Budgeting your money correctly in college is tough. The amount of time spent in a classroom, doing homework, studying, being social and having a life leaves less room to work a job and have a steady flow of income.

Not having a steady income can create a problem. Expenses can include rent, groceries, gas and textbooks, just to name a few. For some students, college is the first time they have to worry about paying these expenses on their own.

In my time at CWU, I’ve learned a couple things to do on a tight budget as well as some things that aren’t so smart of a decision when the money is running low. Here are my experiences and a couple other students’ tips on how to budget money as a college student.

Do: Regularly check your bank account

I check my bank account almost daily. It not only works to update you on what your current financial situation is, but it’s also a good reminder that you’re not Bill Gates. Senior Jocelyn Matheny agrees that checking your bank account regularly is helpful.

“I don’t keep track of [my budget] on paper very well so I just check my bank app every now and then,” Matheny said. “Sometimes I’m in a mode where I’m like ‘save, save, save. Be good.’ and then sometimes I switch and be like ‘I’m a big baller, I can spend a lot this month.’”

Being a big baller is fun…as long as you know you can be by checking your bank account often.

Don’t: Have monthly subscriptions

Monthly subscriptions are wallet killers. I’m a first-hand witness of what Ipsy, Birchbox, HelloFresh and Loot Crate are capable of. Flashy packaging and test items aren’t worth $10 every month, especially if you are tight on money in college.

Instead of letting Loot Crate loot your loot and letting HelloFresh say goodbye cash, pick some alternatives. If you feel the need for a monthly subscription, instead put $10 a month into a pocket of one of your random pairs of pants. Six months later you will thank me.

Let’s say you work 20 hours a week for minimum wage, but you have a couple monthly subscriptions that total $30 after shipping and tax. That’s about three percent of your monthly income. That might not sound like a lot, but when rent is over 50 percent of your average expenses, you’ll be wanting back every cent you can get.

Do: Take full advantage of the FAFSA

Many students rely on the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) for most of their income and for good reason. Low income students can get grants and higher income students can get loans to help with personal expenses.

The FAFSA is key to getting by if you do not have a job but are still paying many of the usual college expenses. Sophomore Anna Reed-Holmes does not have a job at the moment, but meticulously budgeted her FAFSA money to pay for expenses.

“My husband and I pretty much rely on financial aid. We are both independents because we’re married so we get the maximum amount of financial aid,” Reed-Holmes said. “We’re using that for now to help pay for our expenses and help save for our wedding.”

Technically I’m not recommending this, but getting married and then using the added bonus from filing the FAFSA as a married couple to help pay for the wedding is just over-the-top genius. Well played Anna.

Don’t: Forget about student discounts and free food opportunities on campus

Discounts on food are offered in a couple places around town. That’s basically a company giving you free money back on your order, and who doesn’t like free money? Also, campus events will sometimes have free food just for showing up. A couple examples I can think of off the top of my head are study nights in the Brooks Library (free waffles) and PolyFest (barbeque). PolyFest 2019 is coming up soon, on May 2. Senior Bailey Kinker takes advantage of student discounts off campus.

“I know Sugar Thai [Cuisine] isn’t a fast food place but I like getting food there because they have extras. They have student discounts and by the time you eat half your meal, which gets you full, you have tomorrow’s meal too,” Kinker said.

Other restaurants in town that offer a student discount include Copper Kettle, IHOP, Jack in the Box, Perkins, Pizza Hut, Rodeo City BBQ, Utopia Frozen Yogurt and Coffee House and Yellow Church Cafe.

Living on a college budget is hard. These are only a few tips on things you can do. For more help with budgeting you can visit the CWU Budget Planning and Analysis Office on the second floor of Mitchell hall, and at cwu.edu/budget you can watch a financial planning and analysis Q & A video.