How to Live Like a Cheap College Student

Whether or not you are going to college, it's smart to have a college student's mindset when trying to save money. College students want to save as much as they can, whether so they have enough money to buy expensive textbooks or so that they can have a little extra fun on Saturday nights. Here are some tips and tricks so you can save money too!

1. Ramen can be cheap, delicious, and healthy, and you don't have to live in a dorm to enjoy it! A favorite of students for decades, ramen noodles can cost less than a quarter per package, making them extremely cost effective. However, they are not particularly healthy by themselves. Try mixing cooked ramen with frozen veggies, tomato pasta sauce, or cheese for a little added nutrition. Ramen salads are also extremely cheap and can be very healthy.

2. Re-use your water bottles! Buying bottled water is great (certainly healthier than soda), but why not re-use the plastic bottle? Re-fill your bottles with tap water to save money.

3. Skip the bookstore -- go to the library instead! Going to the public library is free, and you can learn about anything you want to just by checking out several books (or DVDs!) at a time. A weekly trip to the library is a great cheap way to entertain yourself and learn a little extra fact or two.

4. Shop at garage sales! You can get some great funky stuff for a quarter or less at garage sales. Clothes, furniture, nail polish, books, electronics, and so much more can be purchased for next-to-nothing at garage sales and yard sales. Shop around and take your time -- you may find a gem others have missed!

Keeping a cheap mindset will ensure a comfortable future, and you certainly don't have to suffer for it! College students are very happy, and live on a frugal budget at the same time.

Here are some tips and tricks for saving cash while living through that expensive time known as college. Be sure to leave a note in the guestbook at the bottom of the page if you have any tips to share!

1. Try buying textbooks online. Often you can save funds by shopping around online instead of investing in expensive textbooks at the college bookstore. Books can cost hundreds of dollars per term, and if you don't shop smart, you may run out of money before you graduate. Online bookstores, like Amazon.com have textbooks for much cheaper than the college bookstores do.

2. Don't buy vending machine food! It's unhealthy AND expensive. Instead, bring your own snacks to school with you in your backpack. Dried fruit, mixed nuts, and candy (some great snacks for between classes to keep your brain moving) are much cheaper at the grocery store, so invest in a shopping trip to save money on school food.

3. Carpool!! It's an old tip, but it's tried and true, and increasingly relevant in today's economy. Gasoline is so expensive right now, so find some friends that live near you (especially if you commute), and compare school schedules to see when you can share a ride. You'll save gas money, you'll be able to use the carpool lane through traffic (yay!), and you can have some fun conversations with your friends on the way to school.