Dear Adventure Avenue,
As some of you may know, I am a college student studying business (concentrating in marketing) and French. Frugality is in my blood, and I love finding new ways to save and make money as a college student.
Lately, I’ve mentioned a few things I do to save or make money, and some of my college-age friends hadn’t heard about them, so I’m guessing there’s a chance you haven’t heard of them either. Most of these tips are things I wished Freshman me would’ve known. Now, let’s save and make some money!
Save Money on Textbooks
- Do you really need to buy that book? Sometimes the professor tells you that you don’t need the book on the first day, or that it’s not really necessary. If it turns out you do need the book, there are often rentals or online versions that are easily attainable after class has started.
- If you’re like me and feel the need to buy ALL the books, this next tip is for you. Barnes & Noble has a Textbook Buy Back Service! I’ve sent books here and have made some of my money back! It also accepts books other than textbooks.
- This goes with a later topic, but you can also list your old textbooks on eBay. I’ve done this with a couple of my textbooks and was able to recoup a bit of money. While by no means did it cover the original cost, I made more than if I just threw them in the recycling bin.
- Strategize and use Cengage Unlimited. Cengage Unlimited is a flat fee for the semester/year you pay and then you have unlimited access to the books they have on their platform. This money saving tip can be very hard to implement because it requires planning your classes in advance. How I do it: I look up the classes I will need to take next semester in the current semester to see what textbooks they are using. Often different classes will use different books, so I look for the classes that use books that Cengage Unlimited has. I jot them down, and then plan on taking those courses. This way, I have a pretty good idea if the classes I’m signing up for will use Cengage Unlimited.
Utilize the Library
I love to borrow physical and audiobooks from my local public library. If I ever need a book for writing a paper, I try to borrow it from my school library. It is quite possible too that your library offers a service called Kanopy that can be used to watch movies for free.
Another strategy to save on textbooks is to borrow the book you need from the library, but this could require a bit of advanced planning because more than one thrifty student may have the same idea.
Side Hustle
As a budding marketing student, I felt the need to put my newfound skills to the test and started learning how to sell things online.
- Poshmark
I’ve sold mostly clothes on Poshmark, but also some household items. Poshmark is a great way to make a little extra cash off some of your [nice] clothes that you no longer want. It can also be a great place to shop second hand if you’re into that. Use my code asposhadventure to get $10 when you sign up! Check out my Poshmark selling adventure here.
- Take your clothes into a consignment store
This option is perfect if you have trendy clothes. Take those clothes into a Buy Sell Trade store like Uptown Cheapskate or Crossroads, and they will give you cash or store credit. I always accept the cash even though it’s less because I’d rather have the spending money than more clothes.
3. Send your clothes into ThredUp
I have done this a couple times, but every time thus far I’ve done it for a gift card to a store like GAP or Athleta because those boxes are processed faster. Check out this blog post if you want to learn more about ThredUP
I have one in right now that I sent in sometime in May and it still hasn’t been processed, but when it does, I will do a recount of how much I made and what they accepted.
4. Sell on eBay.
As I’ve mentioned above, I like to sell my used textbooks on eBay. Do you know what to do with loose-leaf textbooks? Sell them on eBay! I was shocked when one of my loose-leaf textbooks sold on eBay because I resigned to the fact that they had no resale value, but to my surprise, they do!
5. Petsit or Babysit
If you’re good with animals or kids, this is a great way to earn a little extra money. Often, you can even get homework done while the kids (or pups) are sleeping!
Apply to Scholarships!
This is a big one. I’m guilty of falling into the trap of saying, “I’m too busy to apply” but if you can get them, this is usually a good chunk of cash that can go towards your college expenses. I recommend seeing if and when your school and/or your school’s student government has scholarships.
Also, ask your parents if their work offers a scholarship you qualify for because often those will have a smaller candidate pool – meaning your odds are much higher!
Grow Something
The easiest thing I’ve found to grow is green bunching onions. They’re perfect for giving a scrambled egg a little bit more flavor or throwing into a baked potato. They also regenerate meaning once you plant them, all you do is trim the green down to the soil, and they will grow back!
I’ve also had success with growing basil and tomatoes in pots. Mint is also supposed to be very easy to grow in a pot, and it can be used to make ordinary water taste better.
Note: This tip is more for the people who are living off campus or who don’t have a dining plan on campus. If you have a dining plan – use it! When I had a dining plan, I would often leave after eating lunch with a banana or an orange to save as a snack later.
Money-Making Apps
These apps won’t make you rich quick, but they will help you earn a little extra spending money. My tip is to save up for a Starbucks gift card and use that if you enjoy studying at a place that’s not home, or you need a place with free wifi! I’ve already written a blog post on these, so be sure to check it out here, BUT I have found a new app that sends your earnings straight to your Paypal (or you can get an Amazon gift card).
It’s called Receipt Hog and you’ll get 5 bonus spins (which earn you coins) when you redeem your first receipt by clicking this link or entering my code: drim6374. Receipts earn you coins or spins, and 200-399 coins is equal to $1.
I hope there are some new tips in here that you hadn’t heard before! Let me know if you have any tips on how to save money as a college student!
Sincerely,
A
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