Written by Zenobia Harris, Copy Editor

Many people can attest to the fact that, as a college student, you don’t have a whole lot of money to spend on the stuff that you want or the things that you need. Even after refund checks drop, it’s hard to keep track of money. There are a number of ways that you can be thrifty and get the things that you want and need. Here are a few tips and websites that will help you avoid having to break the bank.

When it comes to buying clothes and accessories, there are a lot of amazing online shops. You can find plenty of great deals on items that would be too expensive to even look at in the store. I love Forever 21 and H&M as much as the next person, but websites like the 10 Dollar Mall has clothing, shoes, and accessories for $10 or less!

For all of your jewelry and makeup needs, Shop Miss A is another money saving site for college students. You can find some seemingly high-quality pieces for a dollar or less. Shop Miss A has everything from diamond-studded ear pieces to collections of lipsticks and nail polishes.

EBay and Amazon are also great places to get things at low prices. Many students go to eBay and Amazon to get books, electronics and other things for school.

While there are a number of websites that cater to money-conscious college students, you don’t have to go online to find deals on your favorite items.

Every penny-wise college student should know that you can get the most bang for your buck at the dollar store. Dollar Tree—a store that has saved my life on more than one occasion— is my favorite dollar store, because they have everything from food to school supplies for a dollar each. Why would I spend $5 on a bag of pizza bites at Wal-Mart, when I can get the same thing at Dollar Tree for just $1?

Discounts are another important aspect of balling on a budget, because you can find coupons for both online and in-store shopping. Many people may take couponing for granted, because sometimes it can seem like the store benefits more from the coupon than you do. But coupons add up in savings and can ultimately save you a lot of money in the end.

Remember the tips and websites mentioned above the next time that you need to go shopping. If you know how to stretch a dollar, you’ll never have to worry about being a penniless, starving college student again