We’re all aware of the poor college student stereotype. At the end of the day, most of us don’t nearly have as much as we want in our bank accounts.
Living somewhat on our own, we’re handling expenses we’ve never had to take on before. Yes, some of us have jobs on the side, but at the end of the day, we’re not making nearly as much as we were making over the summer.
Finances are the number one stress related issue for college students today, according to the College Finance website.
With class deadlines, relationships, and our normal amount of day-to-day stress, we’ve decided to look into simple ways for us to save a few dollars each week so we can push money to the bottom of our stress list.
First, if you have a meal plan at the D.C., use it to your full advantage. Also, if you have Flex, use that up before purchasing food items at the store, and get your coffee fix with the D.C. and Flex’s Fair Trade Green Mountain Coffee.
KSC junior Alison Cederbaum said she eats at the D.C. as often as possible.
“Just eat at the D.C. when you can, it’s already paid for,” she said.
If you do shop at the grocery store for food, here are some really easy ways to save money. First, always make a list before you leave. Otherwise, you’ll wander through the store grabbing whatever appeals to you at that moment and end up spending way over your budget.
With your list in hand, shop at grocery stores that offer savings cards, like Shaw’s and Price Chopper.
Also, don’t forget to look through the sales flyers located at all store entrances. These will show you exactly what’s on sale for the week and you can plan your list around these promotions.
Another tip to save money comes from KSC junior Michelle Picard, who said she buys items in bulk whenever she can.
“When I buy shampoo and conditioner, I buy the jumbo bottles so they last me a long time,” Picard stated.
Water is also something most of us spend a lot more money on than we think. We suggest investing in a Nalgene or a Camelback water bottle that you can refill anytime, rather than spending money over and over again on plastic bottles. Also, think about investing in a Brita when you re-fill, which gives you an endless flow of purified water.
Speaking of drinking, save those Solo cups from the weekend and wash them out. There’s no need to buy a new package of cups every week when you could spend five minutes washing them.
Finally, we’ve come up with three specific places on campus we feel we’re always giving our money to. The first is the TD Bank ATM in the Student Center. If you do not have an account with TD Bank, the ATM will charge you $3.00 for any transaction. You may think it’s important to have fast cash, but remind yourself those $3.00 adds up fast! So next time you’re at the store, get cash back so you can keep it on hand.
The second is the bookstore on campus. While it may be a nice place for gifts, the school supply items are overpriced. If you’re not in a pinch, run to Wal-Mart for your school supply needs.
The last on-campus money sucker is your laundry card. Try to do your laundry only when you have a full load. And think about investing in a drying rack instead of always paying to dry your clothes.
If you follow these tips, you’ll find yourself saving a few extra dollars per week. To reward yourself for being responsible, spend a night on the town with the list of shops and restaurants we’ve researched that offer discounts to Keene State students.
If you’re feeling like Mexican, every Wednesday Margarita’s offers a two-for-one entrée deal when you show your KSC ID, and Armadillo’s offers a 20 percent off student discount on Sundays.
When you’re craving pizza, Athens Pizza offers a 10 percent discount for students eating in or picking up any day of the week. And we all know the Ramunto’s deal- Thursday through Saturday from midnight to 2 a.m. pizza slices are $2.00. And keep an eye out for the KSC days with special deals and giveaways.
So keep these tips in mind, because we all know college life can be stressful as it is. Keep calm and carry on, Keene State.
Julie Conlon and Kim Borkowski can be contacted at jconlon1@ksc.mailcruiser.com and kborkowski@ksc.mailcruiser.com