Reagan Graham
Campus Editor
How to save and spend money is a crucial life lesson learned in college. Most students pickup a part-time job to head to after class. But after rent, utilities, gas and groceries, the money tends to run out pretty quickly.
Being a college student can mean subsisting on Ramen noodles for a few days before you can head home on the weekend for a home-cooked meal. When shopping for groceries, there are several ways to find sales that a certain store is offering.
“When I shop at stores like Kroger, I always pickup their sale ad right when I walk in the store,” said junior public health major Merika Carr. “They always have PowerAde drinks on sale for eight for $4. I also like to sign up at different stores to receive coupons in the mail.”
Students can often be found shopping at Walmart, which now has a new way to save. When a person downloads the new app the company has made available, he or she can then scan in the QR code on a Walmart receipt. The company will look at local stores to see if any of the items that were purchased could be found for a cheaper price. If so, the customer receives a refund that can be placed on a store’s gift card.
It’s important to remember that you have to scan in the receipt within a week of the purchase, or it’s not eligible. Refunds could be just a few cents or a few dollars, depending on prices in local stores.
The simplicity of shopping online is another way to be targeted into spending money. It is so easy to fill up a cart and let Paypal take care of the rest.
“I sign up for email promotions, especially sites that I visit regularly,” said Angelisha Langford, a sophomore nursing major. “There are several companies that offer these kinds of emails like clothing stores to places like Ashley Furniture. I also like to wait for huge sales to go shopping, like Black Friday.”
Many stores also offer exclusive member discounts. After signing up, a customer is given special discounts, especially on bulk items, which they may not have otherwise received.
“After signing up for a membership with Burkes Outlet, I can shop there on Fridays and receive a 15 percent discount off of my purchase,” said Sydney Pittman, a junior nursing major. “I love to visit the clearance rack. My greatest find was once I found a $79 dress on the sale rack and left the store only paying $6 for it. Bargain shopping is my favorite hobby.”
Learning how to look for a sale, whether it is for groceries, furniture or clothes is essential to being a college student, especially while living off campus. Always check for email promotions, advertisements and sale racks for regularly visited stores.