Since the day I first found money inside of a birthday card, I considered myself a spender rather than a saver. All of my gift cards, any form of holiday or birthday money and every single paycheck was pretty much spent the second it was in my possession. This all changed when I came to college. Suddenly I found myself surrounded by people who had their spending completely under control and by people who had bigger shopping addictions than my own. At this point, I was forced to make a choice. I needed to find a way to make my budget work for me and still enjoy my college life. Since I came to this realization two years ago, I’ve accumulated several tips and tricks to get through college without going bankrupt or getting notices on my bank statement. Tips, like borrowing dresses from friends for date nights or going to dinner and splitting an appetizer with a friend instead of ordering a full entrée that I’ll never finish, have helped me keep my spending on track during my time at Syracuse.
For current and future college budgeters like me, I've compiled my five favorite college food and drink hacks for hungry girls on a budget.
Happy Hour Specials
Restaurants usually have happy hour specials that offer discounts on drinks and food. XO Taco in Syracuse offers specials on Tuesdays for $1 off tacos and ½ price for margaritas. They even offer Thursday specials for $5 off burritos. Otro Cinco and Alto Cinco in Syracuse also offer all-day happy hour on Mondays with 3 for 2 taco specials and $5 margaritas and mojitos. Mexican restaurants are also known to have free chips and salsa so for happy hour sometimes I’ll fill up on chips and salsa with my drinks – saving money on having to buy an entrée. @spooncuse often features local places in Syracuse that have specials for students.
Late Night Munchies
pro tip: ALWAYS HAVE LATE NIGHT SNACKS ON HAND. Amazon offers a six-month free trial to Amazon Prime for students. After the six-month trial, students receive 50% off a regular prime membership after the trial. I love using Prime Pantry to buy bulk snacks and water to keep in my apartment. These are great to keep on hand so I don't overspend buying food on Marshall Street at the end of a long night out (learn more about Amazon Prime Student here). However, on those nights when your best friend desperately needs to spill the tea over a late-night slice of pizza, a slice at Acropolis is only $2.27 including tax!
Coffee Coffee Coffee
We all know Starbucks is amazing. However, it is also expensive. Since I consider Starbucks and coffee, in general, a necessity to get through my day I use a couple of caffeine hacks to keep my habit from breaking the bank. A good old Starbucks hack is that if you bring a reusable cup, it's $1 off your coffee. They also have specials if you sign up for an account so that you can get rewards like free coffee and free food. It is also only 50 cents for a venti refill of iced coffee. Also, pro tip - invest in a Keurig! They're perfect for any dorm room or apartment and you can even use it when you have to "adult" one day after graduation. Having a Keurig to make coffee in the morning can keep you completely caffeinated without having to spend $4.25 on a venti iced coffee every morning.
Trader Joe's
Trader Joe's - otherwise known as the best place to shop for groceries if you're on a budget. Trader Joe's is essentially the unsung hero of the grocery world simply for its frozen veggie burgers and spinach greek yogurt dip. But, besides those personal favorites, Trader Joe's is close to campus and offers low prices for high-quality food. To make sure you aren't wasting anything, @spoonunversity often shows good recipe videos for how to turn your leftover food and alcohol into something delicious.
Balance
Maintain a balance when eating out with friends. It’s okay to offer a less expensive alternative when going out to eat and it’s okay to eat at home and just sit with your friends while you go out. Spending money on food doesn’t need to result in missing out on other social activities, or not spending money on clothes and travel.
Even though these hacks aren’t the only ones out here, keeping these tips in mind has helped me save some money without missing out on anything.
Happy snacking!