Monetize Your Life

My philosophy on saving money is simple – don’t spend it. But I know how hard that can be. Show me a dirt and worms from Sheridan’s, and I’ll be whipping out my debit card faster than you can say “custard.”

Even so, I try to spend as little money as possible. Before I even try on a seemingly perfect dress for my swim banquet, I always assess the price in terms of how many Old Navy tops I could get instead. I even order the $15 spaghetti and meatballs instead of the yummy salmon filet at an expensive restaurant. So, I decided to scour the internet to find the easiest ways to save money as a teen.

The three simple and practically effortless ways I found to keep as much money in my bank account as possible were MoviePass – a card that give you access to unlimited movies for $6.95 a month, Honey– couponing made easy, and student discounts– the price markdown savior that comes with having no diploma.

AMC Town Center gives me stomach pains. Just the thought of their $13.69 ticket price, and I’m doubled over. Thank God for MoviePass. With a $6.95 monthly charge, MoviePass allows you to go see as many movies in theaters as you can squeeze in a month.

Theaters like AMC and Alamo Drafthouse charge a whopping $13 for one ticket, so even if you see only one movie, you’re saving $6. In Kansas City, many theaters accept MoviePass such as AMC Ward Parkway, the Glenwood Arts Theater, Standees, and even the Alamo Drafthouse.

All you have to do is sign up for an account and they will send you a MoviePass card within two weeks which you can then use to get tickets at the kiosks directly inside the movie theater. Although MoviePass doesn’t include the snacks I already sneak in my sweatshirt, I still end up saving money on the ticket.  

Now with MoviePass, I can enjoy AMC’s leather recliners while drinking the blue raspberry Icee and popcorn I’ve always loved without feeling like  money was stolen right out of my hands.

Fumbling through a stack of coupons while the man behind you in line is getting angry? No thank you! Couponing has always frightened me.

But once I had heard about Honey,  a web-browser add on, I finally considered becoming a couponer. Honey does all of the coupon hunting for you, giving you the best offers such as a free sample with a $25 Sephora purchase, or free shipping at TopShop.

Honey is a free extension you can download on Google Chrome. As soon as you go onto a website the “H” icon on the index bar lights up and gives you coupons. It tells you all of the sales going on and for some websites, even lets you know if a different store has a better price.

At first, I trusted Honey about as much as pop-up windows saying I won $100, but I decided to try it out. When I went to purchase the Too Faced Just Peachy palette, the extension showed up with about 20 coupon codes for a free trial-size product if you purchased at least $25 of merchandise.

It saves the time of having to scrounge around for coupons in the mail, leaving you with more time to daydream about summer by the pool, but most importantly it saves money.

Your student ID isn’t just as ticket to football games or getting into the front door, it can save you money, too!

Even though it may seem awkward sheepishly asking the cashier for a student discount, you’ll be glad you suffered through the unpleasant conversation when you walk away saving $36 dollars on a dress you have always wanted.

Stores such as Apple and Microsoft give hefty discounts on products like a MacBook Pro and Surface 3, up to $200 off. Many retail stores like TopShop and J.Crew give a 20 percent discount. Although it may seem measly, I managed to save $14 on a pair of jeans.

And seniors, the deal is even sweeter for you. To college students, Amazon offers Prime and movie streaming free with a six month trial and then at a discounted rate, which is practical for dorm shopping. HBO Go gives free access, making paying $8 a month for Netflix no longer an essential. Even more shocking, Spotify allows students to use their premium service and have a Hulu account, having a combined price of $4.99 a month.

So, next time you are out and about, don’t be afraid to proudly flash your SMEast ID at Urban Outfitters and brag to your parents about how you saved them money for once.