By Siti Zulaikha Shawaludin
PTPTN money has just rolled in! With the money fresh in your account, you are just itching to spend it. Remember that tuition and hostel fees are not deducted automatically, so it is very important to pay that off as soon as possible to avoid delays. As students, we live off a tight budget and must learn to spend smart.
Here, I have listed down a few money saving tips for students to help with your finance management.
- Rent, borrow or buy used books.
Some text books can really break the bank. Thus, if you are in short of money, dont buy a new one. Instead photocopy some parts of the book, borrow from your university library or scout around from friends or seniors who have taken the subject. Buy it off them instead.
- Hunt for student discounts.
Who said students dont have time for some entertainment? One of the cinemas like TGV offers a cheaper movie ticket on every Wednesday. Some cinemas namely GSC and TGV have student discounts. No harm in asking for those offers! Always be on the lookout for discounts and offers available especially for students.
- Buy only what you need and stick to it.
Make a careful plan of what you will buy before you go to the store. This will help you stick to the list. It may be tempting to buy other things but avoid overspending.
- Dont use ATMs that charge you.
If possible, try to avoid using ATMs that charges you. You could simply be charged for minimum of RM1 just for withdrawal. Imagine the accumulation of that RM1 over a period of time “ its a lot. It is always worth a walk to save money.
- Download allowance manager apps.
Nowadays, almost every student owns a smart phone. So, make good use of your device! Download allowance manager apps on your phone. With this app, it will help keep track of your spending and money balance. There are a few free apps you can download from Apple Store, Google Play for Android and Windows Phone Store like Spending Tracker, Allowance Manager and Checkbook-Spending.
Hope these little tips helps! Good luck!***
(PTPTN stands for Perbadanan Tabung Pendidikan Tinggi Nasional)
Photo taken from Ikhmalrhafik