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Money-saving tips? (1 Viewer)

lyounamu

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What are some of the money-saving tips for uni students?

At the rate I am getting my income and spending my money, even with my scholarship + job, I will always run out of money haha...

so what kind of money-saving tips are there?
 

shady145

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dnt spend it ;)
Or give it to a family member to keep until u really need it Oo
 

lyounamu

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dnt spend it ;)
Or give it to a family member to keep until u really need it Oo
hahaha. not a bad idea...but I have to spend it somehow...there are fixed costs to go (e.g. travel, foods, club fees)
 

5qirtl3

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how much do you spend? i would suggest spend only when its necessary i.e emergencies.
 

Simo91

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Possibly split your bank account into two separate accounts so you minimise how much you spend and you will always have savings when you need them then.
 

emmcyclopedia

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1. re-use your toilet paper... it has 2 sides, you know?

2. don't do vodka and orange... skip the orange and just do shots!


Serious note though -- in general it helps to sometimes do things the cheaper way - like, having a movie night instead of going to the cinemas...or going on "cheap tuesday" (do they still do that? not sure...). Or have a bbq with mates instead of going out for dinner.

Get a fuel-efficient car.

Eat less junk food - Maccas adds up after a week!

Sell some of your old stuff on ebay - old clothes, electronics, furniture.

Even if you already have a job, maybe in your spare time you could do some tutoring or dog walking for extra cash.

Make sure you always get student discounts - E.g. with the Commonwealth Bank, I get free unlimited ATM access and no monthly fees because I'm a full-time student.

Other than that, just budget your money:
- set aside your weekly/monthly/annual payments that you need to make, such as for travel, subscriptions, club fees etc
- after this, factor in how much you need for basic living (food, clothes, etc)
- from what remains, put aside some money into a higher-interest savings account. it doesn't have to be long term saving, but it's a good idea if you're looking to buy a car, better computer...whatever.
- with what remains (if there's any left, lol), spend it on what you want!
 
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buy second hand textbooks where you can.
don't buy food at uni - ie a chocolate bar at my uni is 2.50, at woolies there would be the same one for 99c.
take public transport instead of driving (so saving on a parking permit/fees and petrol there)
print lecture notes two sides to a page, and 6pp instead of the default 3.
work more in the holidays, at the moment i'm doing about six days a week so that i can hopefully pay next semester up front (or at least contribute somewhat to it)

some of these are pathetic and have been said by others, but honestly its just commonsense.

the one thing that I really do agree with is the idea of splitting your bank account. I have an everyday account attatched to a debit card and all, but then i also have another account thats online only with a much higher interest rate. i earn approx $15 per month interest at the moment, its awesome! that way i have money for textbooks/car repairs as needed, and the incentive to put money in that account stops me from spending excessively.
 

annabackwards

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Only bring a small amount of money with you when you're going out.

Leave debit/credit cards at home :)
 

melsc

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Going out costs a lot, my friends and I do things like dinner, board game nights, takeaway, beach etc rather than much in the city, if you want to go out all weekend expect to be very poor. Find cheap ways to socialise...its a necessity, house parties are a lot cheaper than drinks in the city.

Even if you don't want to bring lunch from home, if you bring your snacks and drinks (if you buy packets of chips, soft drinks, vitawheats, fruit etc in woolies are tones cheaper than at uni) you'll save

If you can split your earnings (I usually do half/half) ONLY spend one half and save the rest...comes in handy textbook time etc
 
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sinophile

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Steal toilet paper from public toilets and the university toilet. In one of the cubicles, take a hacksaw and quietly saw a straight line through the paper. You will have to strike several places in one go since they will put up measuers to stop people from doing this.. Thankfully, you can probably steal half a year's worth of paper.

Don't drink soft drinks, juice or alcohol. Instead, take a large bottle from the garbage, clean it in a public toilet and refill the bottle with water. Your health will benefit from the absence of unneccesary sugars. Plus, as a student, your mind is your most profitable commodity- so you should protect your brain by abstaining from alcohol.

If you live near a park or public toilet, fill up buckets of water from the tap there. You can use this free water to shower, flush your toilet and clean the house.

Don't buy any trendy clothes. They're expensive and will go out of fashion quickly. Pick something that lasts, like a business shirt or some slacks.

Save on paper by using the backs of waste paper.

Buy secondhand textbooks. Poor quality textbooks are cheaper, and still useable, just make sure its not unreadable. Ensure you buy a relevant edition.

Girlfriends/boyfriends are expensive. Don't get one. If you can't control yourself, then try to limit the relationship to cheap thrills, like watching the tv at home, cooking dinner together or whatever.

As a uni student, you usually will travel alone. Buy a moped, which will handle the majority of your needs with a great fuel economy.

Spend all your time either studying, working or at uni. This stops you from going out, where you will spend lots of money. It also has the added benefit of making money, if you spend he time working.

If you are attractive, prostitution is an excellent way to handle most of your expenses. Swallow your pride and just do it.

Don't eat out. Always eat cereal for breakfast and a sandwich for lunch. For dinner, make something cheap and nutritious at home, and in huge batches. Something like pasta or rice.
 

lyounamu

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Thanks for the good points. You pointed out my problems really well. I always go out for food and spend alot through impulsive buying when I go out.
 

lil-chilean

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u could set up two accounts .one for savings and one for daily use.
don't eat out too much and try walking to places rather then use public or private transport.

or u could try to set a limit on how much u can spend each day or week
 

Tofuu

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for your meals, eat at home or bring something from home, saves you alot
 

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