Based off of your answer here, you can figure out how to allot your money.  The basic needs of food, shelter and clothing are the most essential and they need to be considered first.

As you shop for clothing, make sure to purchase clothes that will last a long time and that fit you well.  With your meager budget, there is no need to buy many clothes that are fashionable or that cannot be worn to school everyday.

By picking your clothes properly, you can portion out your budget elsewhere.  Clothes should only get allotted a part of your budget every half year or once a year.

Controlling your budget as recommend will free up a lot of your money for books and school necessities.

Paying your monthly rent should be the next category on your list.  Put money aside every month for rent, because you don’t want the landlord to be coming after you.

Once you have allocated money to rent and clothing, you can then start distributing money to your daily expenses.  Understand where most of your money is going daily and write it down.  This way you will know exactly how much you are spending each day on different things.

We have put together some recommendations:

1.    Purchase things in large amounts.  You want to do this because you will be given discounts for larger purchases.  A smart idea is to buy things with your roommate so that the both of you can benefit from the discounted prices of larger purchases.

Additionally, you can buy your toiletries together with your roommate because the more you buy, the cheaper it is.

2.    Save and preserve left over food. By doing this you will save yourself a lot of money. You can preserve any left over food you have by wrapping it in foil and sticking it in the refrigerator.  All you have to do the next time you are hungry is throw it in the microwave and you have yourself a great meal.  But be careful with diary products as they can get spoiled easily if they are not constantly in the refrigerator.

3.    Sparing purchased school materials.  Before purchasing any books, research around a little bit because you will most likely be able to find second hand books that are just as good as new ones.  Typically you will be able to buy used books from people who have already taken the class, who are graduating, friends who have taken the class, and even teachers who may have extra copies that they do not need.

Also be able to get the most out of you school materials.  If you need a piece of paper, don’t rip out the whole sheet, but just tear out the portion that you need.  You can use the other half for later.  These little tricks will be valuable in the long run.

4.    Save electricity by turning off the lights when they are not in use.  Don’t open and close the refrigerator a hundred times.  Shut off your fan or air-conditioning when you are not at home.  You will be amazed at how much lower your electricity bill will be if you are just a little conscientious.  

Make use of these tips today and save money in the long run.  Get a pen and paper and figure out your monthly budget and start spending properly.

1.    Create a budget and check your finances on a weekly basis. Know how much money you need for your fixed expenses like tuition, gas, books, insurance, rent etc.

2.    Understand your bank charges and fees. Check your online bank statements often and make sure there are no nonsense fees like account keeping fees.

3.    Conduct research to see if you qualify for a health care card that can save you money, medical expenses, and other health related items.

4.    Apply and get an international student ID card. With this card, you can save on different types of transportation and attractions. You can get the international student card at a STA travel office.

5.    Look for trip saving cards or discounts that you can purchase online before you arrive in Australia.

6.    Ride a bike to school and take your bike or metro to work.

7.    Use the back of free photocopy paper or use the back of old notes.

8.    When you get your haircut ask them to cut it short or have a friend cut your hair.

9.    For birthdays and holidays make your own gifts for family and friends. Personalized gifts can mean a lot for someone because they will recognize that you have put time into making the gift.

10.    Brew your own beer and or wine. Learn from others or by informational reading online.

11.    Eat healthy and get enough sleep because becoming sick can cost you a lot of money and lost time.

12.    Go to the supermarket for your daily foods and cook for yourself. This will save a lot as eating out ads up fast.

13.    Look up activities offered by the student union that can offer you cheap and fun recreational activities.

14.    Go to the ticket office for cheap movie tickets and other attraction discounted tickets.

15.    Make sure to return your library books back on time so you don't get charged a late fee.

16.    Turn off your air conditioner and other electrical appliances when your away to save on the electricity bill.

17.    Keep a record of all your transactions to see how well you are spending your money and also to see what you can cut back on to save money.

18.    Keep all receipts and warranties.

19.    Make sure you have car and medical insurance as doctor visits and car accidents can be extremely costly.