Getting Around Campus: How to Save Money on Daily Expenses

One of the most enriching and rewarding experiences in life is completing a college degree. At the same time, college can be incredibly stressful. From living on your own for the first time, and all the workloads that come with your studies, stress is probably something students experience regularly. One factor that can lead to high stress levels is your daily expenses. If you're looking for strategies that will help you save money on a college budget, this is the article for you. Read on to learn about tips and tricks you can implement to keep more money in your wallet while you're on campus.

Buy in Bulk

One of the best ways to save money is buying necessities in bulk. You can almost always cut your spending by at least 20% by purchasing things like paper towels, lotion, and tissue paper in large quantities. There are a wide range of supermarkets that offer deep discounts when you make your purchases this way, including Sam's Club. It might be worth the extra price of bulk to keep you out of stores more often.

Stop Eating Out

Food is probably a very secondary thought for most students. Deadlines, studying, and meetings with advisors and clubs are probably all you have time for. At the same time, food can be a source of stress if you find that you're emptying your wallet to eat your meals throughout the day, or if you buy food only to see if go to waste within a week. In many cases, students get in the habit of buying their breakfast, lunch, and dinner on campus. Unfortunately, many restaurants are aware that purchasing meals on campus is convenient, and their pricing reflects their understanding that students will oftentimes pay more for the convenience. Don't get caught up in this game. Instead, learn how to prepare a few delicious, nutritious meals from the privacy of your dorm. Some cheap and incredibly scrumptious meals can be prepared from items such as bananas, rice, oatmeal, peanut butter and jelly, and potatoes.

Use Cost-Effective Transportation

Oftentimes, students get caught up in the habit of taking public transportation to get from one location to another. If this is the case for you, remember that this is not always the most cost-effective strategy on the block. For example, riding a taxi around can wind up costing you more than other options a like using a motorcycle or taking the bus. With this reality in mind, make sure you're looking into things like the fare for riding the bus or taxi, versus purchasing or renting your own vehicle.

If you want your college experience to be a cost-effective one, now is the time to access and implement strategies that will help you save on your daily expenses. Utilize some or all of the strategies outlined above to keep some petty cash in your wallet.