When you live in an expensive place like Los Angeles as a student of USC, your expenditures will be higher. Obviously, you cannot spend an extravagant amount of money. Hence, you have to stay within a budget to avoid getting into a cycle of debt.

Hence, we have listed here a few money-saving tips that can make you financially responsible

1. Rent Textbooks:

As a student, one of the significant expenditures would be buying textbooks. You can drastically reduce this cost by renting used textbooks for the semester and returning them after you finish the semester. Just ensure that you rent the latest book edition so that the syllabus remains the same. If you have bought books in your previous semester, you can sell the books back to make some money.

2. Prep Meals:

Buying fast food can be heavy on your pockets and also is not a healthy way of living. Instead, prep your meals in advance so that you do not have to spend much time cooking. Small expenses, like paying money to buy coffee from Starbucks, can pile on and become significant expenditures. Instead, brew your own coffee.

3. Look for Off-Campus Housing:

House rent is one of the most significant expenditures of a month, so you have to take some time to figure out your living situation. While staying on campus may seem like a good idea, it can get expensive. Many students look for cheap housing options off-campus and find apartments for rent in Koreatown. This is cheaper, and living just a few blocks away will not really be inconvenient.

4. Become a Member of USC Student-Run Facebook Group:

There are several Facebook groups run by USC students that give a lot of information about great deals on books, technology, and also housing options. You will find students posting to find a roommate or a senior selling their previous semester's books. Many of these deals may actually be beneficial to you, and also you will be updated about all the campus events.

5. Do Not Ignore Your USC Emails:

It is easy to ignore emails from USC as you may consider them spam, but actually, you can get a lot of information from these emails about current events. Every week at least once, you will get an email update on any campus event with free food. So do not skip these emails.

6. Use Your USC Discounts:

As a student of USC, you will get discounts at movie theaters. In fact, gas stations also offer significant discounts to students. Always bring your USC ID when you buy food at the campus center, as they will take off the sales tax.

7. Go to Lyon Center:

If you are into fitness, do not spend a lot of money on an off-campus gym membership; instead, go to the Lyon recreation center, which has everything, and you can access it without any additional cost.

The Bottom Line:

As a student, the entire idea of saving money and living within a budget happens only when you can control your urge to spend on unnecessary things. Especially in an expensive city like Los Angeles, you need to be careful where you spend as a student because the temptations are endless.