7 Money-Saving Tips for Students: From Food to Entertainment

Being a student with a tight budget but still wanting a fulfilling life? Here are practical tips to help you save money while still enjoying your student years.

1. Plan Monthly Spending

50-30-20 Budget Allocation

• 50% for essentials: food, transportation, tuition
• 30% for entertainment: movies, coffee, shopping
• 20% saved for emergencies

Track Daily Expenses

Record every expense, even 10,000 VND for bubble tea. Many free apps can help:

• Money Lover
• Misa MoneyKeeper
• Or simply write in a notebook

2. Smart Food Spending

Cook at Home

• Buy groceries in groups for wholesale prices
• Cook in large batches for multiple meals
• Cost only about 30,000-40,000 VND/day instead of 80,000-100,000 VND eating out

Smart Group Meal Splitting

Instead of complex calculations, use ChiaHoaDon to:

• Take photo of bill and instantly know who owes what
• Avoid "one person pays, whole group forgets" situations
• Track your own spending patterns

3. Optimize Transportation Costs

Use Public Transportation

• Buy monthly bus passes instead of single rides
• Split taxi costs when traveling in groups
• Bike for short distances

Plan Your Routes

• Combine multiple errands in one trip
• Avoid unnecessary travel
• Use map apps to find shortest routes

4. Save on Study Materials

Books and Documents

• Buy used books from senior students
• Group photocopying to split costs
• Use school and city libraries
• Find free materials online

Study Supplies

• Buy in groups for discounts
• Choose durable, quality items over cheap but quickly broken ones
• Take good care of items to use longer

5. Smart Entertainment

Find Free Activities

• Join school clubs
• Visit parks and museums on free days
• Host birthday parties in dorms instead of restaurants

Group Entertainment to Split Costs

• Watch movies in groups for discounts
• Rent badminton or football courts in groups
• Host house parties instead of going to bars

6. Smart Shopping

Shopping Lists

• Make lists before shopping
• Don't shop when hungry or stressed
• Compare prices between stores

Take Advantage of Promotions

• Follow major sale days
• Group shopping for discounts
• Use cashback apps

7. Use Technology to Save

Helpful Apps

• ChiaHoaDon: Accurate group bill splitting
• ShopeeFood/Grab: Hunt for discount vouchers
• Tiki/Shopee: Compare prices and promotions

Smart Payments

• Use student cards for discounts
• Earn points from e-wallets
• Track transaction history to evaluate spending

Good Habits to Maintain

Weekly

• Review last week's expenses
• Plan for next week
• Check for any unnecessary spending

Monthly

• Summarize monthly income and expenses
• Adjust next month's plan
• Set specific savings goals

Conclusion

Saving doesn't mean you have to live in poverty. The key is knowing how to spend smartly to meet your needs while being able to save for the future.

Start with small habits like accurately splitting bills when dining in groups and tracking daily expenses. From there, you'll gradually develop good financial management skills for life.

Advice: Don't save excessively to the point of exhaustion. Reserve 5-10% of your budget for "fun spending" to make student life more meaningful.