12 ways to save more money as a Nigerian student

Being a student in Nigeria is way more stressful than a lot of people may think it is. Starting from the stress of getting a job that pays a bit well (and doesn’t take much of your time, of course) to purchasing school materials impromptu. Ever gone to purchase something in the market and tried using ‘I am a student’ to beat the price? Did it work? They always say students are the ones with the money!

So I definitely cannot over emphasize how vital it is to save money as much as you can or rather as often as you can. If you decided to invest, start a business or purchase an essential item- it would come in handy.

I hear experts say, SAVE TO INVEST and that you don’t become a billionaire by saving

So today I’d be sharing a few tips that should help you save more money as a student.

1. Make a budget– If you are trying to save some money then you definitely need to have a budget which would serve as a guide to your spending. It would also help you track your expenses and know where to adjust or improve.
2. Don’t buy books you need for a short period of time– Except you plan on passing it to your siblings, then there really is no point. You have the alternatives of using text books from the school library, borrowing from a friend or another student and downloading the-book. You could also sell your used books, swap books and buy used books to save money.
3. Open a savings account- I am not just suggesting the banks but I have a more appropriate alternative. Save with PiggyVest for a start. I could go on and on with its advantages but I’d tell you this- You can earn from 6%-15.5% interest rate which beats the bank rate on saving which I don’t notice because of the card maintenance fee and alert fee. Feel free to sign up with my link and get N1000 on verification (they also pay me though but that’s not the only reason I am referring you)
4. Make meals ahead of time- Preparing food for the week on weekends doesn’t seem like a bad idea. It would help save your money than if you have to purchase food all through the week.

ONB TIPS- Don’t pay to withdraw your cash except you’re in a hurry or its quite urgent. Saving that insignificant N65-N200 is actually significant.

5. On nights out, take cash only- This might seem extreme but if you’re going to save some cash, it would help to, leave your ATM cards at home. You would be tempted to consume more than budgeted but to play safe in case of an emergency- make sure your phone is activated for mobile transfers.

6. Go to classes- Definitely, cause you paid for them so you might as well attend your lectures and utilize that cash.

ONB TIPS- If you are going shopping in the market, I advice you go in the late evenings. That way, chances of winning a bargain is higher because sellers are either desperate to sell or exhausted from all the sales

7. Have at least a no spend day each week- Take out one day in the week where you don’t spend money on anything at all. You eat home, maybe stay off carbonated drinks or juice and limit movements.

8. Avoid expensive habits- Try as much as possible to avoid drinking too much or smoking as this consumes more of your money than you think.

Here’s a list of some extra tips that would help you save money;

9. Cut out unneccessary subscriptions

10. Never go grocery shopping when you are hungry

11. Always compare and track prices

12. Grow your own food (for example the veggies you need to cook)

Hope this would help someone save more money in the future. Was this article helpful? Feel free to leave your comments, thoughts or questions below.