In your university years, managing money is less about earning than about by making it visible . Money you cannot account for is always more than you think.
Step 1: List your fixed costs
Residence fee, transport, phone, subscriptions. These are the monthly items with no room for negotiation.
Step 2: Deduct what your monthly fee already covers
If electricity, water, gas, internet, cleaning and two meals a day are included in your fee, you can take those items out of your budget. At Sancak residences, all of these are included.
Step 3: Track your variable spending for two weeks
Coffee, eating out, spending beyond transport. Two weeks of note-keeping is enough to see the real picture.
Step 4: the 10% rule
Set aside at least 10% of your income. It may look small, but over four years it becomes meaningful savings.
Step 5: Use student discounts systematically
Transport, museums, cinema, software licences and travel passes — all considerably cheaper with student status.
