Share with friends – weather it’s jewelry, shoes or clothes
– find a friend who shares similar tastes and sizes, and share. It’ll double
your wardrobe without breaking the bank. Go to the mall with a buddy who is
close to your size. That way, you guys can scatter the shopping so you don’t
end up with the same things.

Decorate your house/apartment FREE – no joke. Again, people reuse stuff
all the time and there are actually sites where you can go to get these things
– one good one is freecycle.org.

Be good to your stuff : The faster your clothes wear out, the sooner they have to be replaced, so try these tricks: Zip clothes before washing them, so the zipper is less likely to tear other clothes. Store bags on shelves instead of hooks (hanging them can stretch out
the leather), and only wash dark clothes every three or four wears unless they
get really dirty.

Learn the art of the pre-game. Yes, that means drink BEFORE you go out, and only if you’re going to take a cab, which is actually pretty cheap when you split it with friends. Happy hour specials can also be your best friend.

Save money every day. It’ll be the BEST thing you do, even if it’s change. Think like 20-40/week, or just your loose change - and don’t touch it. You’ll be shocked at how fast it all adds up. Within a couple months you could have $400 and that’s Christmas shopping or a little trip with your girlfriends that you don’t have to feel badly about.

Lose the gym membership – no joke. There are a million ways for you to work out without paying the 30-50/month at the gym. You can workout with friends or go outside and enjoy the fresh air. If you really want to work out, you will, no matter where. You can even do things at home – there are a zillion sites where you can find that info also.

Use CASH – I do this all the time and all my friends laugh at me and make stripper and drug dealer jokes. However, it’s a great way to not spend more than anticipated. When you have cash and you run out, you’re out. No more overdraft fees! Those really add up.

Buy in bulk – and no, I don’t mean be that weird girl with 20 pounds of potatoes, be
reasonable.  Get together with your friends, and hit up Costco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s, whatever – on stuff like detergent, food, school supplies, socks, etc – you’ll save a ton.

Get a new cell phone plan – cell phone companies will always try to rip you off and make you buy crap you don’t want or really need. Change that. There is a site called billshrink.com. It will ask you questions about your phone plan and suggest what works best for you. I knocked $23/month off of my bill.

Call for discounts and Google coupon codes – I do this one ALL THE TIME, especially when I shop online – which can also save you tons of $$. Lots of times, business offer promotional deals that they don’t advertise to the public. When it comes to the coupons, just type in the coupon you want and see what happens. (EX – Nike shoe coupons).

Borrow, don’t buy. When it comes to the more high-end purchases like a bike or a video camera, there are lots of places you can go to get these things temporarily – snapgoods.com, neighborgoods.com, and sharesomesugar.com

Put your phone to work for you – you’re paying for it, so use it. There are tons of apps that can help you save money – gasbuddy helps you find the cheapest gas in your area, cardstar stores all your rewards cards and points on your phone so you can use those cards even if you leave them at home, and Mint helps you create ways to spend less, and save more. It even warns you when you’re getting close to your limit. My boyfriend uses this one all the time.