Expenses I Had and Cut During College

My parents help me quite a bit with college. I pay things off a little bit with school loans, and also with having a job. Absolutely everything costs money, and even the smallest changes can help cut the costs down drastically.

Computer and Software and Video Games
My friends were always buying new things for their computer. They were upgrading more RAM, or buying new computer games. I have kept my software packaging and upgrades down to minimum to almost none. I bought only a couple computer games in the past four years. I realize that though having these games are fun, eventually I get tired of them and they are collecting dust. Even though that game looks bad ace when it comes out, it is probably best to hold off. They are many times $50 when they first come out. At least wait until they are $20. Trust me, it won't be long.

Cable TV
At first I never had cable TV. Then I really wanted to at least be able to watch something while I was up late night. I tacked on cable TV to my cable internet bill. Eventually I realized an extra $50 a month for essentially background noise wasn't worth it. I switched to Netflix. I had movies playing all the time. But eventually I cut that too.

Home Phone
This is an expense I added because I use to only have one of those cell phones that you had to add minutes to. It was very expensive. I got a home phone so I could at least call locally and people could call me. However my mom ended up giving me a cell phone that went with her plan so I could call her and my sister for free and had a ton of free minutes per month. Ended up, the only people calling my home phone was the telemarketers. I have no intention to pay $25 a month just so telemarketers can wake me up. (I never used long distance)

Alcohol
I refrained from alcohol consumption 99% of the time. If I drank as much as a lot of the college kids I saw, I'd be blowing hundreds of dollars on booze. Not to mention, those that drank under-age got in big trouble with the law when I was in the dorms. I was very thankful to be sipping a Mountain Dew when a police officer comes into my dorm room waiting for my roommate to get her ID. DUIs and Minors are very expensive on top of the alcohol cost!

Food
I had a friend that wanted to go to Taco Bell literally like every day. I use to do it. I had to cut doing that as well. I could easily blow $5 or $6 a night there. Going to one fast food restaurant every other day could cost you $75 a month! An expensive I suggest anyone to get rid of. Eating out is fun and convenient, but every day or every other day can really break the bank.

Internet
I have very good cable internet. But with the modem lease and regular cost per month I am paying $45 a month. If I wanted, I could buy my own cheaper modem, perhaps even on e-bay and save that extra $7 a month on the lease. $7 a month adds up if you're using the same ISP for years. An alternative method I could go use is a new wireless internet company in town for $20 a month.

Gas
Carpool....carpool...carpool. If you have a buddy you have class with, go together! You don't have to live together to carpool. Go pick each other up. My tank of gas lasted forever alternating who was driving.

Waking up for Class Is Worth It!
I really can't stress this enough. I failed a class that I slacked off in. I ended up having to retake it because it was for my major. A single class will cost you hundreds! It may not seem like a big deal if you are paying with loans, but some day you will have to pay off those loans, plus have accumulated interest.

Roommates
Overall having a roommate can drastically cut the cost of your living expense. I chose not to go that route and I have paid for it. But I do enjoy living this way as well.

These were just a few examples of things I have tried and learned from during college, and I am sure I will only learn more in the years to come. There are so many different ways to save money. Every little $5 adds up.