Hey, y'all! My name is Isabella, and I’m a college student learning how to navigate adulthood right alongside you!! Today, I will tell you how much money you will REALLY spend in college!
There is so much unexpected in your transition to college, and finances can be just another thing to worry about. Learning how to manage your money and spending wisely now will benefit you in the long run! Here are some of my tips or advice on how to be money-conscious in college.
- Get a clothing rental service.
- A rental service was one of the best decisions I made for freshman year, and it saved me so much money. It is especially ideal if you prefer to avoid repeating outfits for events. It is also helpful if you are in a sorority because you will have so many themed events and date parties in a sorority. When you think about how many outfits you need for game days, formal chapters, new member events, date parties, themed events, etc., you realize how quickly buying new outfits will add up. I use Nuuly and I could not say enough good things about it. They keep growing, and as they grow, they are getting more prominent brands, so they keep improving!
- Rewear dance dresses.
- Rewear your high school dance dresses or borrow from your friends!! One of the perks of living in a dorm is you have access to so many people's closets (with permission, of course) This is great for date parties because you will be surprised how many dresses you need and buying a new one for each event would become costly very quickly. Also, these are all new people in college! No one cares if you re-wear a dress. Rewearing and borrowing are also helpful for costumes. You will have plenty of themed events to attend, so be creative with what costume items you already have and borrow from others. I believed I needed to buy a new outfit to be precisely on the theme for each swap we had during the first semester, and it genuinely did not matter; it was a waste of money. Use your imagination and just be creative.
- Wait to buy school supplies.
- Each teacher is different and will have different requirements for the materials needed for their class. Wait until you get there so you can buy precisely what you need. Once you start attending classes, you will have the first week, which is syllabus week, to hear from your teacher about what materials will be needed for their class. For the basics, you will most likely need only a computer and one binder to organize paper materials. I get it—school supplies shopping can be so much fun, but it isn't urgent to do so before starting your first day of classes.
- Be practical.
- With my previous statement, be practical and intentional with where you spend your money. There will be many scenarios before college where you'll want to choose looks over function. I bought a new Oliver Thomas backpack because it was adorable. Still, within the first semester, I realized it wasn't practical and did not allow me to hold what I needed. So, I switched back to my old North Face, an excellent staple for college. Just keep practicality in mind when preparing for college.
- Use your student ID to get discounts.
- So many programs online and even restaurants offer student discounts. All you need is your student ID. J. Crew, Asos, Madewell, Anthropologie, and many others offer clothing discounts. For technology, Spotify, Hulu, Youtube Premium, Apple Music, and more. For food, Doordash, Hello Fresh, and Blue Apron offer discounts. For applications, Microsoft 365, Amazon Prime, Verizon, Canva, and more. Some so many more companies and products openly offer student discounts beyond these. Just Google "Does _____ have student ID discounts?" and fill in your favorite brand! Some restaurants, especially ones in college towns, offer student discounts, but most won't openly advertise them. However, it doesn't hurt to ask.
- Some places, such as Apple, Khan Academy, certain public transportation services, and AMC, even offer discounts for high schoolers. It is harder to meet the criteria as a high school student, but usually, you just need a school email. Do some research!
- Factor in sorority dues.
- Whether you or your parents will be paying your dues is something to be conscious of if you are rushing. Talk to your parents about whether they are willing to pay for them. Regardless of their answer, you still need to monitor your dues. You will be responsible for making sure the bill gets paid, or you will receive a fine. Tip: Set up auto-pay if you can; it is so helpful.
- Meals with friends.
- You may be surprised how easy it is to spend money on food so quickly. Especially during 1st semester, you will go out to eat all. the. time. You can often go somewhere your dining dollars are eligible. However, when you're so busy trying to meet people, getting food or grabbing coffee is one of the easiest things to do, so try to regulate this. Instead, try to invite people to walk to the chapter room with you, study together, grab a meal at the dining hall to use your swipes, etc.
- Coffee.
- I was a coffee girl in high school just because I liked the ones that were 90% sugar. But I started drinking so much more coffee in college with less and less sugar each time. I was dependent on it, especially in the first semester. That said, get a coffee maker if you like coffee—even a cheap one to brew a whole pot. I insisted I wouldn't need one when packing for college because I wasn't dependent on it, but it would have saved me so much money if I had one. If you like coffee and think it helps you study, consider getting one. If you get one, bring some travel coffee mugs when you move in or get cheap paper ones to help you take it to class or to study. My solution to not having a coffee maker was to buy premade cold brew and add sugar-free flavoring, a cheap and yummy solution.
- Get meal plans.
- Some schools require that all freshmen have a meal plan. However, even if your school doesn't require it, looking into it and weighing the pricing options is a wise decision, especially if you are a freshman. Freshman year consists of a lot of trial and error, and a meal plan will help you avoid worrying about grocery shopping as much as possible or if you have time to make a meal or what you can make. Start with the lowest dining plan, and you can always upgrade to more dining hall swipes and dining dollars. If you have it, actually use it!!!
- Credit card.
- If you don't have a credit card, talk to your parents about getting one. It is also good to have a debit card. However, some scenarios require a credit card, not a debit card; some businesses are specific about that. You might get in an emergency where you need a credit card. I recommend talking to your parents about getting one for emergencies or your allowance.
- Uber.
- If you don't have your car on campus or just don't have it easily accessible, remember that you must allot some money for Uber. I thought everything would be within walking distance, but you'd be surprised by how long it can take to seemingly go across campus. Uber has a feature that allows you to split your ride fare with friends who are also riding with you, which I highly recommend. Please always have a reliable ride home wherever you are going; you might even want to preprogram your card into your phone to make ordering an Uber easier. Tip: Uber offers student discounts!
- Working out.
- Think about how you will stay active in college! I hadn't planned this beforehand, and I wish I had. The first semester got so busy quickly, and I didn't think about this as early as I wished. If you want to save money on something other than a gym, then use the gym on your campus. You can also stay active by walking or running—it's free! Many people join outside gyms based on personal preference, so be sure to consider if this is an option for you or if your parents would be willing to help you pay for it. I purchased a gym membership with classes you must sign up for and attend because it helps motivate me to have other people in my class. Some gyms even offer student discounts, so research one that is accessible to your living area and generally works for you. Also, ask them if they have a student discount. (Remember, they might not advertise it, so it doesn't hurt to ask.)
- Hair & nails
- Getting all dolled up for game days and date parties can be costly, and keeping your nails done for every event can add up quickly. To save some money, I learned how to do my own dip nails, so I would either do that or get my roommate to paint my nails with her gel kit. You can just grab one off of Amazon. Here is the link to the one we used. https://amzn.to/4cQ647a I find that any gel nail polish only lasts a few days, but that's plenty of time for a weekend or one-night event. Consider finding a hairstylist in your college town instead of having to travel home anytime you want to get your hair cut. Again, ask your parents if they would help you pay for this.
- Record what you spend your money on.
- This helps to know where all your money goes…because it goes fast. You can use an Excel spreadsheet, keep a designated note on your phone, or use a planner. Essentially, just write down anything and everything you spend money on. Look over it at the end of the month to see where you spend your money and what purchases you can limit in the future.
- Things to talk to your parents about spending-wise.
- Gas/travel money.
- Food or drinks that are not included in meal plans. (groceries & snacks, coffee shop treats, off-campus dinners)
- Entertainment. (concerts, football games, etc.)
- School supplies. (textbooks, notebooks, etc.)
- Laptop and related equipment.
- Medical expenses.
With Love,
Isabella XO
