34 Ways You're Wasting Money in College Without Even Realizing It

People say college is one of the best times of your life, and honestly, they're not wrong. (Don't worry, it's not all downhill post-grad, adult responsibilities are just...different.) In addition to parties, making new friends, dating, traveling, and, you know, doing the whole learning-and-expanding-your-mind thing, college is also a great time to start working on your financial literacy skills if you haven't already. Even if you're relying on the bank of Mom and Dad to cover big expenses like rent and tuition (lucky you!), you can (okay, should) still learn how to make smart money choices.

There are so many sneaky opportunities to waste money from freshmen orientation right up until graduation, unfortch. From not taking advantage of student discounts and not filling out scholarship applications (why???) to relying on takeout instead of cooking at home, here is an exhaustive list of all the ways financial experts say you're probably wasting money in college.

By the way, since it seems like you might be on a personal finance ~journey~ (hello and welcome!) might I recommend also checking out easy money tips to help you pay off your student loan and a step-by-step guide to building a personal budget? No need to thank me, I'm committed to getting my bank account into shape right along with you!