Updated: August 24, 2023
Students already have so much on their plate — from keeping up with never-ending school work to maintaining a healthy social life.
In your student years, it’s only natural to prioritize your academic goals. But that doesn’t mean you should completely neglect the development of your personal finance skills.
Without further ado, below are forty-five money-saving tips every Filipino college student needs to learn:
- Drink water. You’ll be amazed how much you can save by opting out of milkshakes, coffee, and other flavored beverages.
- If you really need coffee to bust the drowsiness, don’t buy expensive brands. Caffeine is what you really need, not more Instagram posts of your P150+ coffee.
- Look for used textbooks you can buy or rent. Sell yours when you no longer need them.
- Pack your own lunch. If you’re lucky, your mom or older sibling can help you with this.
- Control or stop your vices, especially smoking, since it may lead you to spend hundreds weekly. And it’s not good for your health.
- Buying groceries? Eat first. This will help you stay within your budget.
- Ride jeepneys with pride. It’s not about whether you can afford taxis or ridesharing services. It’s about your humility and willingness to be as practical as possible.
- Not in a rush? Say no to tricycles and walk.
- Rather than purchasing extra pens, notebooks, or even socks, learn how to organize your supplies to avoid losing them in the first place.
- Have extra gadgets and accessories lying around? Sell them.
- Live with your parents. Free bills and food!
- Need to rent a dormitory? Rent with others to split the costs.
- Saved up some money? Resist the urge to show it off. If you’re really financially stable, bragging shouldn’t even cross your mind.
- Create a budget that covers all your student needs.
- Open a savings account and only withdraw the exact amount you need every 1-2 weeks.
- Use money management apps.
- Sharing beach or mountaineering photos on Facebook sounds enticing, but it’s not as important as your future financial stability. Have staycations instead. If you need to travel, learn to save up for it instead of cramming for the budget to go on the trip.
- Take advantage of discounts for food, transportation, and so on.
- Learn how to haggle. It’s a skill that only you can teach yourself.
- Opt out of newer smartphone models. If your old one still works, keep it.
- Consider a postpaid plan for telecom services, but only if you really need constant communication with your family or school contacts. And pay your bills on time.
- Take advantage of postpaid bundles for extra services like Spotify, iFlix, etc.
- Tempted to get a loan? If it has nothing to do with school, forget about it.
- Rather than nights out, try to enjoy school events.
- Use your school gym or fitness center rather than pay for similar services elsewhere.
- To avoid impulse purchases, stop dwelling on online shopping sites unless you already know what you need.
- Don’t follow brands on Facebook. If you can see their posts, you’re vulnerable to their ads and other promos.
- Unless someone is willing to pay your cable subscription or online streaming services, be content with YouTube.
- Look for stores that offer student discounts.
- Use discount coupons or promo codes when you have the chance. It’s never too early to be a “couponer.”
- Use open-source software. Microsoft Office, for example, has free alternatives like WPS Office.
- Eating out is acceptable, but only if done once a week or less, and it’s within your budget.
- Learn to trust and buy generic OTC medications.
- Keep your coins in one place. Don’t leave them lying around for others to pick up.
- If you’ve been saving up for something big, like a phone or laptop, wait 24 hours before finalizing your decision.
- For female students, do your own nails.
- For men, go for traditional barbershops rather than expensive beauty salons.
- School shoes have a pretty long lifespan. If it ain’t broke, don’t replace it.
- Have a set budget for gifts on Christmas or birthdays.
- Put leftovers in the fridge. You’ll waste a lot of money if you let food spoil.
- Save electricity.
- Avoid going to convenience stores regularly — they have “overspending” written all over them.
- Start selling your unused possessions, including but not limited to clothes, shoes, and paperback novels.
- Apply for scholarships.
- Lastly, don’t skip class. Knowledge is expensive, so be sure to make the most out of your parents’ investment.
That’s all! Looks like we covered a lot of ground in this post. Don’t forget to bookmark this post or at least save a cached copy on your mobile device!
Want to share a helpful money-saving tip? We’d love to hear about them in the comments below!
