10 Simple Ways for Students to Hack Their Budgets
There’s no better time to be a savvy budget hacker than as a student. The student discounts are endless and any money saved now to be invested could multiply many times over later on.
So, here are 10 simple ways that students and recent grads can hack their budgets to earn some extra cash and save on everyday purchases.
1. Save Up to 14% at Starbucks
I’ll be the first to admit that I love Starbucks, but it can be a drain on my wallet when shelling out upwards of $5 per drink.
Thankfully buying discounted Starbucks gift cards online with Raise is as simple as paying with cash. In fact, it’s so simple with gift card marketplaces Raise and CardPool that you can instantly purchase gift cards at double-digit discounts and have them immediately delivered to your app wallet. Then just scan the newly purchased gift card at checkout and you’re done.
Update: Inventory for Starbucks cards at Raise has been sparse recently. But fear not, CardPool has been picking up the slack and has available Starbucks gift card inventory.
2. Get a Free $10 Bonus Through Ebates
I now make almost all of my purchases online. That’s because Ebates provides up to 35% cash back.
Ebates has partnered with nearly every recognized brand one can think of to offer cash back for starting a shopping session through Ebates. There are tons of cash back sites online but this is the only one that I’ve found to be non-intrusive, simple, and a valuable addition to my life.
Best yet, uncover how to score a free $10 gift card when signing up for Ebates with an email address and making qualifying purchases. Ebates is free to use and it makes sense to get paid for purchases you were already going to make anyway.
3. Get 50% Off Amazon Prime and a 6-Month Trial
Amazon Prime is a steal for its 1-month trial and regular price of $99 annually. But students can score an even better deal — a 6-month Prime free trial and a 50% ongoing discount.
With Amazon’s deep catalog of deals for school supplies, textbooks, free 2-day shipping, streaming and music services, and everything else under the sun, Amazon Prime is jam packed with valuable features for students.
4. Sell Your Graphing Calculator for $75 on Amazon
It’s unlikely you’re going to use that TI graphing or financial calculator outside of class, so why not trade it in on Amazon? All it takes is a few clicks and Amazon will pay to ship the item to its fulfillment centers.
And TI-84’s are currently going for $75!
To list a calculator, just search for the graphing calculator model on Amazon. Once on the product page, you’ll see a button labeled “trade in now.”
Then select the calculator’s condition and answer a few other basic questions. Amazon will then provide you with a prepaid shipping label.
That’s it, and all that’s left is for Amazon to review the products condition first hand, after which, Amazon will issue a gift card for the assessed value.
5. Sell Leftover Books for Cash
I’m guessing many students use Amazon to sell their old textbooks, but you’re likely leaving money on the table.
Bookscouter shows the best available price when selling back books online. Just enter the book’s ISBN online or download the app to scan the barcode.
Bookscouter then scours the Internet for the best selling price available. All you’ll then need to do is visit that site, enter in some basic details, and then ship the book. The companies I’ve used with Bookscouter all provided free shipping labels, but you’ll want to verify before jumping in with any unknown companies.
Keep in mind, Bookscouter is not just for textbooks, and you can sell any old books.
6. Score a $20 Cash Bonus for Free with netSpend
I’ve uncovered a clever way to score a free $20 bonus with netSpend, or better stated, enough to get your hands on enough money for a free six-pack and a pizza. Not too shabby in my mind, especially since it’s a simple budget hack.
NetSpend offers prepaid debit cards, which are similar to a Visa gift card that can be spent for everyday purchases. The company normally charges a fee for every transaction, but there won’t be charges using the trick I’ve uncovered. I put together a quick video of how to can claim a free $20 NetSpend bonus.
7. Get Paid Up to $400 Per Hour With Checking Account Bonuses
Banks are happy to roll out a plush red carpet for customers, offering up to a $300 bonus for the privilege of calling you a new member. Claiming these bonuses can be one of the most lucrative budget hacks for the time — a true no-brainer in my mind.
Banks generally require the following to qualify:
- Open a checking or savings account and make a small initial deposit.
- Set up recurring direct deposits (sorry, you’ll need a job for this cash hack) for a certain value within a specified time frame.
- Wait for the signup bonus to be deposited after meeting the initial qualifications.
- Once deposited, transfer the money out for free using PayPal or Venmo, then close the account.
8. Hack Your Way to Savings at Costco
Anyone can still access a surprising number of Costco benefits without being a member.
If not wanting to shell out $55 for a basic membership, a member can purchase a gift card for non-members, which can then be used as normal throughout the store. Don’t forget to save some extra cash buying discounted gift cards through Raise or Cardpool, where they generally sell Costco gift cards for anywhere from 1%-10% off.
But do proceed at your own risk with this savings hack. I’ve heard Costco is cutting down on accepting gift cards without a membership.
Regardless, the food café is open to everyone, where a hot dog and soda will only set you back a wallet-friendly $1.50.
The separate alcohol departments are open to non-members as well, due to some state regulations. You’ll want to call your local store to verify since this doesn’t apply in every state. If a certain state qualifies, beer and hard liquor are available for huge bargains.
9. Get Up to $200 Off at Apple
Let’s be honest. Apple products are downright expensive. They’re also swoon-worthy must haves in my mind.
Thankfully, Apple has a student discount that will save students up to $200 on new iPads and Macbooks.
So take advantage of being able to call yourself a student while possible. Just Google “Apple Student Discount” to get the ball rolling.
10. Use apps to automate savings and claim extra cash
Product Hunt wrote a great Medium post of apps that automate saving money and/or helps find extra cash that’s sitting around. Digit is a good start for students looking to save since the app is simple to use and an easy way to put saving money on cruise control.
In addition to the apps covered in the above article, students might find the below options useful as well:
- Ibotta — Discounts on groceries and beer. Ibotta offers new users a free $10 bonus.
- Paribus — Automates the process of claiming lowest price guarantees from sites, including Amazon.
So there you go. You’re now equipped with a fully-loaded quiver of cash hacks to make some easy money and save on everyday purchases.
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*Lastly, there’s one thing you should know. Some links in this article are affiliate links that earn referral commissions when you click them or sign up. I hope you find these tips so valuable to take action using these links. Thank you for doing so!
FYI: This article originally appeared on my website and has been edited for Medium
