Whether you are studying finance at an Ivy League college or earning NEC’s non profit management degree, you are going to need to save money in every way you can while you’re in college. College life is expensive, and there are a lot of expenses that you can’t avoid. However, there are plenty of costs that you can reduce.

Here is how to save money on college expenses.

Buy Your Books Used

One of the biggest ways that you can save money in college is by buying your books used. Not only do you want to buy them used, but you can save even more if you buy them online. There are a lot of websites where you can search for your textbooks online and you will be able to get them for a fraction of the cost that you would pay at the school bookstore. Some people hold on to those books for several years and then try to sell their books for as low as a few dollars. It all depends on the book and if it is the same edition as the one that you were assigned.  Either way, most of the information will be pretty much the same.

Cook at Home

Food might be your largest expense when you’re in college, especially if you are eating out all the time. There will be all kinds of places where you can go to buy food on campus, not to mention all the places just outside of campus. There’s no telling how much money you could save by buying all of your food at the market, making it at home, and bringing snacks with you each day. Not only will this cut your food costs at least in half, but it will also be better for your health. Most of those snack stands and restaurants around campus don’t serve very healthy food, so you will definitely be keeping your waistline in check as well.

Buy a Used Laptop

When you’re in college, your laptop is by far your most prized possession. It will probably also be your most expensive possession. You may want the newest, top-of-the-line laptop because you know that you will be using it a lot, but you will really feel stung in your pocketbook all year long. Luckily, there are a lot of people who work in industries, like technology and graphic design, who buy a new laptop each year. This means that you can get a high-quality, practically new laptop for a huge discount if you buy your laptop used.

Use Wi-Fi When You Can

If you’re like most college students, there’s a good chance that you are constantly using social media and the internet on your phone throughout the day. If you are relying on your data 100% of the time, then you are going to be spending a lot of money each month on your phone bill. However, when you’re out and about you can save a ton if you just make sure to connect to Wi-Fi when you can. This way, you can save money by reducing your data plan with your phone carrier.