7 Crazy Cheap Things Students Do to Save Money

There’s thrifty and then there’s crazy cheap. Check out these 7 practices college students employ just to stretch a ringgit.

Money Management

Updated 03 May 2019

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We all penny pinch from time to time but college students are notorious for taking thrifting to the next level. After all, it’s not easy being a college student. The pressure of maintaining your grades while having a social life without having to rob the bank can be enough to drive you crazy!

Here are 7 crazy cheap things all college students have done at least once to save some money.

#1. Camping out at cafés

Where there’s a cafe with free Wi-Fi, there’s bound to be college students taking full advantage of it. They often do so by ordering the cheapest item on the menu (or sometimes just a cup of water!) before hunkering down at a table close to a plug point, occupying the seats right until closing time.

We’ve all been there before but the least you could do is order an appetiser or a small entrée?

#2. Sneakily filling up water bottles with free refills

A number of fast food chains, such as Carl's Jr. and Texas Chicken offer free soft drink refills. Well, they may live to regret their generosity when college students come around and discreetly fill up their bottles by making the switch from cup to bottle beneath the table.

#3. Employing creative parking

It’s no secret that it can be notoriously difficult to find parking on campus grounds. Furthermore, parking rates can be expensive if you have a full day of class. So what do you do? You find “alternate” parking spots. From roadside bends to shallow ditches, you have the creative ability to turn any open space into a parking spot.

#4. Unsubscribing after a free trial

We’re sure most of you are guilty of this. Whether it is a gym membership or an online movie streaming site, many students do not hesitate to sign up for free trials but will never forget to unsubscribe after the trial is over — even if they love the service.

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#5. Spam scholarship applications

Scholarships can be a real lifesaver if you’re looking to expand your studies without having any debts. It has become such a sought-after commodity that college students are sending out multiple applications — even if they know they don’t qualify for a particular scholarship.

For some reason, they believe that doing this will aid their chances of acquiring one. This isn’t true and you really just run the risk of making the scholarship admin’s life more difficult.

#6. Stock up on free samples

Who doesn’t love free samples? They’re a great way for you to try products you might be interested in, without having to take the monetary risk of purchasing a big bottle only to find out later that it doesn’t suit you.

However, there are people who take advantage of this (almost everyone including college students) and grab way too many samples that it looks like they are a wholesaler who is going to resell the products for the brand.

#7. Steal toilet paper

Believe or not, it has happened before. Some college students have been unlucky enough to enter a bathroom stall, only to find a depleted toilet paper holder. If you’re lucky, more considerate students might only take a sheet of toilet paper for future use — but unfortunately, some feel the need to take an entire roll!

If you’ve ever been a victim of bathroom burglars, then you’ll know that this is a serious habit which students need to stop doing.

Being a college student on a budget isn’t easy, so it’s fine if you want to sign up for free trials or get a handful of free samples once in a while. However, you should never resort to stealing or taking more free goodies than you need. If you’re serious about sticking to your budget, there are still so many other ways for you to save money reasonably. Good luck!