Money-Saving Tips for First-Year College Students

Money-Saving Tips for First-Year College Students
  • Opening Intro -

    Beginning college is an exciting, terrifying, and stressful experience. You may want to focus solely on your studies, but that's just not the reality in most circumstances.

-------------------------------------

You’ll have to take on many responsibilities to navigate your way through those years of your life, and money is a top concern of many students. College can cost a lot, even with scholarships and grants, but you can mitigate the cost of living by employing some money-saving tips for first-year college students.

Textbooks

College textbooks can quickly drain your available savings if you decide to purchase them all at once from your school’s bookstore. Generally speaking, prices at your college’s bookstore are higher than what you’d find online. Before the semester starts, get a copy of your class syllabus and go hunting online for what you need; you can potentially save hundreds during your four years by buying online.

Most professors understand how ridiculously expensive texts books can be, which is why many put necessary class reading materials on hold at the college library.

Check in with the librarians to see if they stock your textbooks. You may not be able to take them out of the library, but you may be able to use them for studying and assignments.

Vehicle Troubles

If you’re a commuter student, you’ll need reliable transportation to class. Cars can cost you a lot of money, whether it’s due to repairs or filling your gas tank, but there are ways to decrease the cost to yourself.

Limit where you go and only drive when you need to; every mile you put on your car stresses the engine, and the more you use it, the faster it will deteriorate. Treat your vehicle as a tool to get you from point A to point B—and only when it’s absolutely necessary.

Inevitably, you’ll run into car troubles, many of which may be out of your price range. One of the most common problems you’ll face is tire-related, which means you’re likely to need replacements. Know how to purchase tires for reduced prices to cut hundreds of dollars of unnecessary expenses.

Cut Out Non-Essentials

Just like with driving, you should cut out all non-essentials in your life. Depending on your situation, you have very little disposable income, and it needs to cover all your expenses. As tempting as it is to be social all the time, you may have to excuse yourself from plans with friends and pick and choose what activities you join them in. Mind your bank account, and always consider whether you’ll need that money in the near future.

other related articles of interest:

Know What Your College Offers

One of the best tips for saving money as a college student is to take a trip around campus to see what your school has to offer. Most schools have plenty of resources to help you out, whether by providing financial aid or offering  other services that can help reduce the cost of living.

Image Credit: tips for saving money as a college student by envato.com

end of post … please share it!

College Campus reference:

GUIDE: summary financial aid charts

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

end of post idea

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Helpful article? Leave us a quick comment below.
And please share this article within your social networks.

facebook linkedin pinterest

Amazon Affiliate Disclosure: SayCampusLife.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. The commission earnings are used to defray our cost of operation.

View our FTC Disclosure for other affiliate information.

Categories: Money Tips