Spend less money on alcohol
Instead of going to the Steer, Club Pure and Level to spend $5 on mixed drinks, get a group of friends to split the cost of a bottle and drink before you go out.
For the beer lovers, don't spend $3.50 per beer at the bar. Instead, buy a 24-pack of Budweiser (cans) for $12.44, drink and then go out. Start drinking economically.
Remember debt is bondage
Currently, the default rate on student loans is higher than credit card debt. Contrary to popular belief, there is a way to graduate college completely debt free. Some quick tips: work during school at least part time (or work study), apply for as many scholarships as possible, apply for grants if you qualify, live with parents or rent an off campus apartment with friends. Bottom line: borrow as little money as possible. And, pay the interest on your loans while in school if possible.
Skip the meal plans
After researching all the meal plans available to freshmen, upperclassmen and commuter students, the average meal plan costs about $1,562.50 per semester. Most freshmen choose the Any 19 plan for $2,050 per semester. This plan includes any combination of 19 meals per week with $200 in dining dollars and three guest meal passes.
You will be better off clipping coupons every Sunday, reading the circulations, applying for savings cards and preparing your own meals. This especially applies to students living in apartments. Further, if you prepare your own meals, not only will you save money but you may also avoid the "Freshmen 15."
Avoid the bookstore at all costs
We've all experienced the agony of attempting to sell back textbooks. I can remember spending over $200 on a single textbook that I may have only cracked open once and later standing in line at the bookstore for an hour to be told that the textbook has no value because a new edition of that textbook has been released.
Download your textbooks if you own a kindle, nook, or an iPad if you don't mind reading on those devices. I'm also a big fan of www.coursesmart.com. I think it is a fabulous way to rent e-text books to save money. For example, I took an investments course this semester and I downloaded my textbook off this website and paid only $75.50 for 180 days rather than paying $190 for the printed textbook in the bookstore that I would not have been able to resell at the end of the semester.
Don't choose graduate school to waste time
So many students who graduate with an undergraduate degree can't find a job, so they go into more debt to finance an advanced degree and thus they are more likely to find a job.
In theory, this makes sense but I've found that many students attend graduate school because they're still confused and really do not know what they want to do for the rest of their lives. It makes more sense to get a job even in a field in which you're not interested in rather than attending graduate school to waste time. If you have no doubts as to what your passion is in life and an advanced degree is required then go for it. Don't do it to waste time.
