The Poor Medical Student

So I know that in 10 years I'll have more money than I'll know what to do with, but right now things are tight.  It's not a big deal- I'm sacrificing on some things so I can have other things (like a 2 bedroom apartment, which is more than I need, but just what I want).  Here are some of the humorous and/or crazy ways I save money these days:

• Costco: can it get much better than a 24 pack of toilet paper for like $8??  Mostly I get paper towels.  Between Bandaid and Patrick I go through a LOT.
• Doing my own hair: I used to spend $150 every other month for a cut and color.  Now I get the box from CVS for $10 (and then use coupons to cut it down to about $2).  I get an actual haircut every 2 years now, and in between I thin it out with a razor.  Yep, a razor.
• Using Ebates.  By the way, if you decide to sign up for it, please refer me- we'll both benefit.  This website gives you cash back when you buy online..anywhere from 1% to 15%.  Examples: Modcloth (3.5%), Nordstrom (5%), Barnes&Noble (6%) and a whole bunch of other sites.  I've earned $85 to date just buying online!!
• Cash back credit cards: my Chase Freedom card gets me 5% back on gas right now (commuting from SC to GA for 6 weeks earned me a bunch of cash) and 1% on every other purchase.  I got my first credit card when I was 18, and have never paid interest.  I've probably earned over $1000 in cash rebates since then.
• Powdered milk.  It lasts FOREVER.
• Keeping bread in the fridge.  People either hate this or love this.  I am indifferent but broke, so it stays in the fridge.
• Couponing.  Ok, I'm not very good, but I'm all about saving a dollar here and there. 
• Light bulbs: every light that I use has one of those super-long-lasting twisty bulbs.  Just don't get the daylight ones for the bathroom: you'll either die from the brilliant burst of eye pain just after waking up or seeing every single pore on your face.
• Using contacts way too long.  So this one is bad, I know.  I've had a corneal ulcer from wearing them at night so I'm well aware of the dangers.  But a 6 month supply is about $300.  So by wearing each pair twice as long, it's now $300 for the year.  Plus this year I cheated the system and got an extra 6 months without going to the ophthalmologist, saving me a $200 appointment (my insurance doesn't cover it).
• Bandaid toys: ok so sometimes I splurge on him.  Ok well, a lot.  But I also give him things like old socks and toilet paper roll cardboard thingies and it keeps him busy for HOURS.  And it's FREE!  I also cut up an old pair of jeans and made a chew toy out of them.
• Reusing plastic grocery bags.  For EVERYTHING.  And when my apartment complex ran out of doggie bags and briefly switched to small trash can liners instead, I stocked up on those too (I know, I'm terrible).
• Taking free food.  Med school and apartment living provide lots of opportunities.  I like to stock up on sealed items.
• Washing water bottles and reusing them.
• Coke points.  Yep, those stupid codes on code bottle lids.  I enter every single one.  And I get coupons for more free coke.  Hooray!
• Not going to the doctor.  It is so freaking expensive!  So unless I absolutely have to go, I don't.  I figure when I get better insurance in 2 years I'll start going again.  I feel fine at least....
• Picking up pennies: yes, if I'm not in a hurry I'll stop for a penny.  I'll ALWAYS stop for a dime, though.  Two years ago I found a $20 bill in a parking lot at school and went to security asking what to do with it (yes, I did).  He told me to go donate it.  (I donated it to Amanda's school fund.)
• Over-utilizing the shopping cart feature on websites: so I love online shopping.  But it's usually stuff I don't want.  So I'll put it in the shopping cart.  About one out of every ten items I'll go back and actually purchase, but this has saved me a CONSIDERABLE amount of money.  I still feel that rush of "kind of" buying something.
• LISTS!  If you know me well, you know I can't do anything without a list.  If it's not on the shopping list, 99% of the time it won't be purchased.
• Intently focusing on gas mileage.  My CRV has this horrible feature that shows how much gas you're using at THAT MOMENT and also the average since you last reset the odometer.  (Patrick significantly lowers these numbers when he drives my car.)  Anyway, I set goals like trying to average around 28mpg by not using the AC and accelerating gently.  My grandfather drilled those things into my head (and other things like not slamming car doors).
• The best one: FAMILY!  My grandparents are amazing and send me some money each month, and my mom visits on occasion and helps get groceries and makes food that lasts me awhile so I don't have to buy any.  This is by far the most helpful :)

One last anecdote: 

In college I lived in a dorm for only one year.  But they had maid service that restocked and cleaned, so each week I would steal a roll or two of toilet paper.  After that, I didn't buy toilet paper for over a year.  I feel like I got my $600 worth that I paid for parking that year, even though it was one-ply.