HOW TO SAVE MONEY IN COLLEGE.

I still remember college like it was yesterday. To me, the most beautiful mindset about college was the fact that even though I was broke and out of shape, I was extremely hopeful and optimistic about my future. Graduated from the University of Toledo in 2013, a total of 8 years of college experience has taught me so much life experience, friendship, and work ethic. Today I will share with you what I did to save money and get by with a tiny amount of money in my saving.

Attend junior college first

If you had no direction on career choice, I suggest starting with a community college first. Here are some money-saving benefits:

• A lot of courses are the same as the university’s education level but are offered at a much lower price. Once you know what colleges or university you will attend, try to select transferable classes, so you don’t waste time re-taking the course.
• If you messed up and get a C, some colleges allow students to re-take those classes and use the new GPA instead of the old one. You need to make sure to study harder and get a better grade.

Pick an affordable college to go to

Don’t afraid to move to a different state for education as long as you have a goal in mind. In my situation, when I finished with my associate degree in Boston, I got accepted at North Eastern University Nursing Program. I looked into the tuition and told my self there was no way I could afford $30k a year. I decided to move to Ohio, where I could pursue Doctor of Pharmacy with a more affordable cost, cheaper living fee, and make more money upon graduation with a pharmacy degree.

The 2019 graduate school tuition & fees are $15,427 for Ohio resident and $25,771 for others.

Related: FINANCIAL ADVICES FOR PEOPLE IN THEIRS 20s FROM A 32 y.o

Find a roommate

The best part about college: making friends. When I moved to Ohio and knew very few people, I shared a two bedrooms apartment with three other guys. The rent was only $250 a month for me. Not to say it was a pleasant experience since I had to stay in the living room, but it saved me a lot of money.

Don’t stay in dormitory

As a freshman, many colleges or universities required students to pay for Room and Board and stay on campus. It cost about $15,000 to stay on campus at the University Of Toledo. Students at public schools can expect to pay an average of $8,887, and those at private schools will pay an average of $10,089 per year. To avoid this hefty fee, find out what your school’s policies are. My university makes an exception: freshman can stay off-campus if they already have a residential address or their family live locally.

Pick a apartment that close to school

This one is obvious right? Living close to school has a few advantages:

• You don’t have to purchase a vehicle: save money on gas, school parking, and maintenance.
• If wake up late, at least you can just run straight to school instead of driving and get a speed ticket.
• Walking to campus is a good exercise

If have a car, buy a beat up car and purchase only liability insurance.

Yes, that was precisely what I did. My first ride was a  1997 Honda accord with 130,000 miles on it for the price of three thousand dollars. I needed a vehicle because I worked off-campus. Liability insurance cost around $250 every six months and I was happy with it.

Scholarship

Signing up for scholarship is a must. For some students, financial aid wouldn’t be enough for them to get through a semester. There were many ways to look for scholarships:

• Talk to adviser
• Contact Student Government
• Ask professor
• Don’t be shy to talk to your friend. They might know more about scholarship then you do.
• Go to school website and apply

Get a job in the food business

During my first two years in college, I worked as a cook for Magic Wok. The best thing about working for a food business was that I got to take home the leftover. Sometimes I brought back four take-home boxes and fed everyone in my apartments. Not only the food was delicious; I got to save money on dinner and lunch every time I work there.

Participate in social clubs, activities

A lot of school organizations wanted students to come to their meeting, so they provided free foods. Once I figured out, I tried to make it to their meeting. Also look out for meeting posts, email, and banners around campus because it will include such information as well.

I hope you like this blog about how to save money in college. My goals are to help others save and make money using my experience and skill set. In the comment below, share with me your college experience and what did you do to save money.