Saving for the Season Top 10 Tips

Tis the season to be broker than usual falalalalaa  la la la laaa. Students are notoriously poor due to the phenomenal fees we must pay to be educated and the cost of living – despite the student breaks we are sometimes given. At this time of the year we must choose between being even more frugal or disappointing the ones we love. Not a happy choice but then again, studies show that we release more happiness inducing endorphins from giving than receiving - so it’s all worth it in the end.

In the spirit of the season here are the top ten tips for Xmas saving (and then giving):

1. Eat-in. The cost of cooking at home is a fraction of the cost of eating out, even fast food.
2. Buy the store brand or in other words generic products instead of big brand names.
3. Car pool or take public transport or even better, walk or bike.
4. Budget; set spending limits for everything you need and stick to them.
5. Take your date on a moonlit walk and then for desert rather than dinner and a movie. You won’t seem cheap, you’ll seem romantic.
6. Biff the cell phone and communicate online. Email, social network and phone family and friends using free online services.
7. Don’t be too proud to accept help, if you meet the criteria to get them take advantage of Medicare, transport vouchers and food stamps.
8. Buy clean skin wines, these are unlabeled bottles of really nice wine which have been rejected for labelled sale for reasons that have nothing to do with the quality of the wine.
9. Open student accounts at places like banks to avoid the fees and always carry your student ID to take advantage of other discounts.
10. Get a room-mate. Rent is a major expense; share it around as much as you can.