How to Save Up On Food And Night-outs And Still Have Fun
On top of everything that you have to worry about during your university life, you have one other thing to consider – a social circle. Unless all of our buddies from high school enter the same university as yours and have enrolled in the same courses, you will need to find new people you can hang out with and develop friendships with. But – and this one is big – you will have to spend.
For instance, having roommates would mean you will probably need to share some food at some point. Resist the urge to buy pizza every time; if you do, your roommates are bound to think that you have more money to spend and would depend on you for snacks. What you can do though is to share peanut butter and jelly sandwiches which are healthier, easy to make, and milder to your pocket. Do not over do it though; when you have reached the level of comfortability, invade their personal foodstuff once in a while. This way, they will know that you run out of food sometimes also. But, do not get food from them without telling them first, and of course, never abuse friendships just for the sake of not spending on food.
Avoid going on too many drinking sprees. Beer is not cheap and if you go to a club, you will not be able to resist the urge of buying one bottle after another. If it is not against the rules in your apartment or dormitory, a cheaper way of drinking with your newfound buddies is to buy a six pack and drink at home while playing a friendly game of poker or watching TV. If you are itching to go out, go to bars that offer specials for students or those that serve beer by the pitcher, and those that do not ask for a cover charge. You could also choose to go out in the early evening when the booze is still cheap or you can opt to go out on a slow night. You can always brew your own alcohol if you are not so comfortable with cheap beer, or you can buy cheap wine instead.
Rather than going out for coffee, have the gang come up with some money to buy a coffee maker or even a small espresso or cappuccino machine. This way, you all save about $4 everyday on your daily caffeine fix.
For your meals, if you are paying for partial or full meals, use it. Chances are your new buddies are enrolled in the same program and you can all eat together. If there isn’t any rule against taking out your food, then you can choose not to eat in the dining hall and go to the campus park for a quick picnic instead after a game of football. There are so many ways to save money while enjoying your stay in the university, all you have to do is live within your means and be a miser whenever you can.