Stop Spending and Start Saving

Lately I have been thinking a lot about money with the looming thought of student loan bills coming my way in the near future. I am guilty of spending way too much in college, but have learned a few tips and tricks along the way that have helped me stop spending and start saving.

The best way I have found to save is to start tracking my spending habits. I keep an Excel document to track my spending. Typically I only do this after a big shopping trip or for my bills. Sometimes it can be really unsettling to see all the dumb things you buy. For example, I buy way too many hair products for my curly hair. Each one claims to give you flawless curls and I fall for it every time. In addition, I have the common girl problem of owning entirely too many clothes. My solution to stop buying dumb things is to organize your stuff so you can see everything you have. When my things are not organized, I can’t find anything, which leads to me buying more because I don’t know what I already have.

 I have not done a great job of taking advantage of all the great opportunities students have to save money just because they have the student status.

The following companies offer discounts to students:

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• J. Crew – It comes to the point in college where you need nicer clothes for interviews and career fairs and boy can it be expensive! Students can save 15 percent on classic and professional clothing by showing their student ID at J. Crew.

•  Amazon – Students are always looking for a great deal on textbooks and for them to arrive quickly. Amazon offers students free student prime membership for six months, which includes free two-day shipping and additional promotions. Then after six months students receive the normal prime membership benefits at 50 percent off normal value.

• Movie Theaters – Seeing a movie is always a good way to spend your weekends in college. Though, movie ticket prices have skyrocketed. Many movie theaters now have “student days,” which allow students to attend a movie for a lower price. Of course, the Ada Theatre is always a good option with tickets as low as four dollars. It may be outdated and only show one movie a week, but it’s close and cheap!

• Apple – Many students have to buy new laptops in college because of all the use you get with it. I highly recommend all students investing in a Macbook and students can save up to $200 and $30 on an iPad. In addition, when I bought my Macbook I received a $100 gift card from Apple for iTunes just for being a student.

I regret the countless amount of money I have spent throughout college, but I learned a lot through the process. If I could go back to my freshman year, I would make sure to take as much advantage as possible of all the student discounts. Though, it is never too late to start since I still have a semester and half left of being a student. In fact, I am currently sitting in a Panera enjoying a three dollar meal thanks to a gift card I received for being a student.

How will you stop spending and start saving?