May 2010 19
How To: Save Money in College
by College News and Life
Being a college student full time may leave you with less of an availability to work. Having less time for a job clearly limits your income potential for the time being so stretching a dollar is something you need to take into strong consideration. There are several ways you can manage your finances to be able to save money while in college.
The first thing you may consider is to take advantage of your campus. By using the campus computer lab to print reports and do research you do not have to waste any of your money on printer paper or ink. With the cost of a basic black ink cartridge being around twenty dollars, this can add up quickly if you do a lot of printing. Your tuition includes a facilities fee, take advantage.
The second thing you can do is take advantage of the school’s meal plan. You can get financial aid to cover your dining costs. Although some campuses do not offer fine dining quality food, the food is not too bad and the portions are a reasonable size. Taking advantage of the meal plan will keep you from over spending on delivery, dining out and potentially over eating.
Another great way to save money is by living with your family as long as the college is close to your home. By living with your family, you can avoid the meal plans and rooming costs because you will not need to eat or live on campus. Plus, a few more years of mom’s cooking isn’t the worst thing in the world.
If you plan on going on any road trips during the school year, consider car pooling. By hitching a ride with your fellow students, you can save endless amounts of money while still getting to where you want to go.
The smartest thing you can do with your refund from financial aid is put it into a savings account or apply it to your student loans to pay them down. You get a great tax credit for paying on loans during the school year and it is less you have to pay when you graduate.
Oh, and buy and sell your textbooks at ValoreBooks.com. You can save up to 90%, people!
How else do you save money in college?
