We all know college is expensive and students are usually broke.
Jokes about students eating cereal and ramen for breakfast, lunch and dinner are runof-the-mill.
I'm pretty sure Taco Bell was created by college kids just trying to make the last few dollars in their bank account last all the way through finals week.
But by tweaking some small lifestyle choices, college life doesn't always have to break the bank.
#1 Shop with coupons & rewards
Kroger is amazing about sending coupons for free grocery items every month or so if you sign up for their Kroger Plus rewards card.
You also get discounted prices as a Kroger Plus Card member, and can download digital coupons so you won't spend your Sunday clipping coupons like a TLC show maniac.
Winn-Dixie also offers 5 cents off every gallon of gas with their rewards card, which may not sound like much, but you're going to wish you saved that little bit when all you want is a candy bar from Outtakes and you're scraping the bottom of your book bag for spare change.
Deal sites such as Groupon.com, LivingSocial.com, and Slickdeals.net offer huge discounts on normally expensive services like oil changes and eye care.
#2 Take the bus
I know taking a bus isn't as fast or convenient as just zipping to campus, but honestly, are you going to find a parking spot anyway?
Spare yourself the headache that is C-Zone and save a few dollars in gas by hopping on the Tiger Transit.
#3 Get an on-campus job
There are plenty of great, flexible jobs available within a wide variety of University departments and locations on campus. Jobs can range from as little as 10-25 hours per week, and you are often able to choose your schedule and work around your classes and other activities.
On-campus jobs look great on resumes, help you meet people on campus and provide a little extra spending money.
#4 Dine in
I'll admit, I love eating out just as much as the next person and on top of being a pretty terrible cook, that leads to a lot of calls to Jimmy Johns and trips to Moe's for a quick dinner.
But after tips, gratuities and delivery fees, you end up spending much more than you would spend on a dinner made at home with groceries purchased with coupons (tip #1 anyone?).
It will take more time to prepare, but you'll save a decent amount of cash and sharpen a useful life skill in the process.
Sites such as Pinterest.com often have copycat recipes for popular restaurants and for you amateur cooks, free apps like How to Cook Everything by Culinate, Inc. take you step-by-step through even the mostbasic cooking techniques.
#5 Go with water
Of course, there are plenty of occasions that warrant splurging on dinner out.
When you do decide to hit your favorite pizza joint, don't get a $3 soda on top of your meal price and stick with good old ( free) H2O.
Most drinks offered, such as sodas and sweet tea, are high in calories anyway. Why not save yourself the few dollars all the while making a healthier choice?
Your wallet and waistline will thank you.
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