College is a place where most students spend a lot of money during the time they're there. There's a lot of things there that students spend money on(sometimes everyday) and the cost adds up. Here's 10 things you should avoid while in college.
10 Things to Avoid
1. Coffee- Most campuses have a Dunkin Donuts or Starbucks which have crowded lines everyday. If you buy a coffee every day, you are spending thousands of dollars a year. My tip is to make your own coffee(in your dorm or at home), or if you do want Starbucks or Dunkin, use their app to get free drinks or promotional points. If you love iced coffee like I do, cold brew some at home and keep it in your fridge. Make a batch that lasts a week and put it in your own cup with ice. You can add your own milk, sugar, creamer, and flavors. If you like specialty coffees(like the seasonal coffees from Starbucks), they sell VIA Instant packets that usually come in a pack of 4 for $7(and you can find coupons to use at grocery stores). Each packet makes one grande cup. This is better than the $6 venti for the same flavor.
2. Fast Food- Not only is it unhealthy, but it's expensive. If you buy lunch on campus everyday, you are spending a lot of money on food each year. It's better to pack your own food at home(like sandwiches and fruits). If you're dorming, stick to the dining hall(since you're already paying for that food each year).
3. Vending Machines- A lot of colleges have vending machines all over the campus and the price of snacking everyday also adds up. Instead of buying snacks from the vending machines(chips are often $1.25), buy big bags of chips and pack them in ziplock bags everyday instead or buy individual bags in bulk at a wholesale warehouse such as Costco or Sam's Club. 36 small bags of chips at Costco are around $10 or a 50 pack is around $13.
4.Water Bottles- You can buy a good reusable water bottle for $10 and under so instead of paying $2 for a water bottle, just fill up your own water bottle on campus for free.
5. Spending Full Price- Whether on clothes, shoes, or food, students are spending retail prices on these things. College students should sign up for UniDays which gives them student discounts on almost everything.
6. Buying Textbooks- Renting books, buying e-books, buying used books, or finding free PDFs of textbooks are much cheaper than buying a brand new book that you aren't going to be using the next year.
7. Buying Brand New Calculators- Buying used calculators is also cheaper than buying a brand new one. If you do want to buy a brand new calculator, always buy it during the back to school season when it's 30% off or more and use a rebate app/site such as Ebates to get cashback.
8. Parking- Driving to school can cost a lot of money. Some schools charge $700 or more a year for parking and you also have to pay for gas. Commute if you can(also lowers your carbon footprint).
9. Private Loans- If you take out too many private loans, the interest over time may add up significantly and can be hard to keep track.
10. Credit Cards- Credit cards are a great thing to use if you're financially responsible. But if you're not, you can be overusing your card and have a hard time paying your bill in full each month. That could cause you to pay a late fee of $35 or more and hurt your credit score. So be cautious of how much you use your credit card.
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