We all know that being a college student is tough especially on your pockets so why not try to save every cent possible. As a college student you might not know where to begin and I’m here to help!

  1. First and foremost, your best weapon is your college ID. Many places around your college campus and even big brands give students a special discount. All you need to access it is your college ID and email. Amazon, for example, has a 50% student discount for its Prime membership. Major music platforms such as Apple Music and Spotify also offer discounts to students which can help you save.
  2. My favorite hack to save is Googling coupons. Whenever you go out to buy something make sure you Google the store’s name and “coupon.” A couple of years ago I went to Michael’s Arts and Crafts Store and while I was waiting in line I looked up “Michael’s Coupons” on Google and luckily, I got a 20% off discount. Ever since I’ve simply started searching up coupons while standing in line before making a payment.
  3. The Sunday paper is another great source of coupons. If you live at home, you may have a better chance at getting coupons compared to a college dorm. Some days there is a package of coupons delivered right to your doorstep and it is a great way to save. All you need to do is take out about 15 minutes to quickly go through the coupons and save the ones you will need. Make sure you check the expiration date because there’s no point of saving coupons you won’t even use before the expiration.
  4. Make sure you read the conditions of the coupon. Some coupons may say “one per purchase” which is often mistaken for one coupon per day/ transaction but this is untrue. “One per purchase” actually means you can only use one coupon per every item that you purchase so if you buy 5 of the eligible items you are actually allowed to use it 5 times, once per each eligible item.
  5. Space is limited for students who live in dorms but it can’t hurt to set aside a small place where you can stockpile supplies. Often times stores have sales that are once/twice a year deals so it is best to buy for the future and save things in your stockpile rather than buying it later at a much higher price. Sometimes you may have a coupon that will expire in a week but you won’t need anything specific until the end of the month so you won’t buy it but, trust me, you should!
  6. Paying attention to sales is another way you can save and you do not even need coupons for this! Some stores have seasonal sales and the prices are unmatched. Forever 21, for example, has a sale twice a year where everything in their clearance section does not cost more than $10. The first time I discovered the sale I was able to find a skirt for only 25 cents.

Couponing may sound like a hassle at first but once you start incorporating it into your shopping routine you will not regret it!