Saving money can be easy and even fun when you are doing it right, especially when you have self control. Meaning, just because you have the money to buy it doesn’t mean you should buy it.

When you are shopping I find it better to think in my head, “Do I really need it? Am I going to use it everyday? Is this product better than something I already use?” Thinking about these questions when I shop has saved me quite a lot of money.

Grocery shopping is always the hardest, especially when the sales are of things that I do use but don’t need. That’s why I create a list and a budget.

Before I step into a store, I look at their weekly ads, paper and digital coupons, and I look to see where the item may be cheaper. After that I make a list of food with their prices and sales, add up how much it all is and make sure I don’t exceed my budget.

It may sound like a lot but I limit myself to $50 a shopping trip, but it doesn’t mean $50 per store, that means everything that I purchase when grocery shopping at all stores must be $50 and below.

There are some exceptions to the budget limit especially since I live with 2 other people. If it is my turn to buy toilet paper or garbage bags, those don’t get included in the budget.

Online shopping is something I try to avoid unless it is an item that is cheaper online like toilet paper or if I need socks, buying the socks I wear is a lot cheaper in bulk on Amazon. 

Budgeting is difficult in college. When I was a freshman, the first month of school was terrible. I bought a Swiffer mop so I could clean my floor, a rug from Target, lots of clothes that I thought was cheap but the entire total was just under $80. 

The best advice I could give someone who is close to being in the same position that I was in, if you don’t have the money in your account, put your credit card away. One of the biggest mistakes I made was swiping my credit card before checking my balance. I racked up so much debt that I didn’t get it all paid off until a couple weeks before sophomore year started.