3 Ways to Stretch Your Dollar at College

Whether you’re attending college today, or maybe you’ve already been in college for a few years, you’re going to find out that it’s not cheap! Now that you’re out of your parent’s house, you’re probably valuing the dollar a lot more than you did before. What you’re going to find out is that the food, clothing, gas, and every other bill is just going to add up. Since it’s going to be hard to work full time, I wanted to show you how you can really stretch your dollar with a part time job.

Be creative with your food

Instead of eating out every night, or getting that Chinese take-out that’s going to cost you $6, consider getting a microwave for your dorm room, or taking advantage of your kitchen. I’m not saying that you shouldn’t eat out at all, but try and cook a meal at least 5 times a week. What you’re going to find out that it’s going to be a lot cheaper to cook for yourself, rather than eat out all day.

For example, if you boil a pot of noodles, and add a little sauce, you can do this for as little as $2, and it’s going to feed 4 potential people. Gather up 4 people, and you can have a .50 dinner! Yes, I know it’s not going to beat the restaurant down the road, but it’s going to be good, trust me on that one, and plus, you’re going to save your pocketbook.

Watch your spending

Sure, it’s great to go out to the bar as a senior, but what you’re going to find out is that beers at a bar aren’t cheap. Instead, have a party at your apartment, or somewhere else, and buy the beer yourself. With $8, you can almost have money toward half a 24 pack. If you really want to be cheap, charge people a $1 at the door. Gather up 30 people, and you already got your money back, and then some. Bars are expensive, and sure, they can be fun, but you want to try, and limit yourself with these.

Share the driving

Most colleges are really close to towns, and there’s really no need to drive all the time. Instead, get a bike, and bike your way up down. You’re going to save a lot of money, and if you know of someone that has a car, as well as you, try and car pool every so often. This would work great if you know someone from your home town, and can drive back with them. That alone can save you a few extra bucks each time you go back.

When it comes to stretching your dollar, you’ll want to make sure that you just be creative. Even when you go out, and do something, always look for coupons. There are so many great places out there on the Internet that can help you save. If you have a frugal mind, and you want to save money, I can almost promise you that you will.