College can be a bit of a tough time, not because, you know, the studying thing, it can be a huge financial and although there are scholarships, they rarely manage to cover the day-to-day costs of actually living your life. Here are some of my top tips to help your money go further in college
The Dreaded B Word - Budget
"It's surprising how many students fail to budget," says Connor Wood, a spokesperson from THEGOODESTATE. "Budgets are key to being financially independent and there are so many apps available these days that can help you track your budget, see exactly where you're spending your money and prevent you from overspending by limiting access to certain savings."
We feel Connor on this one. If we don't have access to money, we can't spent it. How is it that we live the first half of the semester like kings, yet survive the second half on a couple hundred bucks? With a way to limit how much income you have access to, your money will go way further.
Consider a Part-Time Job
The best way to fund your college lifestyle is to get a few hours of work each week to help fund your degree. Of course, there are many pros and cons to working whilst in school which you need to consider.
Micro Saving
Micro saving can be done in many ways. Some fintech startups can set up a savings pot for you and, whenever you make a purchase, your transactions will rounded up to the nearest dollar and put in said pot. We rarely miss a few cents here and there but they quickly add up and can be used in times of desperation.
There's also the one cent per day challenge which takes place over the course of 1 year. On day one you save 1 cent, day two you save 2 cents, all the way to day 365, where you will put $3.65 in your pot - which, let's face it, is less than a fancy cup of coffee. At the end of the year you'll have $667.95 in savings which is ideal for the holidays.
Second-Hand Books
Books are one of the most outrageous things you'll splash your cash on at college. They're expensive and once you've used them for what you need, you'll likely never look at them again. Instead of splashing out on a brand new one, buy one from the kid in the year ahead of you, or better yet, USE THE LIBRARY! It's what it's there for and is also better for the environment. If you have old books lying around, sell them on.
Remember, once you leave college, you're likely still have a lot of debt. I'm not trying to scare you, but it's a fact of life so, making your income stretch further throughout those college years is a great way to ensure it doesn't spiral. I wrote this article on tips for managing your student debt if you need further help.
