September is just around the corner and thousands of students around the country are getting ready to pack their bags and head off in the search for higher education. But there’s something else university students get along with all of that knowledge. And we’re not talking about the Freshman 15. It’s bills. With university comes more than just tuition fees. There are living expenses, textbook expenses, and of course all those beers and coffee that you have to grab with buddies in between and after classes. So how is a university student supposed to pay for it all? By following these few tips, students cannot just pay for it all, but maybe save some along the way too.
Textbooks
No one goes to the campus book store anymore to get their books. It’s really just a great way to give away a lot of money at once. Instead, visit Amazon or eBay online and see if you can find what you’re looking for there. If you can’t, do make a trip to the school bookstore, but ask if they have a used book section. The chances are that they do. And you should take advantage of them.
Meals
Yes, you can cook yourself and truthfully, sometimes you should, even if you don’t think you’re good at it. This is just one of those life skills that you’ll learn along with all that book knowledge. For those that can’t cook though, or for all those times that you just don’t feel like it, take advantage of your school’s meal tickets. There’s often a meal plan included for students that live on-campus, and it can save you hundreds or thousands of dollars a year. If you’re not living on campus, ask at local restaurants what kind of student deals they have. Universities are big business for local merchants and they usually offer great deals to entice students inside their business. Just make sure that you stick to the deals. Those businesses are counting on you to overspend.
Transportation
This one’s super simple: don’t drive a car while you’re in university. The chances are good that your school is not out in the middle of nowhere and so, there’s no reason for you to have a set of wheels while in school. And an expensive set of wheels at that, no matter what you’re driving. If you’re in school, you probably can’t afford it. Take advantage of the great public transportation systems that just about every city has in place today; and while you’re at it, look for some cheap bus passes too.
Communication
No one is going to ask you to give up your cell phone. But we are going to ask you to look at your phone’s plan very, very carefully. If you mostly text, find a plan that will make it cheaper for you to do so. If you use your phone mostly to check your emails and browse online, find one that’s got a good data plan. As for calling home? Use Skype or video chat through MSN. You’re going to need Internet for all that studying anyway. You might as well use it to kill two birds with one stone.
Entertainment
You’re going to go out for drinks with friends. And you’re probably even going to need a few nights out on the town after hard cram sessions. You need them, and you should have them. That’s half of what university life is about! But just like your meals, find places that cater to students and offer them discounts. Bars and pubs are just as aware as restaurants about how profitable groups of students can be. Find the right ones, and make these your hot spots when it’s time to celebrate acing that exam!
University is expensive and unfortunately, there’s just no way around it. But there are ways to make sure that when you graduate, the only debt you have is tied to your diploma – not your credit cards on all that overspending you did.
