Living as a student is fun and exciting when you avoid thinking about the costs of living, right!
There might be some struggles during your study and it's ok. Moving away from home can be expensive, and managing your own money can be daunting.
However, there are things you can do to help you live cost-effectively as a student in 2021.
Today, we are covering some useful hacks to help you out and by making small changes in your daily routine, you can save yourself a lot of money over time and focus on your study with less stress.
Cost-Effective Lifestyle Tips for Off-campus Students
The cost of small things has a big impact on our lives. It's a tough lesson that every adult learns by experience. The sooner you understand this lesson, the brighter your future will be than you think.
When you move to another city for your education you will realize that everything is expensive than it used to be, taking care of your expenses will make you feel that.
Ok, enough of chit-chat, let's get started.
Plan Your Budget
Everything goes more smoothly when you plan and stick to it.
First, consider how much money you’ll have coming in and your spending in advance. Create a spreadsheet or use an app like Mint and write down the cost of these expenses.
- Uni costs (textbooks, stationery, and fees)
- Monthly rent & utilities
- Food and groceries
- Transportation (gas or public transport)
- Dining out and entertainment
- Phone bills, credit cards
Calculating your monthly income and expenses will help you keep track of where your money is heading, and how to cut costs.
Keep the money that you don’t need right away in a savings account.
You know that buy-buy-buy feeling, right! There is a strong attraction between you and the dress you see in the store.
If you have the money in your pocket at the time, it can be challenging to resist that feeling.
Having a savings account and keeping the most of your money there will help you save a ton of cash.
You would be surprised how certain spending decisions will affect your lifestyle. Saving money by buying only what you need gives you more flexibility in your budget in the long run.
Cook Your Meals
Whether you are in a private apartment or a student housing residence, there must be a kitchen with appliances.
Ordering food from your favorite app or eating out will hurt your wallet. Ok, you don’t have your parents to cook for you anymore so it's time to learn how to cook.
If cooking is a new thing for you, just search on youtube for easy meals. You can even invite your friends to help and make a fun activity out of it.
Take Advantage of Student Discounts
You can find local businesses tend to offer discounts for students with an ID. Even larger retailers offer student discounts.
Student discounts will be super useful on where you shop and stay, as well as how much socializing and partying you plan on doing.
Most public transportation offers student discounts as well as restaurants, cafes, and some local museums and entertainment centers.
Get a Part-Time Job or Look Out for Scholarships
A part-time job with studying can be a great way to earn your own money to spend on more fun things than the essential outgoings.
Also applying for scholarships, awards, and bursaries is worth putting in the effort and going for it.
If you don't have too much free time for a part-time job, you can always consider freelance gigs. There are handy websites for freelancing and you can make some money with your expertise.
Check Affordable Student Housing Options
Independence doesn't come cheap, and if you're trying to cut down on expenses, one of the best ways is checking affordable student housing options.
Here you can see some affordable student housing options from different countries and locations.
Toronto Affordable Student Housing
From C$295/week - Deluxe Room - Sherbourne
New York City Affordable Student Housing
From $370/week - Downtown Manhattan
Washington D. C. Affordable Student Housing
From $345/week - Deluxe Room - Foggy Bottom
London Affordable Student Housing
From $345/week - Central London
So, we have covered some useful tips for cost-effective living in this article. hope you found value in this article. There will be much more content like this one on our blog so stay tuned and stay safe.
