#same as when they call anything at ikea super cheap or affordable!!!! that costs like 200$ and above

[ricoka]

YouTube can be fun but sometimes it also makes you want to throw your tv out the window

[plathwasaperfectionist]

Chances are, if you’re in college, you’re pretty new to living on your own and managing your own money. Especially if you have to pay for things on your own, but even if you’re just making loan money last through the semester, it can be overwhelming. I’ve been paying my own way for almost two years now, and I’ve learned a TON about how to save money, prioritize, and live off more than ramen and bottom-shelf vodka (although bottom-shelf wine is still fine by me). Here are the best tips I have to offer:

1. Cook at home

Meal plans are a rip-off, and ordering food all the time is a waste of money. It’s so much cheaper (not to mention healthier) to buy your own groceries and cook your own meals. Even if you’re in a dorm kitchen with a mini fridge in your room, you can do a lot with some basic kitchen supplies and groceries. I love this website to find recipes--it breaks each recipe down by the cost per serving, so you know exactly how much each meal is costing you. Once you realize you can make filling food yourself relatively easily for a small fraction of what you would pay even at a fast food place, it’s hard to justify the expense. Just tonight I made a huge pot (probably six servings) of three-bean chili for less than 5 dollars total.

(And 1.5. If you commute or have long days, bring food with you. Buy a set of Tupperware with varying sizes (some big enough for salads or soups, some smaller for snacks or sandwiches), and double your recipes so it’s easy to bring leftovers with you to campus every day.)

2. Eat more plant-based meals

Meat and dairy are fucking expensive, and you’ll save money by using less of it or by cutting it out entirely. I’m not talking about buying processed meat-free substitutes because that’s even more expensive. Instead, try using things like grains, beans (dried instead of canned is even cheaper!), or tofu in dishes instead so you can fill up on cheaper food that’s better for you. When you can, substitute frozen produce for fresh to save money too (save the fresh stuff for salads, roasting, or eating raw--those are the only times you can really tell the difference).

3. Stop buying coffee

If you drink coffee daily (I do!), then you should have a coffee machine and make it yourself. A travel mug, real coffee machine (no Keurigs!), and a tub of coffee grounds is way cheaper. At Starbucks/Dunkin/Tim Horton’s you’re paying three dollars a cup for something you could make at home for pennies. Even if you drink lattes/something espresso-based instead of drip coffee, a stovetop espresso maker, milk frother, and a bottle of your favorite syrup works out to be cheaper over time, and you can control exactly what goes into your drink! 

4. Download Honey

Honey is a browser extension that automatically checks for coupon codes/cash back options when you’re shopping online. In my experience, it works everywhere but Amazon (their discount codes tend to be product-specific so the odds are low that you’re buying the exact right thing), but it can net you some pretty major savings with little to no effort.

5. Move the fuck out of your dorm (maybe)

At least at my school, living in a shared dorm room costs literally twice what it costs me to live off campus in a large two-bedroom apartment (my boyfriend and I use the second bedroom as a home office). Also watch out for any school-affiliated apartments that lure you in with amenities like a pool, rec center, or game room--they tend to be even more expensive, and you probably won’t use the extra amenities that often. Do your research, of course, because there are some places with a high cost of living where rent will definitely cost more than the dorms. That said, you’re most likely paying extra for things like cleaning and maintenance when you could easily do that yourself (and not have to share a bathroom with twenty strangers either). Move out, feel like an adult, and thank me later.

6. Take care of the things you have

Even if you’re buying cheaper things instead of investment pieces, if you take care of them they should last a long time and save you money on replacements. All of my furniture is hand-me-downs from IKEA, so when I moved into my current apartment I was extra careful to cover the edges of things made out of cheap particle board and make sure that nothing scratched the paint on my bed frame. Don’t treat anything like it’s disposable--being careless with your things can add up.

7. Thrift stores, dollar stores, and discount grocery stores!

I fucking live for the deals I can find at inexpensive stores like these. Chances are, you have these options near you, but you may not have considered shopping there because your family never did. Keep in mind that just because your parents might be able to afford shopping at Wegman’s or Whole Foods as grown-ass adults, that doesn’t mean your college budget can handle it. Open your mind. Thrift stores are great for clothes (just check for holes, sweat stains, and weird smells and wash before you wear), but they can also have furniture (don’t get anything with fabric, though--stick to all-wooden or metal pieces), kitchen stuff (I got a set of beautiful wine glasses for six dollars one time), or storage containers. Dollar stores are the best place to find cleaning or kitchen supplies, as well as things like Q-tips and cotton balls, paper towels, or little containers to organize with. I would steer clear of the makeup and the food, however. Buy your food at discount grocery stores (like Aldi’s, PriceRite, etc.). While they may not look like the grocery stores you’re used to (at Aldi’s, for instance, they keep the projects in the cardboard cartons they come in to make stocking faster and cheaper), their products are just as good and wayyyy cheaper--I usually pay around $50 for groceries that feed my boyfriend and me for two weeks. If you don’t have a similar store near you, try buying the generic brand of most foods, and sticking to whatever produce is in season--it’ll be cheaper and taste better.

8. Student discounts (obviously)

This is a pretty basic one. I got Microsoft Office for free and a free six months of Amazon Prime (and then a half-priced subscription) with my student email, but you can get discounts at a lot of places. Check this list to see. 

9. Track what you spend and use it to set a budget that includes savings

The biggest thing that made a difference for me was actually seeing what I spent--it was way more than I thought. I hadn’t realized how quickly buying snacks, meals on campus, alcohol, and impulse buys to treat myself could add up. You can use an app like Mint to do this automatically, but I found that using a customized spreadsheet and inputting everything I spent when I spent it kept me the most accountable. I also tracked what category the purchase was (bills/food/entertainment/clothing/etc) and whether it was something I needed or not (groceries and a new pair of basic black heels for mock trial I needed, two new face masks I did not). Once I’d done this for a couple months, I added up all the categories and made a monthly budget for myself, making sure to budget some money for savings and restricting each category some, but not too much. If I didn’t let myself spend some money on makeup, books, or meals out, I’d go crazy--budgeting a small amount for “extra” stuff will keep you on track to save money, but without feeling overly restricted.

10. Credit card points and cash back

If you still use a debit card for everything, get a credit card. Having some kind of credit score is so important for everything from getting approved for loans to renting your own apartment. Just make sure that you’re paying it off on time, not letting a balance roll over from month to month, and not using more than a third of your credit limit at any time. Not only will you build credit, you can also earn cash back or airline points on purchases you’d be making anyway.

11. Take advantage of your school’s perks

I was paying four dollars a day to take the metro to and from campus, which doesn’t sound like much, but it adds up over time (I have classes three days a week this semester, so that’s almost fifty dollars a month at minimum). Recently, I realized that my school has a shuttle that comes once an hour close to my apartment--all I have to do is leave ten minutes earlier every day, and I save fifty dollars a month just by using what my school offers. The same principle applies to things like your school’s gym, free food at events, free coffee or tea on campus, services at your career services office, or even the student health center. It’s included in your (probably way too high) tuition anyway, so you might as well use it and not waste the money!

12. Find dupes

I was obsessed with the trio of serums Glossier released a few months back, but the set cost $65, so I held back. I’m so glad I did, because I found this skincare brand called The Ordinary, which sold serums with basically the same chemical composition for less than $10 each (some for around $5-6). They also come in larger bottles, and I was fucking sold. I’m a sucker for Glossier’s aesthetic, but I’m also broke as hell. If you’re interested in the specific dupes, here are ones similar to Super Bounce, Super Glow, and Super Pure. (ELF’s eyebrow treat and tame is also basically the same as Boy Brow--you’re welcome). So many products in the beauty/skincare realm are marked up simply because of their brand name, and it’s worth looking around for similar things at lower price points--especially when it comes to skincare, if you know the active ingredients in a product it’s easy to find something similar without the gimmicks.

13. Figure out whether you find it harder to spend with cash or card

...and then start carrying that one with you. Most people find it easier to spend on a card than to hand over cash, because you’re limited to the amount you have and you can physically see it leaving your hand. I find it easier to spend cash because I check my bank balance often and I only see card purchases reflected there--for me, it’s easier to hand over cash and forget about a purchase. Figure out which is harder for you to spend on and use that method as often as you can. Leave the other one at home. If you need more limitations, either only bring a certain amount of cash with you or transfer most of your money into savings and keep a low balance in your checking account--you can’t spend more than you make available to yourself.

14. Be prepared to do weird and/or creative things

Ultimately, how you save money depends on what you spend on. I don’t have laundry in my building, and it would cost me six dollars per load to do it across the street (the only laundry machines that are close enough to my building). So, I bought a little $50 hand-crank washing machine and a clothes rack, and I wash my clothes by hand in my bathroom and air-dry them. I also grow things like lettuce and basil in my kitchen windowsill. Be creative, and don’t spend money on things unless you have to.

[lukerhill]

The new bathroom: resources and project links

Hey hey! First of all, thank you from the bottom of my heart for the kind comments you all left here and on social media about the bathroom renovation! I always appreciate that you take the time to comment, it means a lot to me. (If you missed it be sure to check out that post!)

I'm back today with a recap on everything that went into this room! As I mentioned, I did most of it myself. I had help with bigger stuff, but I did a ton in here. Let's start from the beginning!

You can see how the room looked after I started knocking out the wall one day on a whim: 

I mean, not a whim...I had been planning this reno for YEARS because I've always hated that wall. But sometimes I just need to get the ball rolling so I'll just get started and that's what I did that day. I was giddy. ;) 

After that we had the tub removed so I could do a tiled shower: 

I'll cover the sources for everything and costs at the bottom of the post!

I went with a beautiful dark gray tile in a 12x24 size and shared everything you need and how I installed it here: 

I cover the pattern I used for the floor in that post as well. 

Next, one of my favorite parts! The new window in the shower!:

I waited for years for that window and the natural light it brings in the room! LOVE IT. Big puffy heart. It made a big difference in here!

The vanity was one project many of you asked about. Years ago my Dad helped me build a potting bench and we used that same plan to build this one. You can see the DIY vanity instructions here: 

I ended up adding a few finishing touches to it and then shared how I stained it in this post: 

Next up was the wall behind the sinks -- my pride and joy. I've known for years I wanted to use this tile and it did not disappoint. It's the Merola tile in Twenties Vintage from Home Depot: 

They have a black with white and a white with black -- I went with the latter. I absolutely adore it. 

I used it in the niche in the shower as well: 

The great thing about this tile is it's made to look like cement tile, but it's ceramic. So you don't need to baby it quite as much as you would cement. It is fantastic! 

I shared how I gave the shower a custom look with double shower curtains (for cheap):

One reader suggested I hang the curtains from the grommets and I tried it -- it looked great! I didn't do that at first because I was afraid I'd see the hooks for the liner in between, but I hid them behind the curtain and it works perfectly. :) 

Now when I round it all up it doesn't seem like as many projects as it FELT like. Goodness. 

We had a full nautical theme going in here for the past year and it was super cute, but this new design called the accessories to be toned down a bit. I fell in love with this sign at Hunt and Gather Goods and they graciously offered to send me one. It is SO beautifully made, I'm totally impressed and will be shopping their site in the future for sure: 

Doesn't it look so good in here? 

It came together beautifully and I am SO incredibly proud of this room. I just love it.

We did have plumbing for one more sink added as well the lights -- if you're handy with either one it's not a super difficult project but I hired out for that. OH, and I had a couple people ask about storage -- all the day-to-day stuff he needs is on the counter and we don't need a ton of storage in here otherwise. I keep a hair dryer for guests, extra towels and toilet paper in the baskets below, but there's room for even more storage if we need it later. 

I hope I answered all of your questions about the projects -- let me know if I forgot about anything! Here's a list of everything I used in the room...

Vanity: DIY project (linked above), $300 in materials

Sinks: Amazon (I believe they were $40 each)

Faucets: Lowe's -- make sure you get tall faucets! They are hard to find at an affordable price.

Mirrors: Stockholm mirror, IKEA ($99)

Tub: Lowe's (I believe $215?)

Tile: Home Depot Merola Tile, Twenties Vintage in white ($200 for the amount I needed)

Lights: Lowe's (already had the glass covers) 

Floor tile: Montauk Black, Home Depot ($150 for a 50 square foot room)

Subway tile: Lowe's 

Trim kit for shower: (new handle and faucet) Lowe's ($35 total) 

Window: special order from Lowe's ($187)

Grout color for all tile: warm gray from Lowe's 

Towel holders: Home Depot ($30)

Fresh soap sign: Hunt and Gather Goods 

Shower curtains: HomeGoods (window curtains) ($25)

Baskets under sinks: Target 

Soap dispensers: Target

Paint color: Krypton by Sherwin-Williams (extra from our mud room!)

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