College can be hard to pay for in these tough economic times.  Because of this, the California College News Team got together and created this list of 9 ways to save money while in college:

1. Buy Your Textbooks Online

Textbooks can be very expensive and the cost adds up when you have to buy them multiple times each school year. Buying textbooks from your local college bookstore will almost always cost you more than buying your textbooks online. The great thing about shopping for them online is that you can browse the costs at a variety of online sites to make sure you get the best deal.

2. Borrow Movies From Your Local Public Library

Going out to the movies is not cheap, neither are cable television or Netflix. Luckily many public libraries offer a great selection of DVD’s you can borrow. The selection may not be the newest movies, but you still get entertainment for free. While you might be able to download movies online for free, it is not legal and it is better to watch them in a way that is still free, but also legal.

3. Cook at Home and Avoid Eating Out

Many colleges students quickly figure out how expensive it can be to eat out all the time and pick up Starbucks everyday. That is why more and more students are choosing to cook at home to save money. You could save hundreds or even thousands of dollars each year if you stop eating out and buying coffee.

4. Buy Generic Products When Possible

There are many products that you need to buy often at the supermarket and it is not necessary to get a name brand. If possible try and buy generic store brand products on certain household items which will help you save on your shopping bills.

5. Take Advantage of Student Discounts

Many know that senior citizens get discounts when shopping or dining, but most do not know that students can get almost as many discounts. Apple offers student discounts as do many computer software companies, so that students can afford to have the tools they need to succeed in college. There are also a variety of websites you can browse which lists all of the great places students can get discounts online or at local stores.

6. Take as Many Credits as Possible Each Term

The bottom line is that the quicker you finish college, the sooner you will be able to get a job that will allow you to earn a great salary. Taking extra credits to graduate early will help save you money in the long run as you will spend less time commuting and focusing on school.

7. Avoid Impulse Shopping

Taking time to plan out what you really need and not impulsively buying things will really help you save money. Keeping a budget is a good way to monitor those impulse purchases made each month, so that you can prevent yourself from making those purchases next month.

8. Enroll in Online Classes if Possible

Driving to campus everyday will cost you time commuting, money for gas, as well as wear and tear on your vehicle. Even if you take the bus you still have to spend some time and money getting to and from school. If you have a chance to take online classes, then you will save a lot of time and money, while still earning credits towards your degree.

9. Utilize a Reusable Water Bottles

It seems almost everyone is using a reusable water bottle today, but if you are not, then you should consider buying one as it will help save you money over the long run. Avoiding spending money on bottled water is good for your budget and helps the environment.

Tags: california college, online college, online degree, online education, saving money

This entry was posted on Monday, December 14th, 2009 at 7:32 pm and is filed under California Colleges, College Tips. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.