Everyday Ways to Save Money
From a broke college student.
Sticking to a budget is one of the harder parts of adulting. It can be difficult to tow the line between having fun and saving money.
As a college student with a minimum wage job in New York City, I can 100% attest to this. So, I have developed a few rules that I live by that allow me to live large while spending very little money. Here they are.
I started making my coffee at home.
As a disclaimer, I hate the idea that buying expensive coffees every day is the reason millennials can’t afford a house. This simply is not true. However, in order to afford other luxuries, I decided to make my coffee at home. Most of the time, at least. I have to treat myself to a barista-made seasonal coffee every once in a while.
Don’t get me wrong, I still splurge on my coffee. Nespresso pods aren’t cheap. But they are definitely cheaper than the $8 lattes I was getting every day.
I buy second-hand.
Thanks to my mom, I was out scouring the thrift stores before it was cool. So it came pretty naturally when I moved to New York City and my only affordable option was shopping second-hand.
Most all of my clothing and furniture is thrifted. Not only does this save me a lot of money, but it’s one of the best ways individuals can limit their contributions to the fast fashion industry. And the fast furniture industry?
I’m also able to find great, one-of-a-kind pieces that would otherwise be out of my price range. Certain staples should be bought new — socks, underwear, bras, and so on. And for those items, I try to turn to deeply discounted sustainable brands.
When all else fails, I turn to places like TJ Maxx, Marshalls, HomeGoods, and Ross. While they are fast fashion, they sell a lot of the same brands as higher-end stores at a fraction of the price.
I stick to the cheap eats.
While eating out isn’t generally budget-friendly, I have come to the conclusion that I can’t live without it. In order to facilitate my restaurant addiction, however, I make sure to stick to one-dollar-sign places.
The cheap eats section of TripAdvisor is my best friend when it comes to this. I also look for food trucks and hole-in-the-wall places, as they are almost guaranteed to serve great food for under $15.
Oddly enough, this is something that is easily achievable in a place like New York City. While it has its fair share of expensive restaurants, it also has a great variety of cheap ones.
Obviously, I will splurge every once in a while on a good meal. But even then, I don’t really go over $40 a head.
I seek out subsidized options.
When it comes to education and healthcare, it doesn’t hurt to have smaller paychecks. While it’s definitely not a choice to be making minimum wage, it has helped when applying for schools and getting healthcare.
I go to a public college which is pretty cheap to begin with. They are a top-rated school in value, if that paints a better picture. New York, among other states, directs a lot of government funding towards education. Thus, I’m able to attend a pretty good school for pretty much nothing.
When it comes to healthcare, I signed up before I started working and my income was quite literally nothing. This definitely contributed to the low, low monthly price I pay of $0. But after having a job for several years, albeit a barista job, I still have yet to pay a single dollar for excellent medical care.
New York is known for providing great resources for those with less money. There are additional options like food stamps, unemployment, and even half off subway rides in the city. But many other states have a lot of the same options. It is definitely worth it to look into.
Closing Thoughts
While sticking to a budget may seem daunting, there are many ways to go about it. There are simple swaps, like making coffee at home. And there are bigger lifestyle changes, like attending a public college instead of a private school.
Staying mindful of my spending and becoming more financially literate has helped me prepare for the future. And by sticking to my everyday rules on saving money, I’m able to live more while spending less.
