An older article, from 2012, the numbers are a little low about debt, but still interesting ideas.
As most of my regular readers know I take a very dim view on Guest Posts, since 99.9999% of the requests are not worth reading, however BargainMoose seems like a nice site which is just starting out, and maybe I need to work on my Blogging Karma, so here is a guest post for you!
Savings For Students
This is a guest post written by Anna, owner of Bargainmoose.ca. Bargainmoose is a Canadian site where you can find the latest hot shopping deals and coupon codes, helping Canadians save lots of loonies every day.
Did you know that the average Canadian graduate will have amassed about $20k in debt, by the end of their time in education? Putting yourself through university can be a costly experience. But there are several ways that you can try to save money.
Rent textbooks to save money
Did you know that you can rent textbooks instead of buying them? Some of the costs of university textbooks can be really astronomical, so renting textbooks is a great money-saving option.
There are three specialist Canadian sites that come to mind when thinking about textbook rentals. Bookmob.ca, Bigmama.ca and Textbookrentals.ca.
If there’s a specific book you need to get your hands on, price-compare and see if it would be worth renting for one semester rather than buying.
Get an SPC Card for discounted shopping
Have you heard of the SPC student price card? The SPC card entitles the holder to various discounts at more than 100 participating retailers in Canada. It is available to all students, not just university students (including elementary school, high school, and college students).
You can order one on spccard.ca, and it usually costs around $9-$10.
Once you have the SPC card, you can get great extra discounts, like 10% discount at Bluenotes, Aeropostale, Old Navy and loads more.
Save on groceries
One of the best ways to save money on groceries is by using coupons. You can find many coupons online or sign up to sites dedicated to mailing you coupons. One of the most popular Canadian coupon sites is Save.ca. You can choose which coupons you would like, and they will mail them to you.
Go to the websites and Facebook pages of your favourite brands. You can often find great coupons here. Even if they’re only for a dollar or two discount per item, these savings can add up.
You can also find coupons in newspaper inserts or in tear pads in grocery stores.
Stock-piling groceries is another idea. When certain items are on sale, be sure to stock up. Even use a coupon for an even bigger discount deal. Stock-piling is particularly good for dried goods like rice and pasta and also for toiletries. It’s also a good opportunity to come up with some arrangements with your university housemates: stock-pile the items that you will use and split the total costs.
Don't forget to haggle on that new laptop
If you're buying a new laptop or computer to use at university, and you're buying in-store, don't be afraid to haggle when you do so! It does not cost a cent to ask for a discount. Quick tips on haggling: come armed with research about models and prices, try it when the store is quiet, be confident, and always be polite.
Even if the sales assistant can't knock something off the price, they may be able to throw in some accessories for free, like a mouse, mouse mats, or laptop bags.
But remember - the ultimate saving is avoiding the purchase of the laptop in the first place! Can you do without it?
Look for student software package deals
Many companies offer special deals to students, in order to get the students to use their software. There's a student package for Microsoft Office, even a student freebie to do your taxes through Turbotax. Check with your institution too, they have sometimes negotiated special deals which you can avail of.
But again, remember that there are probably free options, such as Open Office instead of Microsoft Office.
Conclusion
These are just a few tips to help you save money as a student. Do you have any tips you'd like to share?
Another tip I have is to look at Amazon.com for textbooks – often can save up to 30% (even with the duty).