(BLACK PR WIRE/FAMU-TALLAHASSEE) – College students are often hanging on by a thread when it comes to keeping money in their pockets. They learn to survive off meal plans, friends’ generosity and free cook-outs from time to time. Some students are fortunate to receive financial aid, scholarships and grants, but others require loans that must be paid back in full later on. Being broke and hungry is not a game. Here you can learn tips to make the most of your college financial experience.

Saving money requires management skills and discipline. To start your journey, search your town for a bank that caters to students; one that does not attach extra fees and provides a free checking and savings account because you will definitely be saving. A major guzzler of college funds is alcohol. According to AlcoholpolicyMD.com, college students spend about $5.5 billion on alcoholic beverages a year, mostly beer. To save a few dollars on liquor, do not drink. If you feel you must, buy items in bulk. Purchasing large amounts of liquor and having it at home saves a lot more than buying multiple drinks at the club. Drinking is an expensive habit, so remember to drink responsibly and not spend your last dollar on it.

Another comfort on the cash comes from borrowing books. Often times your peers have already taken the class you need a book for and you should network before buying any. Shopping for used textbooks online is almost always cheaper than going to the campus bookstore, but you need to shop early. Yazminn Rogers, a second year student from Jacksonville, Fla. says, “I joined a dance team my freshmen year at FAMU. They’re like my family away from home. All the older students pass down their books to people in the same major so this year alone I’ve saved hundreds of dollars.”

Food is definitely one of the biggest priorities for a college student. When you do have money, invest in inexpensive food which will fill you up that you can keep at home instead of going out for fast food. Be conscious of the fact that making a onetime purchase of a water filter costs less than buying endless bundles of bottled water. If you follow these simple steps, you could possibly leave college with cash in the savings account you opened to treat yourself for the hard work.