I’d like to wish you all a warm welcome to Georgia State! As incoming students, you are probably excited about attending school in the big city. Unfortunately, with big cities come higher prices. Luckily you’ve got me, Mitch, to be your eyes and ears: I’m dedicated to helping you save money and ball out, all while sticking to your budget!
First things first: Know the best places to eat on campus! While packing your lunch is great, sometimes on-campus cuisine trumps your tuna salad surprise. One, Subway is your friend. They have $4 meal deals every day with a sandwich, chips, and a drink for $4. Two, it is time to become one with Moe Mondays. You can grab any of their burritos for $5.50 on Mondays.
Lastly, avoid the dining hall. If you’ve already signed up for the meal plan, may your bank account rest in peace. Their pricing is so exorbitant that you would need to eat there three times a day, seven days a week just to make it pay off.
So you’ve got your cheap eats around campus, but what is there to do? I have a few favorites. Cinefest, Georgia State’s theatre, runs free screenings of movies for Georgia State students, so I recommend checking it out. Next is the Rialto Center for the Arts. This place is often overlooked by many, but they constantly have free concerts and live music shows each week.
Also, though parking can be a hassle, there are many options. Turner Field parking is free but comes at a cost. It’s a popular option that leads to crowded buses and long waits at peak hours and often the shuttles don’t run during Braves games and other events. Thus, I recommend investing in a budget card which lets you park in a few different parking decks at a cheaper price than paying each time you park. This helps on those days when parking at Turner Field isn’t worth the hassle.
While it might not change your life, saving money here and there really adds up. It will make your money stretch and allow you to enjoy more of the things you might love on campus later–like the bars on Edgewood Street!
I hope the semester goes great and you can use a these tips to help make this semester your most cost-efficient ever!
