Michael Rotellini
Mrotell1@uwyo.edu
If you are reading this then you’re probably a lot like me- trying to live on a poor college student budget. Well, going on my third year at the university, I like to think I’ve picked up quite a few tricks that will help you survive on a dime and even save yourself some money in the long run. Here are just a few simple solutions you can try to help you save money, especially if you are a college student.
First off, a tip that I wish I had listened to more as a freshman is to check out what is happening on campus. Depending on the week (start of school, common sense week, homecoming, finals week, etc.), you can always find someone providing free food. I mean, what’s better than free food, right? Even going through the Student Union or to other events on campus, it seems that there is always people giving out free food to get your attention and I’ll be honest; it works.
Another good way to save money is by making things at home instead of going out and buying it. Fifteen dollars at a grocery store goes a lot farther than at Dominos or other fast food places. By cooking for yourself or others instead of going out, you can save a lot of money, even in a month’s span. Not only can you do that for food, but you can also make your own coffee instead of buying it at a coffee shop or stay in and drink instead of going out to the bars. You’ll be amazed how much is left in your bank account when you start staying instead of going out.
Along those lines, pay attention to what events are happening on campus. The university has something going on practically every night and more times than not, it’s free or a lot cheaper than going out to the movies. Check out WyoCal that has every event going on at the university and has a lot more variety than the typical movie or bowling outing.
Finally, the last thing I can recommend when living a college student’s budget is to always know how much money you have and never spend anything more than you have in your possession. In today’s world once you hit zero in the bank account, it’s not the end-all for spending yourself into debt. Debt is a very real possibility for those who don’t know how much they spend and it’s a worse situation than being broke.
Keep these things in mind when making your next purchase or when deciding what to do on the weekend. You’ll be surprised about how many things you can do to save money and live the college lifestyle.
