I’m sure we’ve all felt the effects of the current economic crisis; I know I have. Between my commute to work, the standard bills, and the want to have a normal life, my bank account is rarely flourishing with funds. More like, depleting drastically. People are losing jobs, industries are crumbling, and, lord knows, if you have any money in stock - well, let’s hope you have something extra stashed away beneath your mattress.

All that being said, life must go on, right?

So, how do we tighten the belt without living like a hermit? Here are some tips:

Budget: Set your spending limits on a weekly basis. And stick. to. it. Review your receipts at night to make sure you are staying on track, and be honest about what you are spending. This will keep your bank account in the green.

Save on Gas: Carpool with your friends or co-workers. If you need to do some errands, combine them all into one day, and make a route that will hit each stop, in one circle…versus going back and forth in all different directions.

If you live in a city, eliminate your cab usage. I know it is so much easier to hail a cab on those late, drunken evenings, but if you take some public transportation you’ll spend $2.00 versus $15. Or, trying hoofing it; you will burn those drinks away and have some extra wiggle room for a late night snack. Read More »

When budgeting, I have two primary concerns that I think many college students share:

1) Pay rent to keep a roof of some sort over my recently highlighted head.
2) Social spending, as in, how many nights a week do the remaining funds allow for.

Please note that these are not necessarily considered in that order, which can cause trouble.

Depending on whether your college town is ridiculously expensive (see: going to college in a major city) or suuuper cheap (see: anyplace where drinks are less than $4.00 each or has promotions like “dollar long island night”), your bank account is going to take a very different sort of beating by means of your social budget.

But food is an essential, and when takeout can cost more than your bar tab, grocery shopping to save some green is a great habit to have. Read More »

My eating habits are fairly miserable. I eat chips like another potato famine is coming, I love the fattiest, creamiest pastas, and if it wouldn’t kill me, I could live on fast food forever.

Needless to say, I could stand to lose a few pounds. But more than that, I want to feel better about myself and the food choices I make. I can live with an extra pound or two, but I’d rather not have the diabetes or high blood pressure that runs in my family.

The problem is, I’m in college, and my budget is always tight. Running from class to work to home, sometimes all I can do is grab something fast and it has seemed as though there was almost nothing out there quick, cheap, and healthy.

It’s true that eating and cooking at its healthiest is not a cheap feat nor is it necessarily quick, but it’s absolutely doable on a college student budget. Here are some quick tips to stretch your wallet without stretching your stomach.

Stop eating out. At least as much as you can. Not only do even the cheapest meals add up money-wise, they are most often fairly bad for you. When you cook at home, you have more control over portion, and what you use to cook with. Read More »