The Student Wallet: Tips For Balancing Regular Budgets

One of the things I was never told or taught before I gained admission into the university was, I would have to be a manager of everything that concerns me as a student. I lived with my dad and other family members all my life before I went to the university so it did took me a while to figure out ways to handle my student businesses.

There were so many things I had to manage to keep a good student record and live comfortably enough but the hardest and one that needed my attention most was my finances as a student. Money is a big part of life generally because we need money for countless things even in a day. Students need money to sustain themselves too.

I can still remember my first days in school after I secured a space to stay. It wasn't really hard but that's mainly because I came prepared from home with whatever I needed. I was the kind of student who would rarely go ask for an item or money from a neighbor, not because of pride but because I knew we were all managing in school.

Some may not be managing but I used same mindset for all and that encouraged me to cut my coat according to my size in everything I spent money on. The things I spent money on most were feeding and transportation but I figured a good hack around that and I lived in school comfortably like I wasn't actually a student lol.

Of course, there were books and handouts to buy but I also figured a good hack around that and I'll say I had the best friends to help me shield that like I have so much money. We'd buy handouts together and plan our study times together so every one of us would use it like we owned the handouts, it was cost and intelligence effective.

There were days I had very little money on me but honestly, I doubt there was anytime I had nothing because I mostly plan ahead and I didn't live extravagantly except on very few times when I decide to treat myself to something nice and different, especially when the stress from my studies is getting too much to bear or I fall sick.

My hack for my feeding in my school days was visiting the big market to buy items in bulk when I just get my allowance or good amount to spend. I learnt ways to preserve items that don't last for too long and that helped me have enough good food even when I have just small amount of money in my account. I could even buy junks lol.

And the last hack was in my transportation, I got lucky to not stay too far from my school but inside my school, my faculty was far from the school gate so there were times I needed to take the school bus so I could meet up with classes. But my hack was getting prepared much earlier and walking with friends from same direction.

That saved me a lot of transport expenses, gave me more time to bond with friends and also made me experience watching students go about their lives in school. I'll say I did have things figured out with my finances as a student back then, I was almost never in lack or asking for help from others. That habit have been with me since.