This is for everyone who falls into any of these categories:
You don't have a part-time job or an internship. Or any other job for that matter. Bottom line, you are unemployed and solely depending on monthly allowance from the parental unit. (See #2)
Your monthly allowance from the parental unit is hardly enough to cover your food, transport and your occasional leisure-time activities (so maybe in some cases, occasional is an understatement).
If personal budgeting was a subject in school, you think you probably got an F-.
If overspending was a subject in school, you think you probably got an A+++.
I threw in #4 for fun. LOL. But I honestly think I'll get an A+++ and I know I'm not alone in this. So here it is, if you are studying in MDIS and you think you seriously need to cut down on your expenses to save on other (bigger and better) stuff, I have a short list on how to save moolah!!!
Pack it. Pack yourself some light snack from home so that you don't have to buy from the canteen or the vending machine. I know, I know, on some levels, it may look or feel 'unglam' but think of it this way - you don't have to wait in line for food. The only reason why we have this perception that it's 'unglam' is because we've had this image of THE UGLY BROWN PAPER BAG. Pack it in style then if you would rather die than be seen with the brown paper bag. I for one, did this while I was still in school, my bag always had some snacks like a sandwich or Hello Panda or some salad my mother made for me (thanks, Mom!).
Flea! Well maybe not exactly a flea but more like a bargain. If you have friends who are a few batches ahead of you in your course and have taken the same modules that you will be taking, ask around if they are selling their textbooks or other course materials. I'm sure most of them (like me!!! WHO WANTS MASS COMM DEGREE TEXTBOOKS, LET ME KNOW!) are more than willing to sell them off. Anyhoo, you can do the same thing too and earn yourself some extra moolah. If you don't already know, our bookshop also sells formerly used textbooks, just ask them about it and you may get lucky and find yourself a steal (no pun intended, let's avoid going to jail).
Student Deals. Always always look for student deals before every purchase. Our MDIS student card has discounts in some retail and F&B outlets. Examples are discounts at the Donut Factory, Chocz, Seoul Garden, Harry's Bar, Spizza, O'Briens and more. For the full list of participating outlets, click here. If you have NETS or OUB Cards, save on movie tickets if you catch a movie at the Cathay Cineplexes on weekdays. Join the GV Movie Club (it's free) and save on your popcorn combo purchases.
These small savings may look insignificant but if you add them all up, you can save a whole lot more. It's not about being stingy, it's all about spending smart. Feel free to add on to this list because I'm sure you guys have your own money saving tips too. Looking forward to hearing from you because I seriously need as much help! Enjoy the rest of your summer!
