; however, brewing coffee at home, including espresso drinks, can result in nice hefty savings. After all, those Starbucks drinks are pricey! If the temptation is just too much, be sure to take advantage of any free refills offered. In addition, ask for any student discount available to be applied.
Be grocery savvy. Buy groceries that are on sale or which have a discounted price. Many of these items consist of food items the store has a surplus, where packaging is slightly blemished, or nearing their sale by dates. When roommates are involved, split the cost of groceries equally.
Lowering the Cost of Tuition
Ditch the old way of applying for scholarships and use a scholarship app instead. The Scholar’s App is a platform that connects students to verified scholarships and helps track the entire financial aid process. It’s easy to create a profile, search for scholarships, and submit applications online.
Think about attending an in-state university or community college. Attending community college for the first two years costs significantly less than state schools or private universities.
Buying used textbooks or renting them is super easy and can save a lot of cash, especially since there are so many available options. Students can purchase used books at their campus bookstore, local surrounding bookstores, or even on Amazon. That’s right; Amazon now has a used textbook service. You can now rent and buy books right online.
Don’t fail classes! Having to pay tuition twice is a waste of time and money. Focus on completing courses successfully the first time.
While it’s impossible to eliminate all the stress that comes with college, it is possible to reduce some stress factors, such as money management. Applying these cost-saving college tips will allow greater buying power and financial freedom. Take the first step towards managing your college expenses by creating an account on Scholar’s App today so that you can search for scholarships and easily submit applications online.
