How to Make Off Campus Living Affordable

Education is expensive, as you’ve already learned. In addition to paying for your schooling and all of the related expenses, you’re going to need to satisfy all of your living expenses. You can’t get a coupon for a house, and that’s where things get tricky. No matter what you do, your housing expenses are always going to take up a significant part of your budget. Just how significant that part will be depends on how savvy you are when you start your search for your new living quarters and begin to build your new, independent life.

Roommates, Roommates, Roommates

It’s significantly less expensive to split all the bills with someone. If you can find the right roommate, this might be your saving grace. You can always use Gumtree to find people who are renting out a room, and most of the descriptions will let you know exactly who you’ll be sharing the home with. If you can find students from your own university, that’s even better.

It won’t always turn out to be a good idea if the place they’re renting is already outlandishly expensive, which often happens when it’s located close to the middle of the city. It might be worthwhile to specifically look for homes that are slightly outside of the major metropolitan area.

Never Buy New

A new dresser is only new for one day. So is a new microwave, and so are new clothes. Thanks to the internet, it’s really easy to connect with people who are selling the things they don’t use anymore. You’re going to want to replace things that are in bad shape, or purchase things you never had to start with. There’s no shame in buying used or going the DIY route. You can even get older things and transform them into something new with a DIY project – and you might even find that it’s a lot more fun than buying something that comes in a box.

Plan Ahead

There are certain things you’re going to have to buy constantly. Food is one of the biggest ways to max out your budget. You have to eat, and you’re bound to be busy when you’re trying to get an education – especially if you’re working at the same time. This can lead to all-nighters and a lot of fast food that’s bad for both your body and your budget. By buying groceries in bulk quantities and pre-portioning them, it’s easier and less expensive to feed yourself. You can put almost anything in a slow cooker on low for a good number of hours and let your inexpensive meals cook themselves.

Use Your Resources

Even though you aren’t living on campus, you can still make use of everything your campus has to offer. Activities are usually cheap or free. Some campuses have things like exercise equipment that everyone can use, and opting to go that route will allow you to eliminate expenses on your own equipment or gym memberships. Things like Amazon prime are expanding their services in Australia, and all you need is a student email address to get a steep discount on products and services that might otherwise be pricey. It never hurts to ask retailers if they offer a student discount.

You’ll be able to get through it, even when things are tough. Living on your own while attending college is always the hardest the first few months. Before you get frustrated, give yourself a couple months to develop a functioning system. Time makes all things easier.

Emma is a Communications Manager at Spacer – an Australian startup which helps individuals and businesses find affordable storage space to rent. Whenever not working, Emma is usually found spending time with her family or reading marketing and business news.