Attention, poor college students: we have some tips from your collegiate colleagues for how to maintain the lifestyle you want on the budget you have.
Being a cash-strapped college student is a tired cliche, but it’s the reality that many face; it ain’t easy ends meet — student loans, food, and substance slush fund (not necessarily in that order)— on the paltry remuneration of a work-study program.
Fusion asked several particularly penniless students to share their best on-campus life hacks on Whisper, the anonymous secret-sharing app.
Selling your blood— or “prostituting your platelets,” as no one calls it — can be surprisingly lucrative (if you’ve never had Hepatitis). This user said it was a little painful getting pricked by a needle, but plasma is naturally regenerated in just a few days. Plus, it makes it easier to get a buzz off a few beers afterwards — so it’s win-win!
Some impoverished students resort to petty theft [
editor’s note: our legal department wants us to stress that Fusion does not advocate theft in any form, petty or otherwise], especially when it comes to things like toilet paper, soap and toothpaste (forget paper towels and shaving cream; those are non-essential luxury items and a waste of money, at least until you’re 30).
Be economically smart about your booze consumption. Buying drinks at the bar all night is simply not a viable option. Here are two ways to drink a lot (responsibly, please!) without paying club prices:
Figuring out how to cut corners on textbook costs is key. There are a few approaches:
Taking advantage of free food on campus is a classic hack tactic (hacktic?). Chances are, your local chapter of the
Clown Nose Club or
Tiddlywinks Society will be holding meetings with some free pizza. Get involved.
We were struck by the creativity of some Whisper users.
They even offered up strategies for thawing poultry on a budget.
Share some of your best money-saving college hacks in the comments. And for more tips from poor college students, try Whisper
here.
Alexandra DiPalma is a producer for Fusion Lightworks, Fusion’s In-house Branded Content Agency.
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