1. Keep the Change

All that change that builds up in your cup holder of your car or in your pocket or on your dresser/desk/nightstand adds up.  In a few months time I was able to scrounge up near $100!  A good way to help you save this, is by always paying with bills, do not use the loose change in your pocket (even for a few cents).  What this does is gives you the mental impression that there is less money in your wallet which allows you to become more stern about your purchases (i.e. “Do I really need this?” or “Is this available in a generic brand?”).  In the long run it may lead to even more than just saving your change.

2.  Drive it ’til it Dies

I am talking about your car that is.  There is nothing cooler than driving to school in a nice and shiny brand new car.  Let’s face it though, I’m sure the old car you got rid of to get this nice new car still had life left on it.  I had a beater of a car that I had to put a little bit of money into during my high school career and I always wanted a new car but I kept putting it off.  Eventually my car lasted a few years into college (I wanted to get my new car in my first year of college).  After going back and calculating how much I would of paid in insurance and monthly payments, and subtracted the extra fixes (apart from oil changes/ tire rotations etc.) I found that I actually saved over $5,000. 

3.  Borrow or Play Together…

Video games, not girlfriends.  How many people buy a video game because it was fun when you played it or it simply looked cool?  Would it kill you to resort to not fork out $50 on a video game and instead borrow it from a friend?  Even buying 2 games (cost of appx. $100) would be enough gas for the average commuter for a month! 

4.  Walk or Carpool

Face it, people are too dependent on vehicles nowadays.  I shutter when I hear someone drove around the block to go to a friends house.  Not only does it save you gas, but it keeps you in shape too.  Going a further distance, carpool with someone else going the same way as you.  Go dutch on gas which will cost you half the price of what you would have wasted.