Penny pinching: How to save money in one month

Briana Wilcher | Correspondent

There are many great things about being a college student such as moving into a new dorm, acing exams, and having the freedom to do what you want to do.

However, of all those great things, one of the worst things about being a college student is being close to broke. We have all been there no matter how much we try to deny it. We either have our hours cut back at work for no reason, or we do not have a job and we have to ask our friends or parents for some extra cash when we are running low. But what if the extra cash that we are spending could be used for more productive things, such as going into a savings account or starting to make small payments on your student loans?

Some of the ways that we can save money are actually pretty simple. Instead of going for that morning coffee each day, try cutting back to three days a week. Sacrificing coffee two days during a week is not that bad, however, if you still need a caffeine fix spring for a ten dollar coffee maker. It may seem like a lot now but it will save you more money in the long run.

Lunch is important and skipping it is not an option, so, try making sandwiches two days out the week to save a few bucks. You can also keep a healthy snack in your bag to satisfy the mid-day hunger.

Another tip that will help students save money is to leave credit cards at home in a safe place. That is really the best way to go about it. It is a quick and easy fix for the temptation of splurging on something they want, but really do not need.

Most college students work nowadays so the last way to save money would be to take out, if possible, twenty five to thirty dollars each paycheck and put it in a savings account. That money will add up quickly by the end of the semester.Students could save three hundred or more dollars when they take out thirty dollars or more from their paycheck every month. That is enough to pay for what is really important, such as books and school supplies.

If you start today and continue for a few months you could make a lot of progress. So, are you up for the challenge?