Saving money isn’t exactly easy to do, especially when there are so many things you want to see and do. But for students, it’s very important to do so early because you never know what can happen to throw you off financially. Check out these easy ways for you to save money.

1. Work Part-time For Cash and Experience
Taking up a part-time job is a great way to earn some extra money and get started on your savings. You’ll also get valuable working experience and skills which will make you even more employable in the future. Working will also teach you the value of money, so have a look at Student Part Time Jobs Malaysia where part time job advertisements are posted regularly.

2. Apply For A Scholarship
Whether you’re at a public or private higher education institution, you’ll have access to scholarships and grants. Most scholarships require you to have excellent grades for your SPM or your pre-university programs. Keep an eye out for the call for scholarship applications advertised in Malaysia Scholarships 2016, the newspapers, as well as the organisation or government agency’s website.

3. Get The Awesome KADS1M
Sign up for the Kad Diskaun Siswa 1 Pelajar (KADS1M). It’s free for students pursuing higher education at private and public education institutions. You get up to 60% discounts at various retail outlets and shops in Malaysia. Amongst them are Rapid KL (50% discount for bus, 33% discount for traveling between bus, LRT and Monorail), KFC, MPH, Focus Point and even airline tickets.

4. Challenge Your Friends And Family
Think you’re more budget savvy than your friends and loved ones? Why not make a game out of saving money and challenge them to see who has the most savings at the end of every month? Of course, if it’s a contest, it goes without saying that there has to be a prize waiting for the winner at the end of it all…

5. Vouchers Are Your New Best Friend
University and college students will receive the Baucer Buku 1Malaysia (BB1M) in 2016, so it’s time to use the RM250 worth of vouchers to purchase the books you’ve been looking for! And if you’re a huge foodie, why don’t you check out Worthy Book? You can get up to RM3,000 worth of F&B vouchers and save more money when dining out at over 100 shopping malls nationwide.

6. Shop Smarter And Pay Less
Malaysia is known for having plenty of sales all year round, so before making any purchases always wait it out for the big sales. For avid readers, visit book fairs like the Big Bad Wolf which is coming soon in December! And if you enjoy traveling or you’re crazy about gadgets, wait for the MATTA Fair or PIKOM PC Fair.

7. Watch Movies For Cheap
Instead of paying for full price movie tickets, catch a movie on a Wednesday (TGV and GSC cinemas) and watch movies before 6pm as its way cheaper! Students pay only RM10 tickets on weekdays and Early Bird Deals at GSC gets you tickets from only RM8, before 12pm. Not a fan of the cinema?  Stay home and watch your favourite movies and TV series on iflix from only RM8 per month. 

8. Keep Track Of Expenses
The first step is to track your spending, so you can recognise where you might be overspending. Once you know where most of your money is going to, you can try to adjust and cut down on your spending. Try this free app, Mint. You can create and set a budget limit, see your spending pattern and it’s all tracked with cool graphs and interface.

9. Swap Your Old Stuff For Cash
Got any unused books, electronic or gadgets that are still in good condition? Instead of leaving it lying around your house collecting dust, sell it and get some extra cash. Check out the Malaysia Car Boot sale for locations and updates or head over to Cash Converters where you can get exchange unwanted items for cash.

10. Freebies Are A Must
Taking advantage of your university or college’s free services (that you’ve technically already paid for) doesn’t mean you’re cheap. So make full use of the facilities and do research and assignments, surf the Internet or take up free online courses. There may be free activities or events available on campus, so check out the noticeboards to see what’s happening!

11. Time Is Money, Spend It Wisely
There’s always the fear of missing out, but if your friends are always hanging out at expensive cafés or restaurants, learn to say no. Hanging out with friends is cool, but if you do it too often it will quickly burn a hole in your wallet.

I hope the abovementioned cool money saving tips will benefit all young adults in the long run.