These tips will help you save money on food in college. The 4th one can make a big difference in your saving.Â
The burden of the student loan can give anyone sleepless nights. You keep checking your bank balance, wondering how to survive another month. Your heart desires to buy the tickets for the new ‘Avenger’ movie. You know that the textbooks and the stationeries are not going any cheaper.
You need food to survive, and food items cost you the most. Living on cold sandwiches from the café is not always a good idea. Also, between the lectures and the assignment deadlines, you hardly get time to buy them.
So, what can you do to ensure having regular meals without running out of money? How can you curb your habit of borrowing from your roommate to survive? The answer is to save money on food in college.
Steps to save money on food in college:
1. Cook Your Meals
It sounds tedious, but cooking your meal ensures you can save a great deal on food each month.
Many quick recipes are available online, and you can finish cooking your dinner and lunch within 30 minutes.
It is less time-consuming than waiting for your takeaway parcel from the restaurant. Also, it is needless to say that it is a much healthier option for your diet.
Related: Healthy Breakfast Items That You Can Make Quickly
2. Allot a Food Budget for the Month
For cooking your meals, you need to shop at regular intervals. Shopping will give you an estimation of the money you spend.
Determine the minimum budget for which you can eat three meals a day. This budget will provide you with assurance and mental peace.
The food budget should be the least amount of funds you need to keep separate from your monthly allowance. This budget should be estimated based on the fact that you will cook your meals every day.
3. Plan Your Meals in Advance
Plan your week’s meals and shop accordingly. For instance, if you buy chicken, eggs, spinach, and milk from the grocery, make them last long enough. Budget them so that the entire ration lasts a week or two. Plan on the days you are having chicken and the days you are having egg.
Please list the days of the week and put a meal plan next to them. Now, you will know what you will have in your breakfast, lunch, and dinner each day of the week.
Try and stick to the plan, and you will save a lot.
3. Look for Online Coupons and Discounts
Some stores offer substantial discounts to students for buying regular foods like fruits and pasta. Look out for those online coupon stores and purchase food items at a discounted price.
Many canteens in the locality of your college might also sell lunch or dinner coupons. Calculate your meals in advance and get hold of the adequate number of coupons.
Do not buy in excess, which can make you lose track of the expiry dates of food items.
4. Take Advantage of the Situation
Things do not always go smoothly when you are in college. One moment, you are a motivated student working on your dissertation.
Then, the next moment, you are busy preparing for a wild party at your friends’ place. Parties are good excuses to get out of your daily routine.
However, ensure you do not spend too much on your food budget. If you are eating outside, then keep a tab on your expenses. Do not spend unnecessarily during parties. Make your minimum contribution and share the food with your friends.
5. Avoid Last Minute Take-Outs
Assignments and homework can take their toll. As a result, you might feel exhausted and tempted to order a pizza on some tiring nights.
But this is a mistake. Before you know it, these last-minute take-out habits might exhaust your food budget. Soon, you will be left with nothing.
Yes, You Can Save Money on Food in College
Cooking indeed seems impossible at a time when there is a steep deadline approaching. However, you must have some backup plans up your sleeves. The trick is to have some quick-fix solutions available.
So when you go for your weekly grocery shopping, buy some ready-to-eat items like instant noodles or cup soup. Keep these products handy, as they will save you money. Also, these things take much less time to prepare. You can also relish a 10-minute break from your work and fill your stomach quickly.
Budgeting for your food will help you in many ways. It will keep you well-fed without burning a big hole in your wee student purse. You are less likely to run out of money again. The process teaches you essential life skills, and you learn to act like an adult.
Do you want to share any other tips on how to save money on food in college? If yes, then please leave it in the comment section.
Additional Resources:
Great post! I can relate to this. During my college days, besides making time in my busy schedule to cook, I had to budget for the shopping as well. Initially, it used to feel overwhelming, but gradually I was successful in putting my money worries to rest.
Planning the meals and sticking to the plan are the two most important things to do if any college student wants to have a proper meal in a shoestring budget.