Tips to Live Cheaply in College

Published on Friday, March 2nd, 2012 by admin Category: College Tips

When you are living on your own for the first time, it can be way too easy to blow through your scholarship money or your semester budget. Suddenly, you are totally in charge of your own money, and you can have nearly anything you want. Before you realize that you don’t have any rent money left, however, consider these tips to help you get through college with some money in your wallet.

Get a Roommate

It’s expensive to live on your own, and you get more space if you are willing to have someone live in it with you. There’s plenty to be said about whether you should room with friends or not, but the key is to get someone with similar habits. If you are a studious person who hates parties, find someone who feels the same way.

Get Renter’s Insurance

When you rent, your things are vulnerable to theft and accidents. Head to RentersInsurance.com to learn more about the risks and to see how much good insurance can help you recoup your losses should the worst happen. This is a good way to make sure that your laptop, your smartphone and your gaming systems are covered in case of emergencies.

Learn to Cook

Pizza places and burger joints all know that students are hungry. It can be hard to cook when you are in the middle of studying, breaking up with a significant other and juggling a job, but it is worth it. Even a seven dollar meal is something that is going to get increasingly expensive if you do it over and over again. Make yourself a big pot of something and then eat it all week. This is also a good way to avoid gaining weight as you study; the food that you cook for yourself is largely better for you than the food you eat on campus. You might find a lasagna recipe easy to make in large quantity.

Get a Job

Check around for jobs on campus. These jobs are typically easier to get for students and on top of it, they are easy to work into your schedule. Choose the right job and you’ll even be able to study while you do it. Some great jobs for college students include library shelving, security desk and tech support.

Take a moment to think about all the ways that you can save money while you are in college. At the very least, the money can drain more slowly out of your wallet.

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