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Finding economic equilibrium can be challenging when you’re studying full time or even part time. Trying to balance your study earning capability and other commitments can place a real strain on your ability to save and indeed cover your costs. Here’s a few tips that can really help your hard earned cash go further.
Buy Second Hand
You don’t need to buy everything new. Be it clothes, books, cars or even furniture, there’s lots of ways to find what you need cheaply and quickly, and still in good quality. Search Gumtree, Facebook trading pages, lawn sales and even op shops for ways to furnish your wardrobe, your home and your life.
Do your grocery shopping later in the day
Try and avoid doing your grocery shopping first thing in the morning. You will often find things have been reduced in price to get rid of them. These are usually just as fresh as if you had purchase them first thing, but at ( sometimes) half the price.
Buy fresh produce at the markets
The Top End has a plethora of markets to purchase your fresh fruit and vegetables from. Try Rapid Creek on a Sunday morning or Malak Marketplace on a Saturday night. The produce is often better quality than a supermarket as it hasn’t had to travel as far, and you’ll be supporting local producers rather than big corporates.
Cook for yourself
Cooking can be a great way of releasing stress and saving you money. Plus you can always cook a bit extra and freeze it or have it for lunch the next day, so you will always get extra value for it.
Find free activities and entertainment
In the dry season, Darwin has loads of free activities, for both adults and kids alike. Check out Darwin waterfront, Darwin Community Arts and Mindil Markets on a Thursday and Sunday evening. Or take a picnic down to the foreshore to watch our spectacular sunsets
Take your lunch to classes
Don’t spring for the $10 sandwich at the uni cafe, take your sandwich to class or buy your own snacks and bring them along. Your wallet and your waistline will thank you
Turn off the tele.
This might seem a bit odd, but turning off the TV, will not only make you fitter and healthier, but can also save you money on electricity and save you time, that you can use more productively.
Review your Utilities and essentials
Take the time to review your essential payments . It’s amazing how much you can save by contacting your phone company, bank, utilities, insurer and more and asking for a better deal. They are often more than happy to accommodate you and you could save a bundle.
Avoid using credit cards
Credit cards just rack up interest and often end up costing you more than they might save you in cash outlay. If you must use a credit card, make sure you pay off your balance in full each month and try and get a card that has low fees but a rewards program also. Shop around for the best deal.
There’s lots of different ways you can save money just by thinking outside the box. How do you make your student dollar go further?