How to Survive on an AmeriCorps Budget
How to Survive on an AmeriCorps Budget
Melody’s Tips & Tricks for Austin members
Disclaimer: You may consider some of these items to be ethically unsound…but if that’s the case, you can just go into the other room and write the hit song, “Alone in My Principles.”
Food:
Two words: Food Stamps. If you’re eligible (most full-time AmeriCorps members are), get them. You might get $100-300 to spend on groceries each month! (And if you’re ever running low on cash, you can even barter with them.)
Cook your own meals, and severely limit the number of times you eat out per month. Cooking your own meals is MUCH cheaper than eating out.
Have a potluck with your friends. You’ll get to try out lots of different dishes on a minimal budget. (Tip for the SUPER-thrifty: carrots and celery can be VERY cheap items to bring…)
If you MUST eat out, find out when weekly specials are. (e.g. Taco Tuesday, Two-for-One Thursday, etc.)
Buy cheap, long-lasting groceries. This means ramen noodles, macaroni and cheese, dried fruit, canned/frozen food, etc.
Try finding marked-down food bargains at Big Lots.
Be the DD for your friends-alcohol can really add up.
College-student-specific tips:
Each time you go to an all-you-can-eat dining hall, sneak some food (an apple, an orange, a roll, etc.) into your bookbag (or a friend's) for a snack later on. (But don't let the lunch ladies catch you, and remember to take it out of your bag later!)
Attend dorm and student events. Many times, food is provided as an incentive for people to attend!
At the end of each semester, see if friends who have an overabundance of meal points left will let you dine on their tab.
Clothes:
Buy used clothes at thrift stores, like Salvation Army, Savers, Texas Thrift, or Goodwill. (Though, in my opinion, TX Goodwill stores are over-priced.)
When your friends are going to donate their clothes, look through the pile-you might find some great stuff for free. (And return the favor when it’s time to sort through your wardrobe.)
For new clothes (but still on the cheaper side), check out T.J. Maxx or Marshall's.
Sell your used clothes to a recycled fashions store like Buffalo Exchange.
Keep the tags on when you buy something. If you realize later you've bought something that you're not going to wear, return it to get cash or store credit.
Laundry:
Wear clothes and re-use towels a couple of times before you wash them to cut down on laundry costs.
Combine multiple wash loads into a single dryer load (in the dryer you can mix whites and colors) and let the rest of the clothes hang dry in your room.
Home Improvement:
Check out the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store on North Lamar. Get some cheap paint (we’re talkin’ $1-2 a gallon!), light fixtures, wood, etc.
If you’re crafty, fix up some old crappy furniture you found on the curb or sew yourself some new curtains…
Exercise:
Get creative! Go for a bike ride, walk or go hiking with a friend, kayak, go dancing, play a tacky 80’s workout video, sneak into a neighboring apartment’s pool, play a sport…you get the picture. There are lots of free or cheap options that don’t involve a $30/month gym membership.
Barton Springs is free from 5-9am and 9-10pm…nothing like a dose of cold H20 and algae before bed!
If you must use the gym, the YMCA has a financial assistance program, or borrow a college student ID for access to university facilities!
Printing:
For current college students:
Print it off at the computer lab.
If you have a printer in your dorm/apartment, snitch some paper from the computer labs. (Don't get caught!)
If printing is already paid for through your student fees and you are afraid of getting caught snitching paper from the stack, discreetly print off 50-or-so blank pages and take those home. Totally legal!
For graduates: Print it at your local public library or, if allowed, at work.
Textbooks:
(Even used books at the university bookstore can still be quite pricey, so check out the following)
www.half.com A site owned by e-bay, but you can buy books for the price listed--it's not an auction. Books on the site are generally about half the price of those in the bookstores. It may take up to a week for the book to come in, but you can plan ahead of time and ask your professors about assignments. Always make sure you have the same edition of the book that's required in your class!
www.amazon.com This is another website where the used books are available for much cheaper than new.
Check out some of the textbooks from the public or university library. Sometimes, they'll let you renew it continuously if they know you’re using it for a class, but beware of late fees!
Read the books that your professor puts "on reserve" at the university library (meaning that no one can check it out, so a copy is always available for reading.)
Borrow or buy a book from a friend who had the same class.
At the end of the semester, avoid selling your books back to the university bookstore. They will rip you off. (e.g. They'll offer you $1.00 for a book that they will turn around and re-sell for $29.00. True story.) First, try selling it online at www.half.com or www.amazon.com (this is more time consuming, but worth it!), on Craigslist (details at bottom), to a friend, or to a local bookstore. You might get almost as much money back as you originally paid for it used!
Furnishings:
Check UT and other university apartment/dorm dumpster areas at the end of each semester to find free furniture and other house knick-knacks. Sometimes the items are in great shape--the owners are just unable to take it all with them and have to leave some stuff behind. (Note: Beware of the fuzz!)
Dumpster-dive at Pier 1. Word on the street is that they have to throw out almost everything with a minor imperfection.
Find cheap furniture and doo-dads at Salvation Army, Goodwill (or other thrift stores).
Get some free or cheap furniture via Craigslist! (see below) You’ll usually need to be able to pick it up.
Personal Finance:
Bank Accounts:
Find a bank that offers free checking accounts, minimal/free ATM charges, and other benefits (i.e., interest for keeping money in your account).
Keep a close watch on your checking account. I can’t stress this enough! Debit card transactions can RUIN you if your account balance goes into the negatives.
Credit Cards:
If you are looking for a credit card, find one that has no annual fee, a fixed APR (not an intro/variable) rate, and-hopefully-rewards for using the card ($ back, frequent flier miles, or free gifts).
Don’t charge more on the card than you are able to pay off each month! If it becomes a temptation, leave it at home and pay with cash when you go out instead. (The feeling of physical money leaving one’s hands always helps reality to set in a little faster….)
Give to charity-whether it be donating clothes to Top Drawer Thrift or giving $1 to that guy who’s always holding the sign on your corner. What’s wrong with a little good karma?
Transportation:
A thought on cars:
If you can avoid having a car, do it. Gas, oil changes, state inspection & registration, repairs, insurance, etc., can reeeally add up.
Always drive safely. Nothing sucks more than paying for a $200 speeding ticket or dealing with insurance/repair/medical costs after a wreck.
For local trips:
Walk or bike everywhere possible.
Take the bus!
• Buy a month/semester pass if you ride regularly
• Keep an eye out for “Ozone Action” days when it’s free to ride!
• The UT shuttle is always free…and they don’t check IDs!
If you drive, carpool whenever possible to cut down on gas costs.
For longer trips:
Check out the "rides wanted" section of Craigslist-or the bulletin board at your university’s student center. You could meet someone who's going to the same place you are and split the gas costs! (Note: As with any stranger, proceed with caution…)
Take a Greyhound bus. It’s cheaper than flying and, though slightly more stressful in nature (due to transfers and the number of people trying to board), can become quite an adventure!
If buying plane tickets online, check out www.travelocity.com, www.expedia.com, www.orbitz.com and www.kayak.com. The sooner you buy them, the cheaper they will most likely be.
Phone:
If you use a cell phone, minimize the usage of daytime minutes by making calls in the evening or on weekends. Watch out for minute overages, because they add up quickly!
Avoid the monthly plan and buy prepaid minutes for your cell phone instead.
If you use phone cards to call long-distance, find someone with a Sam's Club card, and buy a phone card there. Though it will cost a bit initially (ex. $30 for an 800 minute card), it is very cheap per minute (3-4 cents) and will last you a long time. You can also recharge the minutes by phone if you run out later.
Type it instead! AOL Instant Messenger, MSN Messenger, and the like are real-time, and you can hold multiple conversations simultaneously.
Entertainment:
Get an account at the local public library (or university library) and rent CDs, movies, and books for free!
At the APL, you can check out up to 20 CDs/DVDs at a time and unlimited books
Browse the catalog online to have items from other branches held for you at the branch of your choice. (limit 5 holds at a time at the APL)
Have a CD/DVD burner? Know someone who does? Just wondering…
Beware of late fees!
Rather than splurging for that new CD/book at the mall…
See if you can buy it for cheaper online. (www.half.com, www.amazon.com, www.ebay.com)
Check out used CD stores or Half-Price books.
Go to free midnight movie showings at the Alamo Drafthouse. They’re awesome in a weird sort of way…
Try out a free month of Netflix-then cancel on the last day. (Blockbuster has one too…)
Check out the Austin Chronicle (in print or online) and try out a random event for cheap or free. You never know when the Presbyterian Church will be offering free bagpipe lessons!
Absorb some free live music downtown or somewhere in your neighborhood.
Make friends with movie theatre personnel and see if they’ll let you slip on in.... (And, once in, see if you’d be able to sneak into a second showing without getting caught. What a rebel!)
Show your student ID card everywhere you go (even if it’s expired)-it might get you a discount!
Gifts:
Make your own gifts and save a pretty penny. Who doesn’t love a knitted scarf ($2 for the skein), some homemade jewelry ($2-5 for beads & wire), or a plant that you grew yourself?
Remember that one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Don’t rule out re-gifting or browsing through items at the thrift store.
For specific gifts, look online instead of in stores. Even with shipping, it’s usually much cheaper! (And if your friends/family don’t mind, you could have it shipped straight to them and avoid paying to re-ship it later.)
Wrapping paper & cards:
Modify paper and cards that you’ve received to add a creative twist.
Create your own! For cards, try magazine clippings, friend pictures, stamps, and drawings. For wrapping paper, try old maps, newspapers, or the like…what’s more fun than a gift wrapped in brown bags with cave drawings?
Save old gift bags and tissue paper and reuse them. If the tissue paper looks too old, shred or cut paper scraps to create your own crinkle paper!
Everything:
You can find practically anything on www.craigslist.org. And I mean ANYTHING. Available housing, roommates, free stuff, job postings, personals, items for sale, community activities, public opinions, etc. It's easy to reply to posts and to post your own. You don’t have to be a member to post-and your e-mail address is kept anonymous. If you need something (a good or service), put up a post and see if anyone has it to sell or give! I’ve gotten a free fridge for our office, an awesome roommate and house, numerous friends, store recommendations, free mechanic assistance, volunteers, walking buddies, and a meeellion other things through this site-I can’t say enough about it! I worship at the shrine of Craigslist. Just click on the city you live in (in the right column), and network! (As with any public forum, be safe.)
Also check out the Yahoo!Group “Austin FreeCycle”. Once registered, you can post items offered/wanted. It’s good too, but I’m tellin’ you…it doesn’t hold a candle to the endless options of Craigslist!
Melody’s Tips & Tricks for Austin members
Disclaimer: You may consider some of these items to be ethically unsound…but if that’s the case, you can just go into the other room and write the hit song, “Alone in My Principles.”
Food:
Two words: Food Stamps. If you’re eligible (most full-time AmeriCorps members are), get them. You might get $100-300 to spend on groceries each month! (And if you’re ever running low on cash, you can even barter with them.)
Cook your own meals, and severely limit the number of times you eat out per month. Cooking your own meals is MUCH cheaper than eating out.
Have a potluck with your friends. You’ll get to try out lots of different dishes on a minimal budget. (Tip for the SUPER-thrifty: carrots and celery can be VERY cheap items to bring…)
If you MUST eat out, find out when weekly specials are. (e.g. Taco Tuesday, Two-for-One Thursday, etc.)
Buy cheap, long-lasting groceries. This means ramen noodles, macaroni and cheese, dried fruit, canned/frozen food, etc.
Try finding marked-down food bargains at Big Lots.
Be the DD for your friends-alcohol can really add up.
College-student-specific tips:
Each time you go to an all-you-can-eat dining hall, sneak some food (an apple, an orange, a roll, etc.) into your bookbag (or a friend's) for a snack later on. (But don't let the lunch ladies catch you, and remember to take it out of your bag later!)
Attend dorm and student events. Many times, food is provided as an incentive for people to attend!
At the end of each semester, see if friends who have an overabundance of meal points left will let you dine on their tab.
Clothes:
Buy used clothes at thrift stores, like Salvation Army, Savers, Texas Thrift, or Goodwill. (Though, in my opinion, TX Goodwill stores are over-priced.)
When your friends are going to donate their clothes, look through the pile-you might find some great stuff for free. (And return the favor when it’s time to sort through your wardrobe.)
For new clothes (but still on the cheaper side), check out T.J. Maxx or Marshall's.
Sell your used clothes to a recycled fashions store like Buffalo Exchange.
Keep the tags on when you buy something. If you realize later you've bought something that you're not going to wear, return it to get cash or store credit.
Laundry:
Wear clothes and re-use towels a couple of times before you wash them to cut down on laundry costs.
Combine multiple wash loads into a single dryer load (in the dryer you can mix whites and colors) and let the rest of the clothes hang dry in your room.
Home Improvement:
Check out the Habitat for Humanity Re-Store on North Lamar. Get some cheap paint (we’re talkin’ $1-2 a gallon!), light fixtures, wood, etc.
If you’re crafty, fix up some old crappy furniture you found on the curb or sew yourself some new curtains…
Exercise:
Get creative! Go for a bike ride, walk or go hiking with a friend, kayak, go dancing, play a tacky 80’s workout video, sneak into a neighboring apartment’s pool, play a sport…you get the picture. There are lots of free or cheap options that don’t involve a $30/month gym membership.
Barton Springs is free from 5-9am and 9-10pm…nothing like a dose of cold H20 and algae before bed!
If you must use the gym, the YMCA has a financial assistance program, or borrow a college student ID for access to university facilities!
Printing:
For current college students:
Print it off at the computer lab.
If you have a printer in your dorm/apartment, snitch some paper from the computer labs. (Don't get caught!)
If printing is already paid for through your student fees and you are afraid of getting caught snitching paper from the stack, discreetly print off 50-or-so blank pages and take those home. Totally legal!
For graduates: Print it at your local public library or, if allowed, at work.
Textbooks:
(Even used books at the university bookstore can still be quite pricey, so check out the following)
www.half.com A site owned by e-bay, but you can buy books for the price listed--it's not an auction. Books on the site are generally about half the price of those in the bookstores. It may take up to a week for the book to come in, but you can plan ahead of time and ask your professors about assignments. Always make sure you have the same edition of the book that's required in your class!
www.amazon.com This is another website where the used books are available for much cheaper than new.
Check out some of the textbooks from the public or university library. Sometimes, they'll let you renew it continuously if they know you’re using it for a class, but beware of late fees!
Read the books that your professor puts "on reserve" at the university library (meaning that no one can check it out, so a copy is always available for reading.)
Borrow or buy a book from a friend who had the same class.
At the end of the semester, avoid selling your books back to the university bookstore. They will rip you off. (e.g. They'll offer you $1.00 for a book that they will turn around and re-sell for $29.00. True story.) First, try selling it online at www.half.com or www.amazon.com (this is more time consuming, but worth it!), on Craigslist (details at bottom), to a friend, or to a local bookstore. You might get almost as much money back as you originally paid for it used!
Furnishings:
Check UT and other university apartment/dorm dumpster areas at the end of each semester to find free furniture and other house knick-knacks. Sometimes the items are in great shape--the owners are just unable to take it all with them and have to leave some stuff behind. (Note: Beware of the fuzz!)
Dumpster-dive at Pier 1. Word on the street is that they have to throw out almost everything with a minor imperfection.
Find cheap furniture and doo-dads at Salvation Army, Goodwill (or other thrift stores).
Get some free or cheap furniture via Craigslist! (see below) You’ll usually need to be able to pick it up.
Personal Finance:
Bank Accounts:
Find a bank that offers free checking accounts, minimal/free ATM charges, and other benefits (i.e., interest for keeping money in your account).
Keep a close watch on your checking account. I can’t stress this enough! Debit card transactions can RUIN you if your account balance goes into the negatives.
Credit Cards:
If you are looking for a credit card, find one that has no annual fee, a fixed APR (not an intro/variable) rate, and-hopefully-rewards for using the card ($ back, frequent flier miles, or free gifts).
Don’t charge more on the card than you are able to pay off each month! If it becomes a temptation, leave it at home and pay with cash when you go out instead. (The feeling of physical money leaving one’s hands always helps reality to set in a little faster….)
Give to charity-whether it be donating clothes to Top Drawer Thrift or giving $1 to that guy who’s always holding the sign on your corner. What’s wrong with a little good karma?
Transportation:
A thought on cars:
If you can avoid having a car, do it. Gas, oil changes, state inspection & registration, repairs, insurance, etc., can reeeally add up.
Always drive safely. Nothing sucks more than paying for a $200 speeding ticket or dealing with insurance/repair/medical costs after a wreck.
For local trips:
Walk or bike everywhere possible.
Take the bus!
• Buy a month/semester pass if you ride regularly
• Keep an eye out for “Ozone Action” days when it’s free to ride!
• The UT shuttle is always free…and they don’t check IDs!
If you drive, carpool whenever possible to cut down on gas costs.
For longer trips:
Check out the "rides wanted" section of Craigslist-or the bulletin board at your university’s student center. You could meet someone who's going to the same place you are and split the gas costs! (Note: As with any stranger, proceed with caution…)
Take a Greyhound bus. It’s cheaper than flying and, though slightly more stressful in nature (due to transfers and the number of people trying to board), can become quite an adventure!
If buying plane tickets online, check out www.travelocity.com, www.expedia.com, www.orbitz.com and www.kayak.com. The sooner you buy them, the cheaper they will most likely be.
Phone:
If you use a cell phone, minimize the usage of daytime minutes by making calls in the evening or on weekends. Watch out for minute overages, because they add up quickly!
Avoid the monthly plan and buy prepaid minutes for your cell phone instead.
If you use phone cards to call long-distance, find someone with a Sam's Club card, and buy a phone card there. Though it will cost a bit initially (ex. $30 for an 800 minute card), it is very cheap per minute (3-4 cents) and will last you a long time. You can also recharge the minutes by phone if you run out later.
Type it instead! AOL Instant Messenger, MSN Messenger, and the like are real-time, and you can hold multiple conversations simultaneously.
Entertainment:
Get an account at the local public library (or university library) and rent CDs, movies, and books for free!
At the APL, you can check out up to 20 CDs/DVDs at a time and unlimited books
Browse the catalog online to have items from other branches held for you at the branch of your choice. (limit 5 holds at a time at the APL)
Have a CD/DVD burner? Know someone who does? Just wondering…
Beware of late fees!
Rather than splurging for that new CD/book at the mall…
See if you can buy it for cheaper online. (www.half.com, www.amazon.com, www.ebay.com)
Check out used CD stores or Half-Price books.
Go to free midnight movie showings at the Alamo Drafthouse. They’re awesome in a weird sort of way…
Try out a free month of Netflix-then cancel on the last day. (Blockbuster has one too…)
Check out the Austin Chronicle (in print or online) and try out a random event for cheap or free. You never know when the Presbyterian Church will be offering free bagpipe lessons!
Absorb some free live music downtown or somewhere in your neighborhood.
Make friends with movie theatre personnel and see if they’ll let you slip on in.... (And, once in, see if you’d be able to sneak into a second showing without getting caught. What a rebel!)
Show your student ID card everywhere you go (even if it’s expired)-it might get you a discount!
Gifts:
Make your own gifts and save a pretty penny. Who doesn’t love a knitted scarf ($2 for the skein), some homemade jewelry ($2-5 for beads & wire), or a plant that you grew yourself?
Remember that one person’s trash is another person’s treasure. Don’t rule out re-gifting or browsing through items at the thrift store.
For specific gifts, look online instead of in stores. Even with shipping, it’s usually much cheaper! (And if your friends/family don’t mind, you could have it shipped straight to them and avoid paying to re-ship it later.)
Wrapping paper & cards:
Modify paper and cards that you’ve received to add a creative twist.
Create your own! For cards, try magazine clippings, friend pictures, stamps, and drawings. For wrapping paper, try old maps, newspapers, or the like…what’s more fun than a gift wrapped in brown bags with cave drawings?
Save old gift bags and tissue paper and reuse them. If the tissue paper looks too old, shred or cut paper scraps to create your own crinkle paper!
Everything:
You can find practically anything on www.craigslist.org. And I mean ANYTHING. Available housing, roommates, free stuff, job postings, personals, items for sale, community activities, public opinions, etc. It's easy to reply to posts and to post your own. You don’t have to be a member to post-and your e-mail address is kept anonymous. If you need something (a good or service), put up a post and see if anyone has it to sell or give! I’ve gotten a free fridge for our office, an awesome roommate and house, numerous friends, store recommendations, free mechanic assistance, volunteers, walking buddies, and a meeellion other things through this site-I can’t say enough about it! I worship at the shrine of Craigslist. Just click on the city you live in (in the right column), and network! (As with any public forum, be safe.)
Also check out the Yahoo!Group “Austin FreeCycle”. Once registered, you can post items offered/wanted. It’s good too, but I’m tellin’ you…it doesn’t hold a candle to the endless options of Craigslist!