Author: Jeremy Candelas

Money comes and money goes. Then the money goes more, and more, and keeps on going with no apparent end in sight. Such is the life of the lowly Cornell student. When we are constantly bombarded with books to buy and health care fees to pay (#thanksSkorton), the little money we do have seems to vanish overnight. Forever saddled with the various costs associated with college, the cycle never really ends.

 

Thankfully, there are at least a few ways to get a better hold on your finances while you’re here at Cornell.

 

1. Save, save, save.

 

We all know what it’s like when we get a sudden influx of money in our pockets. Whether it’s a gift from mom and dad, a paycheck, or a refund from the Bursar Office, the nagging urge to go spend it is almost immediate. Don’t. Well, at least not all of it. Put some of it aside in a saving account and start a rainy-day fund just in case you slip on a patch of black ice and shatter your phone screen into a thousand pieces.

 

2. Buy/rent used books

 

As many have probably learned by now, those “required” textbooks sometimes really aren’t — and the Professor doesn’t make that clear until a week into class. Other times, you bought a brand new book expecting to use it often, when really you just needed two or three pages. Save yourself some big (red) bucks by (1) waiting a week or two into classes to see if you really need the book, and (2) buying or renting used. Surprisingly, the Cornell store has a great tool for finding out where you can get books for a fraction of what their store charges.

 

3. Student discounts

 

The next time you’re going out to eat or buying something from a big-brand store, check and see if they offer a student discount. Everyone knows about Apple’s student deals every year, but many don’t realize they can get discounts on their phone plans, auto-insurance, and shopping memberships to places such as Amazon Prime or Sam’s Club.

 

4. Free stuff

 

What’s better than a student discount? Free stuff. Amazon offers a free 6-month trial of Amazon Student which is extremely useful for ordering textbooks and various other goods with the free 2-day shipping that it comes with. Additionally, every Cornell student has an array of software they can download for free, including the Microsoft Office Suite, AutoDesk, and more.

 

5. Get a job (or two) on campus

 

If you have the time in your schedule, look around for a job on campus. There are quite literally thousands of jobs available, from sales associate to research assistant and everything in between. Not only can you score an extra bit of spending money, but having a job on campus can help you to develop work skills that will help you in the future, and they can open the door to further opportunities later on down the road. New jobs are often posted here, but know that this is not even close to listing all the jobs available on campus. Wherever it is you’re interested in working, whether it’s at a dining hall or in a research lab, talk to whoever is in charge about available opportunities!

 

6. Sell, sell, sell!

 

Do you have a bunch of junk lying around that you really don’t want or need anymore? Don’t throw it away — sell it. Take a minute to look around your room to see what you can do without. If you have clothing you don’t wear anymore, books you don’t need, or anything that you think someone else might want, throw it up on Craigslist or to the Cornell Buying and Selling page on Facebook.