When you missed a movie (or you want to see it again)…

Go to the Georgia Square Value Cinema, located behind Georgia Square Mall on Atlanta Highway. Tickets are always just $1.99. I think that paying just $1 more than the price of a Redbox rental makes it worth it to see a movie on the big screen. And of course, like a true tightwad, I always sneak in my own snacks.

When you shop at a store like Cillie’s or Plato’s Closet...

Don’t assume that an item is a good price just because it is at a consignment store. A secondhand sundress from one of these stores could cost you $25, while a brand new sundress from TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, or even Target could cost you as little as $10. Just think before you buy an expensive dress that someone else has already worn.

When you’re trying to eat more fruits and vegetables...

Go seasonal! The best part about seasonal produce is that when it is at its most delicious peak, it is also at its most affordable price. In Georgia, September yields some of the best and cheapest apples, grapes, pears, peanuts, pecans, sweet potatoes, squash, and tomatoes. Click on this link to read more about Georgia’s seasonal produce.

When you hate your glasses...

get a great new pair from Warby Parker. My trendy and thrifty sister (a winning combination) told me about this website that offers a variety of prescription or cosmetic frames for just $95. If that wasn’t enough to convince you, they also have free shipping and a free 5-pairs for 5-days home try-on program. AND Warby Parker donates a pair of glasses to someone in need for every pair of glasses you buy. Mine came in the mail yesterday… How do I look? 

This frame is called Nedwin and the color is Cedar Tortoise. I think I look a lot smarter with these puppies on.

When you have an awkward time gap between classes...

Find a spot on campus and do some homework. You will save gas, you won’t waste time sitting in traffic with everyone else that’s leaving campus, You might even be more productive in a library or a quiet study space than you would be at home.

When you're shopping for sale items at the grocery store...

Read the fine print on promotions and sales to make sure that you do not buy anything you don’t need. At Publix, you only need to buy ONE item marked "Buy One Get One Free" and it will be 50% off. Similarly, and more obviously, Kroger's "10 items for $10" sale is really just a "1 item for $1" sale. 

When you want to cook something besides Ramen noodles this weekend...

Embrace the beauty that is Budget Bytes. Each ingredient is priced down to the penny for recipes that are simple, (mostly) healthy, and delicious. Some of my personal favorites and repeat dinner table offenders are Taco Chicken Bowls and Spicy Sausage & Broccoli Pasta (pictured below).

When you’d love some extra cash but you don’t have a job...

Check out this informative chart. Some of these ideas are of interest to me; others are either overdone or too good to be true. But it is worth a read! Who knew plasma went for $260 a month? 

Click on the hyperlink above to view this image  in its originally massive size.

When you need to get your Diet Coke fix…

You could pay 75 cents for a can from the vending machine, $1.25 for a bottle from the vending machine, OR you could get ANY size fountain drink from one of the campus eateries for $1.00.  I like lots of ice in my drink, and I’m actually more of a Coke Zero girl, so this fountain drink deal is my favorite (and sometimes too frequent) option. 

When you just watch Saved by the Bell reruns anyway...

Swap your cable subscription for a Netflix account. At just $7.99 per month, you can instantly stream hundreds of TV shows and watch them at your own pace without commercials. Even the barebones basic cable option at Charter is $24.99 per month, and a good portion of those 70 channels are FREE if you just plug your TV into a cable jack.  So Netflix is my entertainment of choice. Who wouldn’t like an extra $17 each month? 

Jessie's Song doubles as my all-time favorite episode AND the reason that I will never take a caffeine pill in my life.

When you love those bottled smoothies as much as I do...

Rest assured that Kroger almost always has a BOGO sale some form of healthy smoothies. This week I stocked up on Bolthouse Farms smoothies and got them for $1.49 each rather than the usual $2.99 each. I’m pretty sure that next week I can get some Odwalla or Naked smoothies for a great price.

My absolute favorite is Green Goodness. (It's the green one.)

When you need to park somewhere on campus…

Make sure that you check the UGA Parking Enforcement Hours map! I received not one, but two big fat parking tickets my freshman year because I parked during a lot’s enforcement hours.  At $40 a pop, paying two parking tickets was like pouring two full tanks of gasoline down the drain.

When your professor allows laptops...

Instead of Facebook stalking or browsing boards on Pinterest during your boring lecture class, spend 10 or 15 minutes on your grocery store’s website to make a smarter shopping list. You will be surprised to find the sale papers in PDF, money saving recipes, and online coupons that you can load straight onto your rewards card.