Doing College On A Budget

By Alyssa Irby on October 22, 2012

Do you find yourself in a bind money wise? Are you far enough into the semester or quarter that you may have run out of cash and aren’t going to get much more before you go home for winter break or Thanksgiving? That shouldn’t stop you from having fun with your friends, here are some things you can do without spending any money.

Taken by Alyssa Irby

Free Days and Events

Most museums or even the zoo and places like that have free days. These are usually advertised on their website. Your school might also have deals you can cash in on if you visit the student life desk or look on your school website. Ask your RA or upper classmen if they know of any places to get these tickets. It never hurts to ask!

Friends Night In

Eat in the dining hall rather than going out or off campus. This will help you save money that you can use to spend on a night out later on. If you aren’t sure you like the food on campus, try something new. You will never know how you feel about a food until you give it a try. If worst comes to worst, you eat salads every night. You and your friends don’t have to go out to have a good time together. Stay in one night and have a low key night hanging out watching movies or playing video games.

Take Advantage of Clubs  on Campus 

These organizations are always looking for new members and use fun events to try to gain that membership. Go to those parties, club socials, off campus outings, free-food talks, etc., even if you don’t plan on joining right away. If they are allowing free entry or cheap admission, it doesn’t hurt to give it a try. If it’s a club you’ve been meaning to join but haven’t yet, these events are great ways to check them out and have a fun night as well.

You Control Your Money

Don’t agree to do things that you don’t want to do, just because they are things your friends want to do. It is your money and if you’re on a tight budget, you don’t want to spend the little that you have on things you might not have fun doing. Maybe give your friends alternatives or explain to them your monetary situation. Honesty is almost always the best policy and if they are good friends, they will understand.

College is what you make of it, but that shouldn’t mean that you sit on the sidelines and watch your friends have fun because you don’t have the money to participate. There are plenty of things to do for free in and around your school, you might just have to put in a little effort to search for them.

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