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You’re finally at school, making your dorm cozy, and memorizing your new schedule. (Yep, vibes are high). But after an expensive summer and an even more expensive list of plans coming up — like going shopping for all your new fall fits and grabbing dinner with your roomie — you’re probably thinking about how not high the number in your bank account will look at the end of the semester. Woof. College is expensive.
Believe it or not, there are *so* many ways to get the most out of your college experience without breaking the bank. By doing things like finding your textbooks in the library instead of buying them and signing up for an Uber One for Students membership, you may even save money.
We’ve rounded up the best money-conscious tips so you can live your best life on campus without worrying about what’s in your wallet.Â
Organize a Clothing Swap with Your BSFs
Searching for a first day of school fit? Hunting for the perfect looks to wear for Greek rush week? It’s tempting to buy new clothes for every occasion this semester, but you don’t need to. Instead of buying something new, organize a clothing swap with your besties! You’ll get a whole new wardrobe without spending a dollar.Â
Join Uber One For Students
No matter how well you stick to your budget, you still deserve a little treat — from ordering pizza with your friends to opting for an Uber ride home after a long day. And as an Uber One Student Member*, you can treat yourself often, while still sticking to your budget!
From the $0 Delivery Fee on food and groceries to getting up to 10% off of eligible deliveries and pickup orders, an Uber One for students membership gives you access to an endless amount of benefits. One of our fave benefits, though? Having the chance to get free food every single day from your fave restaurants —including Starbucks, Taco Bell, Panera, Domino’s, Popeye’s, Wendy’s and Insomnia Cookies. *Drools.*
An Uber One for Students Membership only costs $4.99 a month (or $48 a year!), which is basically nothing considering it’ll help you save on thousands of your favorite restaurants and stores on Uber Eats. The first four weeks are totally free**, and it’ll help you save on Uber rides because ICYMI, you also get member pricing on eligible Uber rides *and* earn 6% Uber Cash on them! Then you can use that Uber Cash to save on future rides or your next Uber Eats order.
Getting excited to save money on Uber and Uber Eats and want to join Uber One? Head online to learn how to sign up for an Uber One for Students membership right now***! Â
Find Free Activities On and Off Campus
You probably don’t want to spend half your paycheck at brunch, so plan to do something for free, instead! Whether your school is hosting a fun game night at the student center, or your college town is playing a movie in the park, there are plenty of free activities available. If you can’t find free activities, use your college ID to get a student discount. Places like museums, movie theaters, and amusement parks often offer discounted tickets to students!
Set a Social Budget
There will be times when you can’t help but spend money while socializing — and that’s okay! But just because you’re going out doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot, and if you set a social budget for yourself, you won’t! Having a social budget means planning ahead for how much you want to spend, suggesting more affordable activity options (like going to a restaurant with lower prices) and when possible, ridesharing, packing your own snacks and water bottles, and going halfsies with friends on other costs.
Thanks to great money-conscious hacks like getting an Uber One for Students membership, saving money doesn’t feel so impossible. Here’s to a great and budget-friendly semester!