College Students: 10 Tips to Help You Save Money

College life is expensive; not only do you have to pay for books and tuition, but there's all sorts of other little expenses -- food, gas, and other necessities -- that can really put a dent in your wallet. Here's some things you can do to help you save money.

Check Textbook Prices. Especially for textbooks, you can save a lot of money by checking prices. Look at other bookstores, or at online sources like Amazon. Also see if your local bookstore will match prices; if you find a good price online, you can get your bookstore to match the price, and save on the cost of shipping.

Don't Buy What You Don't Need. Wait to buy your books until you've been to the class once or twice. Some professors never use the book, and buying it may just be a waste of money. This also gives you the opportunity to decide if you want to drop the class without dealing with the issue of having already paid for the textbook.

Borrow If You Can. Before you buy a textbook, see if anyone you know has a copy of the book that you can borrow for the semester. If they have an older edition, check with the professor to see if the edition changes matter. Textbooks can cost several hundred dollars, so borrowing a book is a great way to save money.

Buy Offbrand. While you may have had access to name-brand products at home, when you're on a tight budget, buying off-brand goods can save you lots of money. Often, these products are identical to the name-brand products, so you're just wasting money by buying the name-brand products.

Use Coupons. You might have never looked at coupons before, but now that you don't have mom and dad's funding to fall back on, every bit of money you can save is worth it. Check your local newpaper for coupons. Look corporate too: many of the official websites of your favorite fast-food places will post coupons on their websites.

Buy Collectively. Consider getting some friends to pitch in with you when buying food. A large pizza can feed several people, and if everyone pitches in to pay for a share, the cost is relatively low. If you buy groceries collectively, be sure to work out details ahead of time about who can eat what, so as to avoid disagreements later when your roommate eats your last pack of ramen.

Cook Your Own Food. Rather than going out to eat, try to cook your own food. If you don't have access to a kitchen, see if any of your friends live off-campus. Getting several friends together for dinner can be great fun, and if everyone brings something to contribute, the cost per person is relatively low.

Use The Library. Your campus library probably has a wider range of selections than you think (trust me, I work in one!). Check to see if your library offers DVDs for rental; this can be a great way to find entertainment without costing a dime. Some campus libraries even have videogames for check-out!

Carpool To The Store. Before making a trip to the supermarket, see if anyone else you know needs to go. Set this up on a monthly basis, and you can alternate who drives to save money. Plus, going in groups can be a lot of fun.

Wash Your Clothes Offcampus. If your campus doesn't offer free laundry services, see if you can find someplace off campus to wash clothes, such as the home of a friend that lives nearby. Bring your own laundry detergent, of course. Paying $2 per load of laundry can take a hefty chunk of change out of your wallet.