$$ Money Solutions! $$

I am currently a college student, and i can't seem to ever save money!!

especially since i am a makeup addict, and of course i always tend to choose quality over quantity (example: i will spend $400 on one stewart weizman shoes instead of getting several pairs from aldo). and since fall is coming, i am hopping to do some shopping!

i only eat out during the weekends, besides that, i cook every day. i don't buy alcohol unless it's for an occasion, and i no longer go clubbing (i would rather splurge on sephora, then paying $40 for coverage ). is there any way i can save more money??

any tips i can save here and there is fine

thanks!

Check this thread. There are some good suggestions.

I can certainly understand! Especially that college (where you go) tuition is way expensive!!

Originally Posted by Tony(admin) I can certainly understand! Especially that college (where you go) tuition is way expensive!! yeah it's a downer can you believe it..$30,000 per year?

As an unemployed student I can completely relate.

I hate the fact that I want want want and really shouldn't spend.

I just try to stay out of the mall and away from the internet sites that sell what I like.

Good Luck

I remember when I was in college I was a huge coupon cutter!!! Using coupons when I went to the grocery store helped SO MUCH, especially if you have a store near you that has double coupon days. And I'd go to local farmer's markets for produce, much cheaper than big chain stores. I also used to check out little resale clothing shops... you'd be surprised how many high end designer items you can find that have never been used. Buying things in bulk helps to cut cost too-like paper products, etc...I used to also try to buy clothes that didn't need to be dry cleaned(now I take everything to the cleaners, but that's crazy $$$)

I'm a big sale & coupon freak myself... yet I'm still scraping by

$400 for a pair of shoes? Holy cow, girl! I think a $50 pair of shoes is a splurge! You need to be shopping at the more affordable stores that I shop at, lol!

Seriously though, especially when it comes to clothes and mu, if you're a smart shopper you don't need to spend much money to get awesome products! For example, this weekend I bought a pair of awesome boots from Shoe Carnival -- they're real leather, pointy toe, the perfect heel height that I was looking for, knee-high with a comfy lining to keep me warm in winter -- and I got them on sale for $40 and they were only $60 regularly priced! (And that was after looking through our whole mall and not finding any boots I liked -- of course we do have a rather small mall!) I could list so many other things I've bought at places like JC Penny's that are a good quality but so much cheaper than other stores... I almost never spend more than $50 on a pair of shoes or $30-$40 for an item of clothing! If you just avoid those expensive stores you will be avoiding the temptation.... For example, I never even go into stores like The Buckle or Abercrombie -- why would I ever want to spend $70 or more on a pair of jeans, when I have found great fitting jeans on sale for $20 at Kohl's?

I thought USC was about 42,000/year?

I have to agree with girl geek I find that I much happier and less stressed when I am living within my means.

Originally Posted by Tony(admin) I thought USC was about 42,000/year? o yeah, plus all the extra stuff like insurance, parking, dorm, etc. i hope i can pay my parents back someday!!

Parents must have a boat load

Originally Posted by sugersoul yeah it's a downer can you believe it..$30,000 per year? OMG...I only pay 700 euros each year for med school here. but since I moved out of my dorm and into my new apartment (which is almost twice as expensive!) my parents have also put me on some sort of budget (but I still don´t have a really really tight budget, so they won´t kill me if I spend like 100 euros more than I´m supposed to)
I try to save money by:

NOT eating out!!! restaurants are way to expensive. either I try to cook or I have friends coming over and we cook all together, which is always fun.

I try to avoid drinking at bars...me and my friends usually meet up at my place or theirs and drink a bottle or 2 of some cheap alcohol to feel the buzz and when we go out we´re having a good time without having to pay like 8 euros for a cocktail (hope that doesn´t make me sound like an alcohilic *lol*)

oh well now that school has started that is my 1st priority anyway and I can only go out once a week which saves money too

I don´t have a car...none of my friends here do. this is vienna though, we have an excellent public transport system (including night buses)

I don´t shop at MAC that much anymore, I`ve discovered a pretty good drugstore brand (still a little more expensive than your usual DG brand, but still way cheaper than MAC)

...I´d rather get a job though so I can continue shopping at MAC only but my school schedule doesn´t really leave time for a job and my parents don´t want me to work either-they´d rather see me getting done with school as fast as possible.

Originally Posted by Arielle OMG...I only pay 700 euros each year for med school here. but since I moved out of my dorm and into my new apartment (which is almost twice as expensive!) my parents have also put me on some sort of budget (but I still don´t have a really really tight budget, so they won´t kill me if I spend like 100 euros more than I´m supposed to)
I try to save money by:

NOT eating out!!! restaurants are way to expensive. either I try to cook or I have friends coming over and we cook all together, which is always fun.

I try to avoid drinking at bars...me and my friends usually meet up at my place or theirs and drink a bottle or 2 of some cheap alcohol to feel the buzz and when we go out we´re having a good time without having to pay like 8 euros for a cocktail (hope that doesn´t make me sound like an alcohilic *lol*)

oh well now that school has started that is my 1st priority anyway and I can only go out once a week which saves money too

I don´t have a car...none of my friends here do. this is vienna though, we have an excellent public transport system (including night buses)

I don´t shop at MAC that much anymore, I`ve discovered a pretty good drugstore brand (still a little more expensive than your usual DG brand, but still way cheaper than MAC)

...I´d rather get a job though so I can continue shopping at MAC only but my school schedule doesn´t really leave time for a job and my parents don´t want me to work either-they´d rather see me getting done with school as fast as possible.

that sounds like a good idea! i have definately cut back on starbucks..i use to go everyday for coffee..now i only go there if i really need it..like before an exam

i am in a similar predicament as you..it's really hard for me to find time for a job. and even tho i am a Canadian citizen, i am still considered an international student in the U.S. , so that means alot more job restrictions! i cannot be hired without a work permit, and i can only work for 1 year

plus gas is so CRAZY now! last time i saw in Los Angeles was 3.25 (premimum)/ gallon!

too bad public transportation in LA is not as good as vienna

and i agree with you..it's so expensive when you add up a month's worth of going to restaurants! i use to go out an eat every friday, saturday and sunday for all 3 meals of the day..not i only go out on friday, and save the leftovers for saturday hehe ...i would rather starve then cut back on mac!

Yeah ive been trying to cut back on starbucks too, 4+ dollars a day on coffee sure does add up!

go to places that have name brand stuff on sale as opposed for paying top dollar for desinger or name brand stuff. Try out shopping at Ross, Old Navy or Shoe Carnival for good clothes. You can also look on ebay for those same $400 shoes that have been "worn once" and they may be marked down like $300!

Try to practice *not-buying* anything that isn't marked down no matter how pretty it is.

for take-out, it is an expenisve indulgence but there are ways to still splurge and cut the costs some. instead of Saturday night dinner with our bestpal or mate, we can go out and do lunch...we'll get a smaller meal and most places do have a lunch special that goes on from about noon to 3 PM, eleven to 2 PM some places. some takeout places have coupons as well.

Don't buy personal care items such as toliet paper, toothpaste, tampons/liners at your local grocery store. instead go to Dollar tree or Dollar general and see what they have.

Groceries are hard to cut costs on- but coupons can help a lot, as envi says. try looking through the little papers they give out at all groceries to see what is on sale and buy a lot of whatever is cheapest that you like the best. stock up a tiny bit and then hit up another store next time you get paid, with your trusty coupons and store circulars.

Beware of buy 1 get 1 free, sometimes you get a great deal on those and sometimes it seems like they make something sound like a great deal....only to find out later you weren't buying 1 getting 1 free at all, you were buying 1 and a half or whatever. If something(s) costs 5.50 and they are lebaling it buy 1 get one free and the price is usually about 3 bucks, it's a ripoff...if it is usually almost 4 bucks it is a good deal. LOL, that is probably a horrid example but don't mind me, I am horrid at math...

Originally Posted by Tony(admin) /img/forum/go_quote.gif I thought USC was about 42,000/year? OMG! That's like my WHOLE college education total! Good gravy that's a lot of money! Anywho! I would recommend eating out only one night per weekend, or maybe two nights total a month. It might seem like you're not spending a lot, but you figure even $30 per weekend to eat out ends up at about $130 per month... The best thing to do is pay yourself first... Put $20 aside each week (pay period, etc.), and then at the end of the month, treat yourself with the money that's been set aside. Then, you know you're saving something, yet still treating yourself at the same time. I always buy on sale, use coupons... And there's always eBay! LOL!

I budget myself every month. We make sure we pay all the bills first and then we see how much we have left every month to buy groceries, gas, etc. I use a lot of coupons and if things are on sale I stock up a lot then. My husband and I go out once or twice a month.

I budget myself as well. You have to start making a list of what you need and what you want. On the need list - see if those costs can be cut down. For example - food - you need food but do you need to eat out? Try cooking - look on websites for quick and easy meals so you can cook without feeling like you are investing time and energy in it.

For the wants section - like shoes - what kind of shoes -can you get them on sale, etc. You will save a lot of money this way - it takes a few minutes a week but worth it.

WOW!

When I was a college student, I was on a REAL budget, my college was no expensive but still nobody helped me pay for it and I really struggled.

I think cooking and making a list of priorities is a very good idea.