As a girl in college your first want and need is to fit in. Keeping up with fads of what’s cute to wear, hip to listen to, and cool to do can be expensive and time consuming. As a college student those are two things we can’t afford to spare.
Therefore, here are five simple steps to live the life you want on a budget.
Borrow or buy?
Fashion trends rarely last long these days so there is no point in buying everything that is in style. That’s why borrowing cute tops from friends is key. Borrowing clothes saves you from the impulsive buys for that top you only wear once and wasted money on for a meal. For the must-have items, there’s a simple solution – shop at stores like Forever 21 or H&M that sell trendy pieces for low prices. No one knows or actually cares where you shop, so don’t waste your money trying to impress.
Be social but don’t spend
You don’t need to be afraid to miss a social event because it costs money. You can go get dinner with your friends or brunch with the girls and not spend all your money. A simple fix is to eat before and just get a drink. Another solution is to make the plans yourself, find a cute but reasonable place to go using sites like yelp. This way you’re still out and with the girls making memories without unnecessary spending.
Go out without eating out
Stop the eating out. It’s a hard habit to create but once you do you see it’s worth it and will never go back. Make your coffee at home, pack a snack for school, and never do Uber Eats. Not eating out saves a large chunk of money and can even benefit your health if done right.
Drinks on you
Now we talk about the bar tabs and going out. Once again, you can be social and not spend. Spending money on drinks and other people is ignorant; we don’t have time for that. Be smart and get your buzz on before going out and live off the high of fun with friends. I get that it feels weird standing empty-handed sometimes, so save your spare change and bring it out to buy that one drink to hold on to all night. Or leave the cash at home and venmo a friend. It’s simple and smarter.
Work where you love
Having a steady income is key to college living but also a great responsibility. The tip and trick here is to work where you love. This could mean working at your favorite cafe, market, or even boutique like me. It is a great benefit getting a discount somewhere you are likely to spend.
by Emma Kerns
CougarBuzz 