Thrift shopping: and other ways to budget yourself in college

Between money you spend at the bar, shopping and an unpaid internship, your bank account must be a sad thing to look at. The broke college student persona is inevitable no matter how much we try. However, by making a few small changes in your life, having a college career that doesn’t break the bank can be a little easier.

1. Get a water bottle

Buying bottled water is likely one of the biggest scams in history. Just because there might be lead in your tap water doesn’t mean you have to buy SmartWater for $2.50 a bottle. You can save your body and your wallet by getting a bottle that comes with a filter. Bobble advertises that each of their filters can go through 300 water bottles worth of water and only cost $10. You can buy similar bottles from Rubbermaid or Brita.

2. Cook!

Nothing strains a wallet like eating out. You can’t get a decent meal under $10 these days. While a decent grocery store run may cost you $60, you can eat happily for at least two weeks. Instead of meeting friends at a restaurant, opt for a potluck at your apartment. Maybe invest in a cookbook while you’re at it.

3. Shop wisely

For the shopaholics out there, budgeting yourself can be one of the hardest things in the world. There is no worse feeling than having to give up a bargain deal in order to have money to feed yourself. When shopping, don’t go for the shocking colors, and Lady Gaga-esque accessories. But pieces you can dress up or dress down — something that could work for class and your weekend plans.

4. Cut Down Your Cellphone Bill

They call us the Smartphone generation but iMessage and Snapchat don’t come cheap. An unlimited talk, text and data plan can cost almost $100, not to mention the cost of the phone. If you have a smartphone, there are easy ways to bring that number down. WhatsApp lets you text whoever you want as much as you want using an internet connection. Google Voice and Skype let you use an internet connection for phone calls as well. With these apps, you can go for the cheapest cell phone plan next month.

5. Go Thrift Shopping

If you’re Looking for a come-up, to pop some tags and/or wear your grandad’s clothes, then thrift shopping is for you, because $50 for a T-shirt? That’s some ignorant b*[email protected]# sh*t.