Hey girls! Hope you are all having a fabulous day so far! For today’s blog post, I wanted to talk about something that can be a touchy topic. Money. Some people love it, some hate it, some want more of it, well I guess everyone wants more of it. But during college especially, most of us are “broke as hell” and COVID is definitely not helping that at all. So, some of these budgeting tips can help you live your best life in college while not breaking the bank.
FOOD 1. Eat at Home Ok, this might seem simple, but many people really overlook the importance of this. During college, people always choose their meals for the sake of convenience. Most people will eat at some place on campus or go to the local fast food joint to get a quick meal. The problem with this is the expenses can really add up overtime. A typical combo meal at Chick-fil-A can be around $8-$10!! If you go there every weekday, you’re looking at around $40-$50 and that’s just one meal a day! An easy way to start saving money fast is to cook your own meals at home. Try to buy some of your favorite foods in bulk and then meal prep them on one day every week, so that you can have all of your food already prepared for convenience. 2. Make Your Coffee at Home Now ladies, I know that Dunkin’ and Starbucks are amazing and no one can quite make a drink like your favorite barista at that one location, but let’s be real. For an everyday habit, Starbucks is way too expensive! I mean $5 a day for just a coffee is insanity when you figure out the cost of a homemade latte. I started this habit back in high school and luckily have saved lots over the years for it. My average drink at home which consists of my homemade cold brew, almond milk, and a little bit of half/half costs around $.80. Why would I pay over 6x the amount when I just make the coffee at home? Kind of crazy when you put it in perspective! This is definitely another way to see real tangible results in your bank account fast. Of course, you can still enjoy your favorite drink at Starbucks or Dunkin’, just try to have it in moderation. 3. Cut Back on the Alcohol Yes, I know alcohol is one of the cornerstones of the college experience, but the cost of having a drink can be one of the most expensive. I would suggest just having a drink when you can get it for free, like at a party or tailgate. Otherwise, choose to opt out for the night. Cutting back on the liquor will also help with health and weight management too, so it’s a win-win! BEAUTY 1. Learn To Do Your Own Nails Holy moly. When I started to get my nails done when I was younger, I did not realize the amount of money needed to maintain them. You’re telling me I have to come back every 2 weeks and pay this same amount again?? Yeah, there definitely has to be a better way and luckily there is. If you are able to, learning how to do your own nails can be a lifesaver when it comes to your wallet. If you like gel nails, there are plenty of gel lamps you can buy on Amazon and gel polishes usually cost around $15 a bottle. Another option that is growing in trend are high-quality press ons from companies like Static Nails. These range at around $14-15 for a set and they are reusable! 2. Cut the Gym Membership You don’t need a gym membership to be healthy and be able to work out! There are plenty of at home workout videos on YouTube and if you want to incorporate some strength training, you can buy some dumbbells and resistance bands at places like Target for a low price. 3. Makeup Dupes This is probably one of my favorite money savers. When you find a makeup dupe, you feel like you have uncovered some secret intellectual property that no one is supposed to know about. Recommendations of makeup dupes can be found on social media platforms like Pinterest, TikTok, and YouTube. Some of the product prices can be under half the original cost of the high-end version! This is a great way to save money that adds up over time and find your new holy grail product. 4. Cut/Color Your Own Hair Ok, this might be a bit of a risky one, but if you can, learn to do your own hair! I have seen some of my favorite YouTubers, like Carli Bybel, with GORGEOUS hair that they actually cut themselves! All you really need is a good, quality pair of shears and some technique and you can pretty much cut your hair yourself. If you don’t get anything too complicated when you get your hair done, like getting a simple trim, this could be a good option for you. Another way to save some money in this area is to try and get your haircut at places like Great Clips. This is another thing I did not know that a lot of people with good hair do to save money. 5. Thrift Shopping It’s already popular and there are so many videos out there on how to repurpose old clothing! Go to Goodwill, local thrift shops, and think about buying some clothes from places like Poshmark or Depop. Find local groups on Facebook and other places where you can buy old clothes or swap clothes with other people. FUN 1. Have a Fun Night at Home Instead of going out to the bars or having to spend a lot of money on a night out, opt for a fun, relaxing night in instead! Pick out your favorite rom-com to watch, play a board game, or even make some fun TikToks with your friends. The possibilities are endless. 2. Cut Cable Honestly, it’s 2021, why would you even have it at this point. There are so many streaming services with amazing content to not even consider this. Plus, if you still love live TV, Hulu and YouTube have streaming services for this now and they are half the price of cable! Just do it already! 3. Cancel Unnecessary Subscriptions Remember that influencer’s monthly health subscription you paid for a few months back? No? Yeah I didn’t think so. Most of us sometimes forget things that we sign up for and overtime, they are still drawing a monthly fee out of our accounts. Go through all your outstanding subscriptions and see which ones you actually like and use. If you don’t use them, cancel them. OTHER TIPS FOR $$ MANAGEMENT 1. Get a Budgeting App These are so helpful for tracking where your money is going and where you want to allocate it. The app that I have used and enjoyed is called EveryDollar. 2. Get a Side Hustle With the Internet, there are so many options available at our fingertips to make some extra money on the side. You can join companies like Instacart, DoorDash, or Uber Eats as a shopper/deliverer. You can sell clothes on Poshmark/Depop or old items on Mercari/ Ebay. You can start an Etsy shop for a talent you might have or even become a dog walker! 3. AVOID DEBT! Now, I know it is a positive thing to build some credit while you are young, but if you can, avoid developing too much debt on credit cards and loans at all costs. Try and pay for things only when you have the cash. Interest is a horrible way to lose money for nothing. 4. Invest Try to start investing on a lower scale into reliable stocks with good returns. Also, think about looking into a high interest savings account to put your money. Normal savings accounts at banks give you little to no interest at all for your money. Try and do something productive with it instead. Compound interest is a real and amazing thing! Implementing just a few of these tips can help you keep a little extra money in your account, start a savings account, or build up for a future investment. Let us know in the comment box below what your best budgeting tips are! Follow @ShesSpeakingBlog on Instagram and Pinterest for even more budgeting and college tips.
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AuthorsBrynn Powers Archives
May 2021
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