Best ways to save money during college...

[bdelma]

Live with some babe and eat all her food.

[PromoTheRobot]

If your dorm has internet included free, use Skype for your phone calls.

 

If you need a cell loom into a pre-paid plan with T-mobile or ATT. They seem to have the cheapest deal. Watch out for the "pay a fee only on the days you use your phone" scam. Biggest rip-off ever devised. Look for pre-paid minutes that won't expire in a month.

 

As for food, I don't know what your appetite is like but you can eat really well on the dollar menu at most fast-food joints. I think the $1 Whopper Jr (no cheese, no mayo) is very tasty and not that unhealthy. Have family send you care packages or find a friend with a place off-campus with a kitchen. Once a week cook up a bunch of meals (pasta, beans & rice, etc.) and put them in containers to eat during the week.

 

If you need a really flexible job, consider doing inventory for a company like RGIS Orlando (407-351-1492.) They prefer hiring college kids and let you work when you can. Just be good at counting stuff fast. You can make almost $100 in one day.

 

PTR

[cantstopbeastmode]

I'm headed to college (UCF) in the fall and I need as much help as I could possibly get for saving money. What are some of the things you guys did to save cash when in college? Any tips would be great! Also, I am leaning towards not purchasing a meal plan. The thing seems like a rip off, $1500 a semester which only covers 10 meals a week. The only way I'd spend that much is if Jessica Biel was sitting at the table with me for dinner!

I just went through my freshman year. Went out of state to a school I had no high school friends to attend with. I obviously don't know you're financial situation, but don't worry about cutting costs too much. Yes, buy used books, but don't go overboard, especially as a freshman. You're gonna want to go to football games to get drunk with your buddies. You're gonna want to casually go to the dining hall after class with a few friends. You may need to invite a girl to dinner to be impressive.

 

Strictly cost saving techniques, though: don't use a credit card, buy used books, don't get tricked into spending too much on girls, don't lend too much to friends(so many jews in college), don't let your late night hunger turn into a 20 dollar delivery order.

 

But seriously, assuming you aren't in too bad of shape, don't worry about money too much. Live the life man. You're only gonna be 18 and in college in florida so much in your life. Saving an extra grand but having it cost you frat parties, good liquor, dates, etc simply isn't worth it.

 

Getting a half-assed school job is definitely a good idea, though. With something like that, it almost forces you to do work. Chilling in your dorm will lead to friends coming over, napping, tv, etc. Having a job in a computer lab or library, you will pretty much have to study. You're not gonna wanna study sunday night after the bills loss, so study on a wednesday afternoon while getting paid to chill in the library.

 

And oh yeah, don't follow the cell phone advice listed above. With all due respect to the opinions above, you simply will be a fish out of water not having texting or a pay as you go phone or whatever. Spend the money on a phone and be able to text ppl for dinner plans, flirting, etc. Not being able to do so def isn't a good idea.

[Bullpen]

don't lend too much to friends(so many jews in college),

 

... this isn't going to end well.

[WVUFootball29]

... this isn't going to end well.

 

It never does

[Gordio]

do what I did & mooch off your dad. When I was in college there was not a month that went by that I did not ask my old man to shoot me one or two Ben Franklins. Doesn't anybody have parents around here?

[Bullpen]

Doesn't anybody have parents around here?

 

Travis Henry's kids only have one.

[Peevo]

All the advice is super good so far in this thread. But I concur with the above sentiments. Live it up a little. You're in paradise to go to school.

 

A good way to get some extra scratch is to find stuff you don't want anymore and sell it as much as you can. Ebay, craigslist, you can make decent money on stuff you don't use anymore. I'm a music gear nerd, and have acquired a ton of stuff that just sits and collects dust. $50 bucks here, $100 bucks there for a case, amp, etc add up. Records, comics, memorabilia are good to trade or sell too. Its hard to part with nostalgia, but you gotta do what you gotta do.

 

I don't know your personal situation, but file your FAFSA carefully. It takes hours, but if your parents are divorced, make less than $50 k/year, etc, all helps get you free money from the government. My brother shamelessly proved our 1/16th Native American in us to get more money for school. Its there for a reason.

 

Once you hit 18, its time not care about where you shop. I can't tell you the 1,000's of kids that roll out of bed in pajamas that go to class. Its not high school, no one cares what you wear or what you do with your hair. Abandon the mall for thrift stores. If you're lucky, you can literally find designer stuff with tags on it for $5 or less. Have no shame. Plus, the thrift store look is super hip and it'll give you cred with "the kids." Shop for food at Aldi or discount groceries.

 

Every college worth its salt has weekly or daily free events for their students. Every semester there'll be a concert or something to party for free, if thats how UCF does things. UB pulled Rise Against and Brand New, which was a $40 show for FREE for students. You can't beat 2 good bands for free. UB has great movies playing in the Union every week, completely free. Try to take advantage of fun activities that cost you 0 dollars.

 

I'm involved at WRUB, which is UBs online radio station. They're funded from Sub Board and the student employees receive a monthly stipends for working at the station. $300 bucks/month to have fun on the radio is not a bad deal. Find anyway to get involved with something that interests you, and who knows, you might get literally paid to have fun doing it.