5 Ways to Save on a Student Budget

By Tal Klachook
June 02, 2014

1. Shop on student discount days:

130407831Second to my mother, no one enjoys discounts more than post-secondary students. Living on a tight student budget all-year long, every penny (or should I say nickel now…) counts. Many grocery stores, such as Loblaws, hold a “student discount day.” By showing your student ID, they deduct 10 per cent from the total bill. Say good-bye to tax money and hello to savings!

2. Use coupons:

If you’ve ever watched TLC’s Extreme Couponing, you’ll know that an 80-cent coupon for toilet paper can go along way. Think about it – if you have five coupons each saving you a dollar on a different products, and you grocery shop once a week… by the end of the month you’ll be saving $20. That’s enough for a week’s worth of Starbucks coffee or cab fare after your Saturday night outing.

3. Skip the Starbucks Cravings:

Don’t get me wrong, I love my Vanilla latte in the morning, but my wallet… not so much. A cheaper and student-friendly alternative is making your own coffee at home and lugging it around in a nice travel mug. Splurging on a travel mug is a great way to “ fancy-up” any drink and make it seem like Starbucks.

4. Always shop on a FULL stomach:

 There’s nothing worse than going food shopping on an empty stomach. Talk about a rookie mistake! Suddenly, items you haven’t purchased or eaten in years become eye candy. When that happens, you shop with your stomach rather than your shopping list. Not only do you end up buying unnecessary products that will likely spoil and end in the garbage, you’ll also end up snacking on unhealthy junk food on the way home.

5. Repurpose and Reuse:

 Those empty alcohol bottles, lying around the house waiting to be recycled or returned for a 10-cent refund, are great for repurposing. Thanks to good ol’ Pinterest, you can easily research DIY projects to repurpose and reuse those bottles in the future—they can make a practical vase, decor items and even candle holders. It’s time to unleash your inner child and get creative!
 

About Tal Klachook

Tal Klachook is a journalism student at Carleton University. She is currently an Editorial Intern at Yellow Pages NextHome. Obsessed with all things related to cakes and social media, she enjoys learning and writing about the latest real estate trends.

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