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Save the whal...umm savings.May 28 '01 Write an essay on this topic.The Bottom Line Spending less can be good for your wallet and your health! When someone says 'budget', you think 'ut oh', right? You probably think that in order to save money, you'll have to give up everything remotely fun. You don't. If there's no fun in your life, you might as well stay in bed. The thing about managing a budget is that you don't have to save big amounts of money. If you can save a few bucks here and there, you'll be surprised at how much you've got left at the end of the week/month/year. Some of that money you can use or fun things, some of it you can put in a savings account/old sock for lean years/months/weeks. So how do I, as a poor little college girl, save money? Well, I still go to the movies with friends, I still buy CD's and I'm eating more than bread and water. I've just saved on little things so I can spend more on fun stuff! - My job is a valuable resource for me. Not only does it supplement my grant, it also provides me with free use of the copier and computers, free soup and bandaids. Be careful not to work too much though...it's a sure way to feel exhausted all the time and it may very well make you fail your classes. Staying for longer than you planned is more expensive than working a bit less! - Be careful about what you eat. Cafeteria food is pretty infamous, and ordering pizza is tempting....until you realize how much you've been spending on food. Instead, try to get a bunch of people together with similar schedules, so you can cook and eat together. The more people you have, the lower the cost per person. I can whip up a macaroni Toscane with smoked almonds for under two bucks per person if four people are splitting the cost. Also, remember that everything that happens to your food, makes it more expensive. It pays to make your own salads and dressings, and to slice and dice your veggies and meat yourself. I don't recommend keeping cattle in your dorm for fresh meat though. People will start complaining. Veggies can be very filling, and meat is expensive. Consider putting a minimum amount of meat (or soy stuff, veggie burger, etc.) in your dishes and putting in more veggies and/or crunchy bits (like nuts) to make them just as filling and less expensive. - Don't spend more than you have. Stay away from cheap loans or credit cards. Especially credit cards can make it very tempting to spend money you don't have (for a true horror story about credit cards and college guys, read poseidon's epinion on keeping a budget). - Don't torture yourself. If you have some month left at the end of your money, don't go anywhere near that mall. If you go shopping, make sure you've had something to eat. Try to limit grocery shopping to once a week, so you'll have to resist all those candy bars and bags of chips only once. I don't know about you, but when I've forgotten to get something and I go back for it, I feel a bit weird with only one item in my hands. I often end up picking up a second item that I really didn't need, just to fill up my cart. - Try to walk or cycle from A to B. I know that this isn't always an option, especially in the States, but it's worth a try. Besides, this is free exercise. Think of all the money you won't be spending on the gym or the latest in infomercial merchandise! - Ask the parental units for help. I know, it's the last thing you want to do when you've finally moved out, but let's face it: they can afford it. Especially mothers want to be sure you're eating healthy things, and are likely to supply you with heaps of wholesome food after a few horror stories about cafeteria food and pizzas. Don't be a parasite though. Your main source of income should never be your parents, they've taken care of you for almost two decades...you already owe them! - Try to keep open a savings account. You will need books and your car/bicycle will break down at some point in time. It's less tempting to spend money if it's in your savings account, so it will be easier to save up for 'big things', as my mother used to call them (When I was four. At age four, anything else than candy is a 'big thing'). - Have fun! If you have your priorities right, you may have to eat cheaper to be able to afford going out with your friends every now and then. College is only half learning, the other half is getting to know people. You can save all the money you want, but what will it get you when the Ghost of Graduation Future pays you a visit?  |
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