PAchick Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Do you guys have any tips on where to scrimp and where to you splurge while in school? I’d like to escape with the least debt as possible, but I won’t sacrifice my sanity to do so. Here are some of my plans to save money: Get a roomie (from the program) so I can afford the best neighborhood in a somewhat rough city Furnish the place with Ikea or Craigslist stuff Stock up on non-perishables at Costco before first term No cable subscription Lots of crock-pot meals (cheap/easy) And here are some places I may splurge to save my sanity: Getting an apartment of my own in a good (but not great) part of town Order groceries online for delivery Get a boxing gym membership if reasonable Any suggestions on what worked for you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lov2xlr8 Posted March 28, 2014 Share Posted March 28, 2014 Hey, some good ideas... as far as roommates, to each their own but I had roommates from the program and wouldn't have had it any other way (this after living by myself the last 2 years of undergrad and for the 2 years I took off afterward), good to throw ideas off of, vent on your downtime, and every once in a while someone needs to be home to maintain an apt/house... Ikea all the way, be careful with craigslist, sketchy stuff (bedbugs can live in any furniture and are becoming an epidemic in the big cities) and honestly you just need a bed and a desk (assuming you have a closet!)... Crockpot meals, I was a library studier and spent my time at home only for sleep and pleasure (never brought my work home), so crockpot would have never worked for me (suppose I could have it go overnight), I did tv dinners microwaved at school, can usually find 4/$10 + a yogurt or something... Food probvably was the thing I would go back and change if I could, ate out way too much and that got pricey... You will need a gym membership to blow off some steam (for me it was basketball 3x/week) Some other moneysavers... Amazon, order in bulk, house supplies, food, hygiene stuff, really anything can be bought on Amazon, Amazon Prime a good idea as well... Try and "commandeer" some scrubs now from your current hospital if that applies, you'll go through lots in Anatomy assuming cadaver dissection As far as sanity... I was a basketball player all my life through school so I needed to be on the court for that and to just get some oxygen... As I also said, I needed for my house to be a place to come home and be free of schoolwork so I stayed at school until I was done with my work, even during rotations I would go to the library or Panera to study... Of course the usual Happy Hour with classmates will help! Also, if it's a new city you'll be in or near, go explore and have fun Just a few thoughts, good luck, will be some of the craziest years of your life, I don't envy you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UGoLong Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 You can live low but you need sanity! For me, no way did I want a roommate. I wanted to wake up in the middle of the night to study, posting stuff all over the apartment. I didn't want to stay up late. I wanted to watch one relaxing TV show before I went to bed. I lived where I could walk every night after dinner. I did have classmates over to study sometimes, but I definitely needed a quiet sanctuary after a long day of classes and before an exam. As far as cost savings and such, I commuted home on most weekends and brought back frozen Trader Joes meals in a cooler. Some of my friends had family members ship them food, toiletries, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corpsman2PA Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 I vote for getting roommates from the program. Its like having a built in study hall if needed. And they'll all be focused on the same goal. As for Ikea stuff, like has been said, I would buy your bed new, but the rest you can get for waaay cheap. I got a desk, dresser and chair for like 30 bucks total from thrift shops. I bought bulk costco food, and we only had wi-fi. That was pretty much the perfect set-up. But, what works for one, may not work for another. I also found a $28 gym membership, which helped keep my sanity, so I recommend doing that. You need to stay active when you're sitting in class from 8-5 5 days a week! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
winterallsummer Posted March 29, 2014 Share Posted March 29, 2014 There's only so much you can do to save money. Look for deals, limit going out, minimize purchases, room or get an efficiency, etc. Only so much you can do so don't go crazy trying to be uber frugal. PA school is expensive and not having an income you have to borrow. Nature of the game. I think your ideas are great. Gym membership is worth it if you make time to go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lov2xlr8 Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 Ha, just remembered something else we did... we had access to our classroom and projector at all hours... got a group together and each day after class, we would project P90X and have a good workout after sitting all day in the classroom, following this was studying, was a nice break after staring at 600 Powerpoint slides all day Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAchick Posted March 31, 2014 Author Share Posted March 31, 2014 Hey guys, Thanks for all the tips! This really is helpful! I’m a home-studier and will probably cook a good deal of stuff at home, but I also expect to take those 4/$10 meals and some veggies to class. I haven’t decided whether to go roomie-free, but I am leaning towards getting a roomie. I’ll be in a new state thousands of miles from home, and being totally alone may not work for me. I don’t plan to get my mattress or cloth items on Craigslist, but I’ve had luck with tables and desks. Glad it has worked for others, too! Doing P90X with classmates sounds friggin brilliant! Between T25, Insanity, and P90X, I think we could cover much of the didactic year and I’ll be more motivated to do it if I am leading it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BruceBanner Posted March 31, 2014 Share Posted March 31, 2014 Good ideas OP. Depends on your personality. I had roommates and we helped each other immensely with studies. But we were also cut from a similar cloth and got along really well. I do not recommend living with someone outside of the program---they will not understand your situation and you will be annoyed with their lifestyle, guaranteed. Gym is essential in school, you need a release. Whether it be a gym-gym, a boxing gym, or running outside, get it done and make it a priority like studying. Good ideas on food and furniture---go as cheap as possible with furniture but eat well. Your mind cant run on crap. One extra piece of advice---watch out for drinking!! In my class almost everyone blew of steam by going out drinking, and I imagine most classes are the same. It's easy to get sucked into that lifestyle and it will rack up a hefty tab if you are doing it every weekend. Same with eating out. There will be rich kids in class who do it, so don't be tempted. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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