Cut your spending by $500 a month
In today's tight economy, who doesn't want to free up some cash? Trim the fat but not the fun from your budget - here's how.
Trim college expenses
Tuition is the largest single bill you'll pay for Junior to get a degree from Bleed You Dry U. But other costs add up fast. Slash these three:
Books: Nix Brief Principles of Macroeconomics from the college bookstore ($146); rent it from Chegg.com or CampusBookRentals.com, which carries the intro econ text for $68 a semester.
Meals: Go for a seven- or 14- meal plan, not a full one. Your kid will be up late partying, er, studying, and skipping breakfast a few days a week. And no one eats in the cafeteria on Saturday night.
Travel: For trips home, buy a Student Advantage discount card ($20) to save 15% on train and bus fares, 10% off selected flights.
NEXT: Cut the cost of next year's camp...
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Groceries -
Car -
Shoes -
Twitter -
Timing -
Stretching -
Commuting -
Gas -
Printers -
Generics -
Work out -
College -
Camp -
Prescript... -
Pills -
Childcare -
Pets -
Health risk -
Phone bills -
Coupons -
Assistance -
Taxes -
Shopping -
Spending -
Convenience -
Happiness -
Indulgences -
Temptations -
Fees -
529 plans -
Interest ... -
Investments -
Car insur... -
Banks -
Overdrafts -
Life insu... -
ATM fees -
Cash -
Web tools -
Home -
Energy -
Lawn -
Mortgage -
Tools -
House -
Renovations -
Appliances -
Home insu... -
Sample sa... -
Home goods -
Clothing -
Designers -
Fun -
Food -
Gardening -
Champagne -
Sports -
TV -
Books -
Music -
Club cards -
Tipping -
Vacations
Last updated August 17 2009: 9:37 AM ET
Note: Based on saving 50% of national average of $1,077 a year for books; Cornell semester meal plans ($2,900 unlimited vs. $2,450 for 14 a week); four roundtrip train rides, Ann Arbor to Rockford, Ill., plus one spring break flight to Miami.
