Saving Money in College
College students (and their families) know that college is expensive! After two-and-a-half years of living in Boston (both on and off-campus), I’ve compiled some tips on what you can do to save money during your college experience.
Use Northeastern’s free resources
As a student at Northeastern, you have access to lots of (free) resources! Some examples are:
- Free tutoring through the Peer Tutoring Office
- Free gym access at Squashbusters or Marino
- Free counseling at UHCS
Ask about student discounts
A lot of places offer student discounts if you show your student ID at checkout.
- Spotify premium for students (also comes with Hulu)
- Nike, Madewell, Best Buy, and many others offer a 10-20% discount on your purchase with your Husky ID or northeastern.edu email address.
Search for PDFs of your textbooks
I always search for my textbooks on Library Genesis before I buy or rent them. Library Genesis has tons of free textbook PDFs, and it’s completely free.
Another good tip is: don’t buy all the textbooks on the syllabus! Wait until you’ve attended your first class, and confirm with the professor which textbooks you will actually need for the class.
Shop used!
Ask around to see if any other students in the area are selling what you need! This is especially useful when looking for dorm items or furniture (like a desk and chair).
If you can’t find what you are looking for from someone you know, check out a local thrift store. You can also look out for sales, discounts, and coupons!
Try to get a paid co-op
This is much easier said than done. That being said, it’s helpful to know your own financial situation to see if you can afford to work an unpaid co-op or if you should stick to looking at paid jobs. You can use the filters on NU Works to only display paid jobs when searching for a co-op.
Consider getting a credit card
Look for a student credit card with little or no annual fees and low-interest rates. Some student credit cards offer you a welcome bonus (some up to $200!).
Pay off your entire balance each month to avoid interest or late fees, and keep up with your credit score! Landlords, insurance companies, and even possibly employers can ask for your credit score.
Get free food from club events
Clubs on campus often offer free food if you attend a meeting (e.g. pizza, although not so much in Covid times). Get free dinner and check out an exciting club!
Keep snacks in your room
Keep snacks from (more affordable) grocery stores in your room, so you’re not tempted to eat out or order food from Uber Eats after a late night of studying.
Use a money-management app
I use Mint and Clarity to keep track of my weekly and monthly budgets. It’s so useful to quickly pull up an app and check how much you have left in your budget before making a purchase.
Use up all your student ‘dollars’ (Laundry Dollars, Dining Dollars, Printing Dollars, etc.)
Most of these dollars do not roll over to the next semester, so don’t lose out by forgetting to use them up! However, Husky Dollars do roll over to the next semester, so don’t worry about those. Just don’t forget to use them before graduation!
Check out the Center for Financial Independence/Thrive
The Center for Financial Independence holds regular workshops and seminars so students can learn more about money management and get even more tips on saving money.
