NINE SAVINGS TIPS FOR STUDENTS
HOW TO START SAVING AS A STUDENT
If you’re a student looking to stretch your paycheck—especially if your parents have put you in charge of your own personal money management—you’ve probably learned how quickly costs add up.
Which, of course, makes it easier to see the benefits of saving money. Try these nine savings tips—from apps and digital music to fast food lunches and movie date nights—to help keep your costs down and your savings growing.
1. TAKE ADVANTAGE OF ONLINE REBATES AND REBATE APPS
From online shopping to in-store grocery shopping, there are a plethora of cashback websites and apps (such as Swagbucks, Ebates, SavingStar and MyPoints) that help you earn money back on your purchases. Depending on which site you’re using, all you have to do is shop through the site or scan your receipt and upload it after you make a purchase. Even better, if you’re a Renasant Rewards Extra account holder, there are more than 400,000 coupons and special deals from shops and restaurants across the nation waiting for you right now! Other apps that give you money back on food, drinks, toiletries and more include Checkout51 and Ibotta.
2. SCORE CHEAP MOVIE TICKETS
Many movie theaters now offer some type of membership whereby you can pay a monthly fee that gets you free movie tickets, discounts on refreshments and a waiver of the online ticket fee. Your local theater may also offer matinee pricing for movies shown before a specific time and/or discount days when all movies are discounted. Alternatively, you can wait until the movie is available for rent from Redbox or comes to Netflix or cable.
3. CHECK OUT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY
Many libraries offer more than just book loans these days—you can get access to music, movies, television shows and more, just by showing your library card. Some even offer digital book downloads and audiobooks.
4. BECOME A MEMBER
Membership sites and clubs can offer huge benefits to students—from free or lower-tier membership costs to enhanced benefits packages. For example, take Amazon Prime. While Prime shoppers pay an annual fee, each student membership begins with a free six-month trial. That means free two-day shipping for most purchases on Amazon, access to free shows and movies and a free Kindle book each month.
5. USE YOUR STUDENT ID
Don’t be afraid to show your student ID anywhere and everywhere and ask whether the place offers student discounts. This applies at museums, clothing stores, restaurants, bookstores and so many other places you might visit during your day.
6. SAVE ON SOFTWARE
Whether for class work or hobbies such as website design, video creation and photo editing—you need software. Save as much as half off on the most popular software programs on sites like Journeyed.com, which offer massive discounts to students and educators.
7. MAKE A LIST
One of the best tips for personal money management is to make a plan and write it down. Whether it’s a grocery shopping list or a list of necessities for the month, create a list and stick to it. Don’t let spur-of-the-moment purchases eat away at your savings.
8. OPEN A BANK ACCOUNT
While a piggy bank may have taught you the benefits of saving money as a kid, as you grow older and start making money, you’ll need a better place to sock away your earnings. Renasant Bank offers a selection of checking and savings accounts for a variety of spending and saving goals.
9. PLAN FOR THE FUTURE
You’re never too young to start thinking about your future, and the sooner you start saving for retirement, the more you’ll have when that time comes. So, even though you may not even know yet what your career will be, it’s not too early to start planning for the end of it.
HOW RENASANT BANK CAN HELP
Making the most of your money during your college days can help you prepare for graduation. Even a small cushion of extra savings can help you transition into your field of work upon graduation—especially if you need a little extra time to find the right job for you. Stay in the know about savings tips and tricks by checking in with Renasant Nation. You can also partner with the experts at Renasant Bank to get on track with your finances. Contact our banking professionals to start saving today!