Saving Money as a College Student for Spring

Anyone who has ever gone to college knows the financial strain as well as the desire to have a blast during spring break. Finding a balance and planning for your vacation is important in making your week off from hitting the books the best it can possibly be. One of the best things you can do is save money. There are various ways to save here and there which will add up quickly for you.

MUTUALLY MOTIVATE WITH FRIENDS

Most of us who decide to go an epic adventure during spring break don’t plan to do it alone. We are all about getting away from our school work with our close friends. So, why not plan not only our trip but how much money we need to spend to have a blast, too? Having our friends around to monitor each other’s spending and help deter us from unhealthy purchases that may leave us sitting in the dorm room alone is the best kind of friends to have. Talk to each other, set a goal for daily and weekly spending and saving so nobody gets left behind. Work on your day to day budget between working on those pesky assignments and focus your spending on one thing- Spring Break.

WORK A LITTLE MORE TO SAVE A LITTLE MORE

We all understand how difficult it is to squeeze in any kind of working hours wrapped around a full-time college schedule. If at all possible though add an hour here or two hours there and dedicate that extra little bit of money solely to your Spring Break spending needs. Even a little, one-time gig can give you a few extra bucks to put away for your special week. In the end, when you are enjoying that time away from the norm you will be sure to thank yourself. Take a look around. You’ll be surprised what you might be able to land on campus or off.

THE BARE NECESSITIES, NOTHING MORE

That’s right. Think about all the extra money you dish out at the local coffee shop, on that one item you just “had to have”, or to buy a sandwich off the lunch truck. It all adds up much quicker than you might think. Consider how much money you spend on a weekly basis on coffee for instance. The average cup o’ jo these days is around $4.00 to truly wire a college student enough to get up for that early class and not go to sleep until midnight, right? What if, instead of letting a barista mix your mocha, you become the barista? Sure, it may take a little more time, but you’ll be saving so much money. As they say, hindsight is 20/20 and we doubt you’ll be thinking about that missed jolt back in February when you’re having the time of your life with your friends over spring break.

A PIGGY BANK CAN TURN YOUR MONEY INTO MEMORIES

It may sound silly and maybe you haven’t owned a piggy bank since you were about 12, but it is a wonderful way to save money quickly and efficiently. Figure out how much money you need to save, pull out your handy little calculator and crunch some numbers. Figure out how much you need to save on a daily basis and put it away in little porky. Before you know it, the only thing that will be fat is your wallet.

MOTIVATION, INSPIRATION AND DETERMINATION

Find a photo and keep it near you or write yourself a note and stick it in your wallet. That way, every time you get anywhere near your money you can be reminded why it is you are saving, why that mocha can wait and how grateful you are you bought bread, jelly and peanut butter. Find a photo of where it is you are going, one of the last Spring Break where you had a blast or a simple reminder like “that’s not worth it, but vacation is” Put it as a wallpaper for your phone or computer, a sticky note as a bookmark for all your textbooks, on your nightstand or inside your wallet. Whatever you come up with, make it personal, make it inspiring. Motivate yourself and find the determination to get up a few minutes earlier to pour a cup of coffee in your travel mug rather than race to the coffee shop. Pack a lunch in your cooler the night before. Let the grocery store be your best friend and the mall be your worst enemy. In the end, you will thank yourself.

DITCH DEBIT

In this day and age where checks and relying solely on cash has become rather obsolete. While using a debit card for everything may seem more convenient then walking around with cash, it is easier to control your spending. Put all your cash in order according to bill so you can constantly see how much you have to spend. Use the debit card to save the money you need for spring break and pretend like it isn’t even there. Pull out the cash you absolutely must have between now and April and use that, and only that.

You’ll find it is much easier to budget and see where you are at financially by just having to take a quick peek inside your wallet. No matter what method(s) you choose, regardless of what best suits your needs, make sure you stick to it. Don’t give in to tiny, unnecessary things. Find cheaper ways to get the same things that are necessary. Rely on your desire to have the best spring break ever and your excitement to get away from school, textbooks, lectures and studying. College is tough and you deserve to take time away from it. As a matter of fact, you may really need to get away to regenerate and re-infuse yourself. Everything you do until Spring Break will be all worth it once your there- promise.