Saving Money as a Student in ABQ

As you probably heard, we offer a rent discount for college students! But there are countless other ways to save money as a college student also—and, of course, living in a relatively cheap town like Albuquerque and going to a well-priced college like the University of New Mexico or Central New Mexico Community College doesn’t hurt either!

BeingFrugal.net has an awesome list of 51 different ways to save money as a college student. Here are some of our favorites:

• Bus it. Public transportation is one of man’s greatest inventions because it is cheaper than car insurance and history’s highest gas prices (which you won’t have to pay if you ride the bus/metro/insert other mode of public transportation here). All it takes is a small fare or your campus’s bus passes (some universities charge, others give them out for free for a limited number of hours).
• Don’t just leave those cans and bottles from last weekend’s party on the curb to be taken away by the garbage man. Recycle them yourself and get cash from a grocery store that provides this service. This method of recycling, known as the Bottle Bill, is only in certain state’s legislation so hopefully you live in one of those 11 states.
• Thrift stores, garage sales and second-hand shops are a college student’s best friend when old clothes wear out. It is a widely held belief that thrift stores are thee places to shop whether you are cheap or not, because there is such a wide range of clothing that fits anyone’s taste and it’s rare that you’ll see someone else wearing the same clothing item you’ve bought from a second-hand shop.
• At the beginning of every week buy enough food to last you one week in one meal. i.e. chicken and rice for dinner the next seven days. It lacks the variety one enjoys, but we’re in college so we’re aiming for cheap and edible.

Do you have any other ideas for how college students can save money while in school? Let us know, and post a comment on our Facebook page! And don’t hesitate to contact us if you have any questions about our student discount program.