What are Good Frugal Habits for Students?

Ankita Kamat

“What are good frugal habits for students?”- Do you want to create financial magic in your student life? Well, if you are thinking to be frugal then you are planning well for your future. Frugal students reach a better place financially in the near future.

Just few years I was also a student, it looks like yesterday. During my student life, I started to adapt frugality. And I started to save money. Now when I look back, I feel I took the right decision in my student life. I can understand that many of you feel difficult to adapt frugality during student life. But I personally feel that the one who understands the importance of frugal living as a student will achieve most of the financial goals very early.

As I was saving money during my student life. Many of my friends were thinking that I was a miser! But frugal living is not about being a miser or being cheap. It’s all about handling money well and living your life well without spending more money.

What are good frugal habits for students

What are good frugal habits for students? Be unique student

No doubt, student life is all about trill, adventure, fun and enjoyment. The only things which you don’t like in student life are exams and boring lectures! Am I right?! All of you like roaming with friends, having yummy food at restaurants, traveling with friends during your student life. But have you ever thought about money management as a student? No?

I can understand you are thinking this is very early to think about saving money and frugal living. But do you know, the younger people already started to save money and adapting frugal living in their life. These young people are sensible and taking the right financial decisions. Well, I want you to adapt to frugality in your life. Students are the future of our country. Now if you give little attention to your money then in the future you will reach any financial goals in your life.

9 Excellent frugal habits for students which will help you to be rich in future

If I ask you whether you want to be rich then I’m sure you say ‘yes’. After all who does not want to have more money, right? But to be rich and to have more money one should live life wisely. As a student, if you take simple steps to adapt frugality then I can say that you are walking on the right path.

Inculcating frugality in student life is like sowing seed which will give you sweet fruits in the future. Now as a student if you adapt frugality in the future you will thank yourself for this decision.

Let me elaborate on a few good frugal habits which will help you to handle your money smartly.

1.Don’t buy books in a retail shop
2. Think twice before replacing the things to save money
3. Know how to save money on clothes as a student
4. Share financial responsibilities with your siblings
5. Drink lemon juice instead of spending money on cold drinks as s student
6. Use your smartphone to earn money
7. Visit picnic spots where students get discounts
8. Join free summer camps in summer vacation as a student
9. Use your TV to learn new skills as a student

1. Don’t buy books in a retail shop

As a student one has to buy more books. But I advise not to buy at retail shops. There are some wholesale dealers who sell bulk quantity books at a lower price. So when your school or college re-opens, list down how many notebooks do you need for the whole academic year. Then find out a wholesale dealer of books in your city.

When you buy bulk quantity books you can save a lot of money. You can take your friends also with you. All of you can buy bulk quantity books and save money as a student. You can also buy pens, pencils and other things in a bulk quantity which you need as a student. All these simple steps will help you to save money.

2. Think twice before replacing the things to save money

You don’t need to replace everything with a new one. Instead, repair your old things. I’ve seen students who buy everything new when school or college re-opens. You don’t need to waste your money to buy a new bag, a new uniform or new shoes every time. You can reuse your old stuff.

You can also repair your old things and use them instead of plunking down your money to buy new things. Learn to make use of things very well without wasting it. It’s very important for students to make optimum use of things. This is a part of frugality.

3. Know how to save money on clothes as a student

All most every school or college has its own dress code. Students are usually not allowed to wear any other dress than their uniforms. This is actually a plus point in students life. Now you don’t need to buy more clothes for you. Don’t waste your money on clothes. You will not wear all the clothes which you buy because according to school or college rules you wear uniform daily.

So while buying clothes don’t follow any new trends. The trend and fashion keep on changing weekly. Then you won’t wear those outdated fashionable clothes. So think twice before spending money on clothes.

4. Share financial responsibilities with your siblings

When I was getting pocket money, every time I used to save some money. So I advise you to save money whenever you get pocket money from your parents. Then learn to share financial responsibilities. You can take help of your siblings. Even you can advise your siblings to save money. You and your siblings can save money together and plan some common financial goals.

Then you can use your savings to buy good books or to take any online course as a student. These simple steps will boost your financial management.  Here practically you will be finding ways to save money. And learn to spend money on the right things.

5. Drink lemon juice instead of spending money on cold drinks as s student

Most of the students spend more money on cold drinks and ice creams. Especially during the summer holidays, everyone spends money on these things. But this is not at all good for your pocket and for your health. So instead of spending money on unhealthy things, learn to be frugal here. You can make daily lemon juice at your home. This is also good for your health and you can save money.

And instead of spending money on ice creams you can eat good seasonal fruits. There are fruits like watermelon, banana which helps to keep you cool. Prefer these fruits instead of spending more money on ice-creams. So instead of spending money on junk food learn to save money on food.

6. Use your smartphone to earn money

Instead of using your phone for social media and entertainment, use it to earn money. Don’t just scroll your phone all the time. Use your creativity and earn money. You can use Google to find out online job opportunities as a student.

Even teenagers can apply for internships online and earn money. So don’t miss the opportunity to make some money as a student. Earning money and saving money both are equally important. So prioritize earning as well as saving as a student.

7. Visit picnic spots where students get discounts

Whether it may be a transportation facility or any picnic spots students always get more discounts. Whenever you feel like hang out with your friends or make weekend plans always choose picnic spots where you get more discount in price. And never forget to take your student ID card while visiting any places. Your student ID card will help you everywhere to save more money.

8. Join free summer camps in summer vacation as a student

During summer vacation you can also join free summer camps without spending money. In my city, one organization is there which arranges a free summer camp forF students every year. Figure out such students camps. Usually, they teach dance, drawing, painting and other good things to students for free. So always take benefits as a student.

9. Use your TV to learn new skills as a student

Students watch more TV. Male students usually watch sports channels and female students are interested in serials. But instead of simply watching TV, you can learn good things. Watch good programmers which will help you to build your career. And you can also watch programmes which helps you to learn new things.

There are some TV programmes which teach about art and craft or any other skills. I was watching art and craft programmes on TV. So watch those good programmes to improve your skills or to learn a new skill. After learning skills you can even earn money. For example, if you learn art and craft then you can innovate and  create your own things and sell to your friends and family. And you can decorate your house with handmade crafts, instead of buying things from the market. So use TV for a good purpose instead of just watching entertainment channels.

How to live frugally as a female student?

Female students have there own peer world where they have a lot of peer pressure. Due to this peer pressure female students spend more money on clothes, cosmetics, accessories. So it’s very necessary for female students to handle peer pressure. If you learn to save money in your student life you will lead a better life.

I’m not saying you to totally avoid spending money. But as a female student take simple steps to live frugally. If you take simple steps to save money then this will help you to be better at handling your money. In future you will be an independent woman and lead a happy life without much financial stress. Even many women struggle to handle their money. But if you take steps to be frugal now, in future you will thank yourself for this decision.

How to live frugally as a male student?

Male students also spend more money after reaching 13, that is when they enter into teenage. If you don’t observe your spending habits as a male student then this is not good for your financial growth. Well, do you want to be rich in future?! Yes, right? Who does not want to be rich.

As per my observation, male students spending habits are quite different from female students spending habits. Male students love things like gadgets, shoes, gym equipment and much more. So as a male student you should also learn to handle peer pressure and try to avoid overspending. Take simple steps to adapt frugality in your life. If you want to have a lot of money in future and want financial freedom, start your preparation from now.

Frugal students will create financial magic in their life

As a student if you have dreams and vision then student life is the best time to inculcate frugal habits. And you will be stand out if you inculcate good fugal habits in your student life. Not every student think about frugal living at this early age. Only few sensible students take right decisions in this early age.

So count yourself in those few students who take right financial decisions during student life. Take simple steps which will help you to achieve your financial goals. The one who adapt frugality, will accomplish financial goals very soon. This is the magic of frugal living. So create that financial magic in your life as a student by following good frugal habits.

Student life is the best phase of life. As a student if are thinking about what are good frugal habits for students, then you are already standing out in your friend circle. Inculcate more frugal habits to in your student life and reach your all financial goals. Today if you walk on the path of frugality, tomorrow you will fly with financial freedom.

Ankita Kamat

I'm Ankita Kamat, the creator of Frugal Beat, a blog dedicated to frugal living. Join me in exploring practical ways to save money, reduce waste and live a purposeful life. Let's embrace frugality as a lifestyle together.