It’s Monday, you’re running late for class so you decide to grab a quick bite at the school convenience store. Then comes Tuesday and you end up doing the same. But then the trip turns into a frequent venture. What are these frequent trips costing you?
At the campus convenience store, the price of breakfast came around to $6. The breakfast included a 1.5 ounce cereal bowl, milk, Pop-Tarts, Greek yogurt and a small coffee. If you were to buy these all at the grocery store, say Vons, you would be spending half of that money.
There are many methods to help cut the costs: budget your time, buy in bulk, buy off-brands and purchase in moderation.
Budget Your Time
It’s easy to be tempted by an extra fifteen minutes of sleep, especially when you’re waking up for an 8am class. But, in those 15 minutes you could prepare a salad-bacon bits included for half the price of what you’d pay in the convenient store. You also know the ingredients are fresher. Budgeting your time is key to saving money on food. When you’re already 15 minutes late you don’t have time to wait for the coffee you have in your cupboard to brew. Therefore it seems easier to just stop by the Outpost and pick up a cup. Many coffee machines are equipped with a timer, set yours for 10 minutes before you wake up, you’ll have fresh coffee to pick you up and you’ll save money through the semester.
Buy in Bulk
Buying in bulk benefits the consumer by saving them money. And today, saving money is a wonderful thing. College students are in the perfect state of having to save money. Minimum wage paying jobs, little hours, long study hours, buying alcohol — these all give way to the stereotype of the “starving college student.” What if I said you don’t have to be one?
Costco, Food4Less, Fresh&Easy, Whole Foods Market — these all give buyers opportunities to buy in bulk. That protein bar you purchased may have cost you around $1.50. A packaged box of nine of those bars would probably only cost you $5.
Buying Off-Brands
When faced with the decision of generic or band names, many people get wary. It is a common misconception that generics don’t taste as good. They do. The best thing about them: they are so much cheaper. Target’s store brand “Market Pantry” offers fruit snacks, chips, and nuts that are all significantly economical. They are also sold in convenient single serving and they don’t sell many off brands at convenient stores, which is why they are often much more expensive.
Purchase in Moderation
Just like your mother said, “don’t let your eyes be bigger than your stomach.”
You’re walking down the cereal aisle when suddenly the aisle connects to the cracker shelf. There they are, your favorite cheese crackers sitting there in their cheesy glory. Your temptation brings the worst out of you and you end up grabbing the box of crackers and place them into your basket.
This scenario is all too familiar to most. That wandering eye, that lustful passion you have for those cheese crackers have gotten the best of you and your wallet. However, buying only the things you need is essential to saving money. Yes, those crackers are delicious, but they’re costing you way too much, that being your wallet and your waistline. The idea is simple, but difficult. Buy only what you need.