Saving Up as a College Student

I have found myself in a repeating dilemma of overspending and under-saving my money. Some days, I will spend up to $75 on excessive, minuscule products that really serve no purpose to my everyday needs. Of course, the majority of college students have necessary expenses, whether it be groceries for the week, filling up their gas tank, paying the Wi-Fi bill or any other compiled expenses on top of school itself. Since college fees are nothing close to a bargain, it is important to save up the most you can where it matters. 

Although I am still a college kid learning how to save my money as well, I have come across some helpful tips that I deemed beneficial.

Five Simple Tips to Save Money:

1. Buy necessities in bulk. Oftentimes, bulk packages of products are cheaper than if you were to buy them as a singular product. For example, you know you are always going to need toilet paper, so buy it in bulk. This may be hard to do initially, but the costs will literally pay off over time. 
2. Minimize buying coffee or drinks every day. Buying drinks daily might seem like a small cost, but it can accumulate over time. Even buying a $5 drink daily amounts to $150 in monthly fees. This does not account for the fact a lot of drinks may have higher price ranges as well.  
3. Carpool. Not only is this more beneficial for the environment, but carpooling with your friends frequently can substantially lower all of your gas expenses. Personally, I spend anywhere from $50-$100 a week on gas, but by carpooling sometimes I cut that in half. 
4. Keep track of spending.  As silly as it sounds, just knowing how much you are spending can make you so much more conscious of your future spending choices. Keeping a log in your phone on an app or even just in a journal is an easy and efficient way to do just that!
5. Prep your spending. Making a list can help you stay focused on the things you really need. I often get distracted and will buy pointless, fun items that are not essential to my everyday life.