For many high school seniors, going to college can represent one of your first big leaps into adulthood. It’s a time when you get to bask in the joy of making your own dentist appointments, learning how to perfectly prepare microwave ramen, and deciding which brand of toothpaste you’re going to call your own. But perhaps the most important skill you'll learn is how to manage money. Here are a few tips and tricks for saving money in college.

#1: Find the free food

Bribing college students with free food is a tried-and-true strategy for getting students to show up for campus events, club meetings, study groups—you name it. So what you need to do is get involved on campus and stay in the know. Join a volunteer org (they’ll usually feed you), join the taco club (or start one), and know when the back-to-school barbecue is kicking off so you can be first in line for a burger. 

#2: Break up with your barista

Let’s assume you’re buying a nice, simple cup of coffee at your local (or multinational) coffeehouse. Even without the triple shot, non-fat, half sweet, no foam, latte, Marketwatch found “the average price consumers are paying for a cup of coffee across all restaurant categories is $2.99.” Care to guess what a cup of freshly brewed Folgers costs? 7 cents. You don’t have to be a finance major to know an extra $1,065.80 per year will come in handy. Making your dorm room smell like a coffeehouse? Priceless.

#3: Leave the car at home

Now this might not apply if you’re commuting from home (in which case you’re saving more money than the rest of us anyways), but if you’re going away to school, leaving the car at home can save a ton of cash. Lots of college campuses are like little cities themselves, complete with campus shuttles, bike racks, food courts, gyms, health centers and more. Do the math on parking, car insurance, and gas and I’ll bet you come up with a number that you’d rather see in your bank account every month.

#4: Work on campus

There are two things you can control that affect the bottom line: how much you make and how much you spend. Working on campus gives you the cash you need for the top part of the equation but it also gives you valuable work experience, the start of a professional network, and when you work where you go to class, you get the added benefit of convenience and flexibility.

Furthermore, the Journal of College Student Retention published an article that found “those working 10-19 hours per week actually have higher grades than all other students, working and nonworking,” so it turns out the skills you gain at work can help in the classroom too!

#5: Flash your student ID everywhere

You’d be surprised how many movie theaters, ski resorts, sporting events, and restaurants offer a student discount just because they remember what it was like to be broke like you. The Associated Students of the University of Nevada, Reno maintains a list of businesses that offer student discounts. So whip out the student ID, soak up the pity and collect the cash. 

#6: Take advantage of the town you’re in

Going to the mall can be an expensive way to spend a Saturday. So can going to the hip restaurant, indoor go karts and trampoline parks. But exploring your town's natural beauty doesn’t have to be. Get out and walk along the river, hike to a waterfall, or spend the day lounging on the beach.

Don’t live in Reno? Our admissions application is probably still open.