31 ways to cut your college costs

As an international student, your tuition will be much higher than that of an American who is a resident of the state where your public-supported school is located.     If you attend a private school, your tuition will be the same as others.    However, a private college, no matter it is a non-profit or for-profit, the price tag for the tuition usually is higher than the average tuition for public schools.

Please refer to our post ‘the Price Tag of College Education‘ for further details regarding what to expect to spend for your studies at a U.S. college.   How can you save bucks on your total cost while you study in the U.S.?     The tips are:

1. Attend a public college or university.
2. Choose a school in an area with cheaper living costs.
3. Go to a community college.
4. Enter a school which gives big tuition waivers or scholarships to international students.
5. Go to a school which could give you assistantship or stipends.
6. Consider a school which gives full scholarships (or full tuition waiver) to students whose family annual income below a certain level.
7. Use local, national, and online coupons wisely to cut living expenses.
8. Buy what you need not what you want.
9. Set a budget for your weekly expenditures.
10. Work in your school’s cafeteria and schedule your work hours wisely to have free meals.
11. Work as much as possible if that does not effect your grades.
12. Take advantage of stores’ special discount for students.
13. Before you leave for the U.S., stuck some personal necessaries from your country if your country’s living costs are a lot cheaper than America’s.
14. Buying second-hand items instead of buying new ones.
15. Learn some skills which could save you big bucks.
16. Buy generic brands instead of brand names.
17. Be smart with smartphone services and be aware of overcharges (a common thing in the U.S.).
18. Pay attention to and compare the prices for the same products at various stores.
19. Know when to shop and when to get good deals
20. Sell what you don’t need at used goods stores.
21. Don’t eat out to save the 10-20% tips on top of your meal.
22. Watch movies online instead of going to a theater.
23. Living in a cheaper off-campus apartment or house instead of dormitory on campus.
24. Share an apartment or house with other room mates to cut your monthly rent.
25. Use ‘Student Monthly Bus (or Transit) Pass’  or ‘College Transit Pass.’
26. Find daily necessities from garage sales or estate sales at amazingly low prices.
27. Get some good stuff from street corners where rich people throw out their used items.  They are all free.
28. Stay with a home stay where your meals are included and total living costs are cheaper.
29. Car pool with your classmate(s) or roommate(s) instead of buy a car.
30. If you really want to have a car, buy a car with your friends and share it.
31. Simple Living.   Freer Life.