It’s no secret: college is a money pit!  While it’s easy to throw the burden of tuition onto your parents, scholarships and next 10 years of life, you never realize how much money it takes to get by each week until you start to become responsible for it.  Face it–you’re never going to have enough money in college (or out in the real world for that matter… unless your last name is Kardashian), so it’s best not to let the stress of it all get to you.  There are ways to live civilly with your bank account and still enjoy life.

I’ll give you a hint at what the number one trick is: it starts with “p” and ends in “rioritize.”  Give up?  Nah, you’ve got this.  You’re a smart college girl after all, right?  Here are 25 other ways not to match your tuition in debt…

1. Set a Budget! Mint.com can help you keep track of your expenses, as well as a simple excel sheet.  A lot of banks make it possible to view your statements online and update them after each purchase.  I signed up for mobile banking at my bank, which is SUPER awesome.  I am able to text the word “balance” to a special phone number any time I want and my balance is sent to my phone!

2. Rent your textbooks.

3. Sell your old textbooks. And, not to your school’s book store. Everyone knows you get ripped off. Instead, try selling them online!

4. Sell ANYTHING on Amazon.  Except your kidneys. Those are important.

5. Go to on-campus activities. Hello, free food?!

6. Avoid the evil that is online shopping.

7. Learn how to cook.  In need of recipes?  Use this funny site for reference!

8. Resist the venti mocha latte!  C’mon now, generic coffee isn’t that bad.  All that matters is the caffeine needed to make it through class, right?

9. If you can, skip using the dryer in your apartment and use the good ol’ clothesline.

10. Bring your lunch to class or the library.

11. Browse the thrift store for clothes.  Vintage finds, anyone?

12. Extreme couponing – it’s not just for TLC.

13. Buy a reusable water bottle.

14. Walk.

15. Bike.

16. Parcore.

17. Use cash instead of your card.  Seeing and handling your money in person makes you less prone to swiping.

18. Donate blood plasma.

19. Find an on-campus job.

20. Babysit for a local family.

21. Be a tutor or teacher’s assistant.

22. Apply for scholarships!

23. Ramen noodles. You’ll definitely want to try this recipe.

24. Date for food!

25. Use Pandora, 8tracks, or GrooveShark to listen to music instead of buying on iTunes all the time.

Do you know of any easy money-saving tricks to add to the list? 

Alexa is a twenty-something student at James Madison University. She is majoring in Media Arts & Design and minoring in both Creative Writing and Anthropology. She aspires a career at a magazine.
Alexa Johnson has 10 post(s) on Love Twenty