College is a wonderful time for learning, both mentally and socially. It is the time to leave the nest, meet new people, study diverse subjects, learn the value of a dollar, and build the foundation for your life. For many college students however, the transition from home cooked meals with no bills to college living can be chaotic. Between rent, utilities, groceries, car payments, gas, phone bills, school expenses, and recreational money, many college students struggle to make ends meet. Fortunately there are ways to get by.

1. Ask for free stuff.

When moving out many of you will need household items such as furniture, electronics, appliances, kitchen gadgets, and more. The cost of such items adds up fast, but fortunately there is a solution-ask for free stuff. I’m sure many of you are social butterflies with family, friends, and the families of friends. Lucky for you, most people will often prefer simply giving away unwanted household item, rather than going through the hassle of selling or throwing them out. This is a great way to fill your new house up with necessities. Ask and you shall receive.

2. Take advantage of large garbage pickups.

Along the same lines of getting free stuff, check if there are large garbage pickup days in your neighborhood. Families will often use these days as an opportunity to finally get rid of their old couches, electronics, appliances, and other large items too big for the trashcan. These gems will line the front sidewalks of houses just waiting to be moved to the dump. Find things that are in decent condition (even college kids should have standards), and take them. What is needed can be used, and what isn’t needed can be sold. And to those of you with morals, take solace in the fact that you aren’t quite stealing the items if they were just going to end up in the dump anyway. After all, one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

3. Have a party.

So now you have everything you need for the house. It’s time to make money. Let’s face it-this is college. The time for partying is at hand. Depending on your living situation, (it is harder to have parties in dorms for example) you will have the freedom to host parties. This is a great time to receive free stuff, for college kids are often generous when it comes to getting into parties. Charge people at the door to enter the house. Granted that there are many friends/acquaintances attending and they have enough incentive to pay (alcohol helps if you are 21 and drink responsibly), you can make a great deal of profit from simply charging at the door. You can even veer away from money. Need groceries? Charge food at the door. Have a sweet tooth? Get ready for the pounds upon pounds of glorious candy you’ll receive. The price to party is never too high. Be weary though, college parties may get crazy-but I’m sure you all already knew that.

4. Eat smart.

Eating is something many college students have to get used to. Yes, being able to raid the family pantry like you did growing up will become a luxury of the past, a mere memory. You must now work for what you eat. Food expenses can definitely add up, especially if your food of choice is fast food. For those of you who wish to not only save money, but also eat healthy (the freshman fifteen is NOT a myth), there is hope.

To cut grocery costs, take advantage of free fast food condiments. You can load up on plenty of ketchup, salt, pepper, hot sauce, and sugar just by pocketing some packets.

LEARN HOW TO COOK. You read that correctly. Learn how to cook. You will save money, learn valuable skills, eat healthier, eat tastier, and nothing is more gratifying than sitting down to a delicious meal you cooked by yourself. Look for simple recipes online (I like thecookingguy.com) and see what you can create. Cooking does take time, so be prepared. If you are busy, cook large meals on the weekends that you can eat for days as leftovers. Soups, potatoes, beans, black beans, peanut butter, and rice are all cheap ways to get full and get protein. Eggs, cereal, pasta, chicken, sandwiches, veggies, and fruits are also your friends. But don’t worry this is college. It’s ok to splurge once in a while and order that pizza.

5. Don’t pay for cable.

Get rid of your cable. We are in the age of internet and technology. While the men and women of the 1900’s were forced to watch their media on a TV schedule filled with dozens of commercials, our fortunate generation now has freedom. There are hundreds, if not thousands of websites that offer free streaming television shows, movies, and music. The cost of cable can add up. Websites such as Hulu, Fast Pass TV, Movie Forums, AllUC, Joox, and of course YouTube will give you free entertainment and help keep your wallets full.

6. Wifi Leeching.

Check your wireless internet capabilities. Can the wireless card in your laptop, computer, or phone reach nearby networks that don’t have passwords? Use them. Did the neighbors forget to put protection on their home network? You now have your precious Facebook. And never forget about the free WiFi offered at places like restaurants, coffee shops, schools, hotels, libraries, etc. Use the internet for free and let the establishments pay the bills.

7. Get a bike.

I will agree that the past month has been great-I have finally been able to fill my car up with gas for under the ridiculous $60 I was paying a few months ago. But gas prices can rise just as easily as they dropped, and the question is will you be ready? Invest in a bicycle. Not only will you save money, you’ll get in better shape and help the environment. Not to mention how cool people will think you are when you zip past them in your yellow bike helmet and aviators.

8. Use Libraries.

Go to the library. For those of you that forgot, these ancient establishments offer free books, movies, music, internet, and more. Before spending hundreds of dollars on next semester’s textbooks, do a quick database check to see if a local library has the books you need.

9. Credit Card Etiquette

Do NOT use a credit card. Or rather, use a credit card responsibly-we have to build credit sometime. Do you have, or will you soon have money for that thousand-dollar laptop? If the answer is no, don’t buy it. Will you get paid in a few days but need groceries now? Feel free to use the card just remember to set that money aside and pay the card off as soon as possible.

10. Travel Smart.

Many college kids have always wanted to travel, but simply haven’t been able to due to costs. There are ways around such costs. Try becoming a courier to get discounted airline prices. Companies will assign you a package that they need delivered, and will pay a portion of your airfare in exchange for your brief work delivering it. If you’re in another country or city, check out couchsurfing.com to find free places to stay, meet new people, and experience new cultures for free.

11. Use Triond

Many of you are creative and have talents. Apply these talents and get paid for them with Triond. Triond will publish your writing, poetry, music, videos and other unique content online, increase your viewership, and best of all-pay you every month!

I hope these tips help some of you. College is supposed to be one of the best times of life. I hope you make the best of yours.

Do you have anything to add to the list?

Do you have any other secrets for saving money?

Are you in college and have found other ways to get by and still have fun?

Let the world know! Leave a comment!