1. Food
Meal plans are expensive, so avoid them if you can. Same goes for dining in restaurants, even fast food. You can easily live on $10-20/week for a single person once you have a few base ingredients in stock (I cook three meals a day for two on about $20-25/week). The key is cheap but nutritious base ingredients, such as beans and rice, and lots of spices for variation. I have a lot of good recipes I'm willing to share. Contact me via my profile and we can figure out which ones match your tastes.

2. Dry Goods
For common household supplies like shampoo, prescriptions and non-refrigerated foods, I suggest http://www.cvs.com. It has all the big brands at discounted prices plus the cheaper CVS brand, and orders over $49 receive free shipping.

3. Movies, Music, etc.
A lot of universities offer independent film screenings and theater performances for free or at a discounted rate. Some even have activity stickers with a semester/annual fee that will get you into all extracurricular activities from sports to socials with no additional cost. Most campus libraries have a multimedia section, including DVD's and CD's. They may not be the most recent flicks, but it's a great way to pass the time and find those hidden gems that make you look like a connoisseur.

4. Textbooks & Supplies
Purchase secondhand copies of textbooks on Amazon.com, Craigslist, and local bookstores. If your university has community bulletin boards around campus, check for offerings or post your own plea for a specific book. DO NOT purchase supplies like paper and pens from the campus bookstore; they are ridiculously overpriced. Purchase supplies from office supply stores such as Staples; make sure to pick through the discount bins and buy recycled paper.

5. Printing Papers
There is free printing hidden somewhere on campus. Check with you Associated Students office or ask around to weasel out a location.

6. Banks and Cellphone Companies
Both offer student accounts, especially if there is a branch located on/near a university campus.

7. Local Discounts
Student ID's can provide discounts at the student hotspots around town. Go to the office you received your ID from and ask for a list.

8. Free Samples
Visit your Associated Students office and ask if they receive free samples of products. Often, companies will supply universities with samples of deodorant, shampoo, tampons, etc. that the university can't get rid of, so if it's a product you want ask for extra or visit regularly to restock.

Here are a few additional ways to save money ( They worked for me ).

Transportation: Walk. Ride Your Bike. Take the Bus.

Finances: First things first. Get an idea of what your expenses actually are. It is great if you save 10% every month but if you are overspending by 35% then you are not really in a good place. Then when you know what your expenses are you can splurge a little every now and then guilt free.

Clothing: keep your wardrobe to a few key pieces then if you really want to change things up swap clothes with a buddy.

DVD rentals: bag it. You're in college there are plenty of other things to do than sit around and watch movies.

Housing: Share your living space with as many people as the Fire Marshal will allow

Phone: get a pay as you go plan - no long term commitments. Your college may even have a deal.

Travel: This is where alot of my friends spent a ton of money. They were always going home on the weekends and going on extravagent spring break trips. Don't go home as much and if you want to go on exoctic travels then check out your schools exchange program. There are also a bunch of ways for college kids to volunteer around the world too.

Books: This is an unavoidable expense. But if you can get the reading list as early as possible you can scour the internet for the best used book prices. Then sell them back to the University at the end of the semester

Personal supplies: Let your Aunties know that you would love for them to send you all those little shampoo bottles they pick up on their trips to Vegas. Make sure your grannies and extended family have a good mailing address for you where they can send care packages. Let them know that you appreciate the care packages too. You can pay it forward by helping a little old lady across the street but for now your in college and you have to save money where you can.

Food: Join a church. There are always great potluck dinners and usually great pancake breakfasts. Besides it is not a bad thing to go to church too. It helps keep your life balance while on this chaotic wild ride of the college life.

Don't eat "fast food" eat whole foods - better for you, more filling, and often less expensive in the long run.

Get a part-time job at a cafe or restaurant. These kind of jobs usually work pretty well with college hours and you can get some good food while you're there. Don't waste your time with a job at a music store or a clothing store. You will only end up spending more money than you wanted to.

This time of your life will fly by.

Have a Blast!

There are many ways to save money as a university student. Food, alcohol, entertainment, and communications are the big money categories for university students. For food, stick to the value menus are restaurants or get together with friends and make a large group meal. For alcohol, go to the bars during drink specials like happy hours or cut back on the frequency of bar visits. Entertainment, watch free online content, rent DVDs rather than going to the theater, use your student ID to get any discounts you can, and attend school entertainment events that are usually free or discounted for students. As for communication, most collages have free Internet access, use this with a service like Skype to get free or very cheap calls. Also, a pre-paid cell phone will help cut back on monthly expenses. Always look for the cheapest alternative and never turn your back on free.