The Art of Being a Rich Student Many people claim that student years are the happiest. However, many of those who think so cannot but agree that this time is also the most penniless. Renting an apartment and covering living expenses are tough, which neither parents nor a part-time job can help with. If you are a student stuck with holes in the budget, then keep reading this post. Our tricks will help you save money and reallocate funds so that you have free money for something essential and necessary every month. #1 — Plan Your Time For every student, it is extremely difficult to eat normally and on time. You wake up for studies early in the morning and get back home in the late afternoon. There is often not enough time for a meal during the day. What’s more, you are so tired in the evening that you skip preparing a balanced meal yourself and end up ordering fast-food products. To avoid this, try to plan your time. Firstly, you will be able to have a normal breakfast without being late for studies. Secondly, you will organize your day in a smart way and have time to relax and do your homework. #2 — Calculate Your Budget This trick will help you decide on what you spend more — food or entertainment. You can write down all the expenses in a notebook or download a dedicated application to your smartphone. Thus, you will get an idea of how your budget is spent and what purchases should be removed from the expense list in the future. #3 — Plan the Menu for the Whole Week Develop the habit of planning your menu for a week. Before going to the store or checking the Publix weekly ads on the Internet, make a list of the products you need to purchase. This will help you to save a significant part of your budget because you will definitely buy yourself something unnecessary without a clear purchase plan. #4 — Cook Yourself This is the most effective way to save money. Firstly, you will cook what you want, and secondly, there will be a lot of food. So, you will not have to rack your brains with what to eat. #5 — Buy in Bulk If you go to the store every day (well, or almost every day), there is a chance to spend your budget twice as fast. So, make a list of the products you need, calculate their quantity, and go to the store. Buy everything in one go; thus, you kill two birds with one stone — buy everything you need at once and spend as little as possible. And don't forget about promotional items. Use them as a benefit to your monthly grocery budget for one person and it will never get extreme levels. #6 — Use Bank Cards as Little as Possible The more often we use bank cards, the more difficult it is for us to keep the budget safe. We do not feel how much money we spend; therefore, it is easier for us to part with it. When paying in cash, we make sure that our finances are not wasted in one go. #7 — Save on Bad Habits A huge part of the money is spent on satisfying bad habits, such as smoking. Just count how many packs a day you smoke and then convert it into a monetary equivalent, and you will get disappointed. #8 — Take an Advantage of Student Discounts In many institutions, there are special promotions and discounts for students. For example, fulltime students can visit the National Art Museum with a 50% discount. What is more, some coffee shops, cafes, and chain stores offer discounts from 5 to 15% for students. So, do not forget to check them. The main thing here is to follow the news and announcements, and this will save you a couple of bucks! Final Say As you can see, there are a lot of ways to save money; the main thing in this business is the desire to do it. Well, we do hope the above tips will help you plan your budget smartly and significantly reduce your expenses!