How to Save on College Costs Without Hitting Your Wallet Too Hard

Picture: Illustration how to save on college costs without hitting your wallet too hard

If you're a college student, you know how expensive it is to go to school. You also may be able to save money on tuition through scholarships and grants. 

But even if your parents have ample resources for college and are willing to help with the costs, there are still other ways to cut down on those costs and still get what you need from life. Here are some tips from experts who have been there:

Buy used textbooks.

If you’re looking to save money on books, the first thing to do is look at used bookstores. Most students have access to their college library and can get a hold of most books they need that way. 

However, if your school doesn't offer an online database of its own or if it's not available at all in your area (or even if it is), then buying used textbooks could be an option worth considering.

You might also consider checking out sites like Amazon or Book Depository where people sell their old textbooks for cheap prices—just make sure you double-check that they're legit! 

Some students have reported getting fake versions from these places; so make sure the seller says "used" and not "new". 

If anything seems suspicious about how much someone's asking for their used textbook or what kind of condition it's in when he/she sells them off (say... stains?), don't buy from him/her until after doing some research online first!

Read Also: Best Money Saving Tips for College Students

Use your school's library.

• Check out books, study spaces, computers, and other resources.
• Use the library for research.
• Take advantage of its hours! Some colleges offer extended hours during exam periods or finals week so that students can work on their assignments without having to worry about getting home in time for dinner. 

If this isn't available at your school (and it probably isn't), consider checking out an online catalog or app that allows you to look up information from anywhere in the world—no matter what time zone you're in! 

You can even get help from librarians who know how everything works inside a university's library system better than anyone else on campus does: just ask nicely if they'd mind helping out with some questions about accessing certain resources before leaving those premises after class ends each day/weekend/etcetera...

Apply for scholarships and grants.

Scholarships and grants are given to students who meet certain criteria, like having a certain GPA or being from a particular area of study. 

If you’re not sure whether your application should be considered for this type of funding, ask the college where you plan to attend about their preferences for applicants.

You can find scholarships in the form of:

• Individual awards are given by private organizations (like corporations) for specific activities or accomplishments
• Government grants that pay for education expenses

Get a job on campus.

There are a few ways you can earn money while in school. You can work at a local coffee shop or bakery, sell your craft, or even go door-to-door for one of the many companies that hire college students.

If you're interested in getting paid to do something that relates to your academic major, consider applying for internships with organizations such as Google or Facebook. 

These opportunities often come with stipulations about how long the internship will last and what kind of work experience you need before your start date (such as writing code).

To make sure this type of job is right for you:

• Make sure it's relevant to what they're studying at school—this way they'll be able to use their skillset more effectively!

• Research these companies online first so there aren't any surprises down the road when applying directly through their website instead of blindly sending off an email without knowing anything about them beforehand."

Take free courses online.

You don't need to spend a lot of money to get the most out of your college experience. You can take free courses online and earn certificates or degrees that you can use in the future.

There are different types of free courses, including:

• MOOCs—Massively Open Online Courses (sometimes called "massive open online courses" or "MOOCs"). These are self-paced learning programs that allow anyone with an internet connection access to their content. 

Some schools offer these as part of their degree requirements; others may offer them for independent study purposes only.

• PBS—Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) offers many different types of video lectures on topics ranging from science and history to business management skills; some topics even include live events like speeches by famous people! 

If you're interested in learning more about how this works, check out my article here: How Do I Watch PBS Programs Online?

Make shopping lists and stick to them.

It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of college shopping, but it's important not to forget about your budget. Make sure you have a list of what you need and stick with it, even if that means skipping on some things. For example:

• If you're planning on taking classes at a local community college or university, don't buy textbooks until after they've been released. 

You can then search for deals online or in stores like Amazon that are offering 80% off sales events at regular intervals throughout the year (or even during exam season).

• Don't buy anything without researching first—especially pre-owned items! 

There's no way of knowing how much wear and tear someone has put into an item before purchasing it unless they tell you themselves...and trust us when we say that most people won't volunteer this information (even though we'd love nothing more than sharing our stories with others).

Eat in as much as possible.

When you're going to college, eating at home is one of the best ways to save on food. This can be especially true if you're not used to cooking or don't have a lot of money for buying meals.

If your room and board include dining services, try ordering from them instead of going out every day or week. 

If they don't provide any meals at all—or if they only offer unhealthy options like pizza and chicken nuggets—it might be worth exploring other options further down this page!

If this isn't an option for you because your school doesn't offer campus dining halls (and it probably shouldn't be), then consider joining an online food delivery service like GrubHub, which takes care of everything else so that all you need to do is order what looks good on their app menu and get ready for takeout when it arrives at your doorstep!

Avoid expensive housing and transportation costs.

Living on campus is one of the most expensive ways to go. If you're going to live off campus, keep in mind that it will cost more for room and board than staying in a dorm or apartment.

Even though many scholarships cover some of your tuition costs and grants can help pay for books and fees, there will still be room costs associated with living off campus.

If you don’t have a car because your parents are paying for transportation or if they won't allow you to drive their vehicle while they are still paying off their car loan(s), then that means either riding public transportation every day or finding another way around town (like walking).

You can avoid having an expensive cell phone plan by getting rid of all those apps on your phone that aren't necessary at all times like Facebook Messenger (which gets a lot of usages) but also Instagram Stories which has been replaced by Snapchat today due to its popularity among young people who --

use social media platforms regularly throughout their lives whether in high school or college years where most likely there may not be any other option available except working somewhere else during summer break period before returning full-time job next semester starts back up again."

These tips are not just for college students but for anyone who needs to save money on the things they want or need

These tips are not just for college students but for anyone who needs to save money on the things they want or need.

• Look at your budget and see where you have room to cut back. Sometimes we get so focused on what we can't afford that we forget about all of the little things that we can do without. 

For example, if you've been eating out every night with friends, try going out once a week instead of every day—or even better yet: cut out socializing altogether!

• Save money by getting rid of unnecessary items in your life (e.g., clothes). If there's something, in particular, that doesn't fit well anymore—maybe because it's too small or old/worn-out—don't hesitate to get rid of it right away! 

The best way how is by selling off gently used clothes online through sites like Poshmark (www), eBay (www), ThredUp (www), ShopKeepr ($$$), etc…

Conclusion

You don't have to break the bank to pay for college. Just follow these tips and you will be able to maintain a good balance between your budget and your goals. (*)