Even if you have a scholarship, you can’t afford to make mistakes with money management. Until you graduate and get a real full-time job in your career, you have to save as much money as possible and keep your expenses in check.
Good education comes with a big price tag. It’s unfortunate, but true nonetheless.
For your help, the following are some of the best ways to do that:
1. Buy used books, and sold old ones
University books are very costly, with most texts exceeding the UGX 100,000 threshold.
Even though buying books, along with handouts, can burn a big hole in your pockets, you cannot do without them. After all, they’re where you get your education from. However, you can still greatly bring down the expenses by spending smartly.
There are a number of websites such as Amazon, Thriftbooks, etc. where you can easily find your course books in used condition. A love of times these books look as good as new, or usable at the very least. So, it makes sense to save a good deal of money by choosing them over new books especially when you may not even need them after the end of the semester.
RELATED: How To Teach Children To Make Smart Money Choices.
Some website offer these books free of charge for downloading. Bookfi.net is one such site, where syllabus recommended books for law, medicine, economics and the social sciences can be accessed free of charge.
Apart from buying used books, you can also sell your own old books to make some money. Of course, if you think you may need a certain book in the future, you may want to hold onto that.
2. Arrange for a small income
Even while you are studying for your future career, it’s a good idea to get a part-time job or arrange for a small income through some other means. This can help you become a more responsible person and also make it easier to manage your campus expenses.
There are various ways you can find part-time jobs in your area. You can check newspapers, online classified websites such as Jumia Jobs and Brighter Monday, etc.
If you are good at something, such as writing or graphics design, then you can also make money online by becoming a freelancer. There are also countless opportunities on the Internet if you know where to look for them.
3. Shop Online
Online shopping is popular not only because it’s convenient, but also because it helps you save money.
The prices on e-commerce portals are highly competitive, especially when you compare them with your local stores. You can enjoy great offers, huge discounts, and even special perks during festive seasons. Jumia and Kilimall are noted for their Black Friday offers on all items ranging from electronics, clothes, shoes, etc. A lot of online stores also allow you to use coupons for additional discounts. So, instead of buying items from shops around Wandegeya or Nakawa, you can shop online to save money.
RELATED: Why Higher Education Is Important.
4. Cook at home
Do you like to eat outside often? If your answer is “yes”, then you should think again.
It’s not wrong to eat at restaurants, but when you want to save money, it’s better to cook at home instead.
Besides, this way you can enjoy a nutritious meal and avoid junk food which is bad for your health.
5. Use a Shuttle
Apart from food and accommodation, transportation costs are what can make a big dent in your savings. So, if you are using your car to get to campus, you can move to public transport instead. Several hostels offer shuttle services, whose traveling schedule is pinned on the hostel noticeboard.