the frugal grad
Simple, smart money habits for everyday student life.
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How to Save Money This Summer (2026 Student Budget Guide)
Summer is one of the most exciting times of the year, but the downside is that it presents the easiest time to overspend. The weather is nice, you have fewer classes to take, and that is if you have any. There are more fun events and activities on and off campus, while some activities are
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Frugal Spring Cleaning Tips for Students (Save Money + Declutter Fast)
Spring ushers in freshness and an opportunity to reset. For students, spring break creates the perfect window to do a deep clean of your dorm room or apartment. But if you’re not careful, a simple seasonal cleaning routine can quickly turn into unnecessary spending. Walk into any cleaning aisle, and you’ll see countless products, many
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10 Analog Hobbies I Picked Up That Save Me Money (No Screens Needed)
I consumed a lot of social media for years, and now I am burnt out. In 2026, I am trying out more analog hobbies to improve my health and productivity. My journey into analog living started with a simple transformation after sharing What’s in My Analog Bag (The Gen Z Habit That Fixed My Focus).
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I Installed Rocket Money as a Student and found $50 I Was Wasting Every Month
Each month, at least $50 was being deducted from my paycheck, and I had no idea where it was going. I thought I had my finances under control, but clearly, I didn’t. So I decided to try something different. I installed Rocket Money, and within minutes, it exposed money leaks I didn’t even realize existed.
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What’s in My Analog Bag (The Gen Z Habit That Fixed My Focus)
What is an Analog bag? I used to doomscroll and waste hours every day doing nothing until I built an analog bag that changed my focus and saved me money as a bonus. The trending analog bag, also called a boredom bag, is everything you need to refocus in 2026. It is a simple tote
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Start a Blog for Free in 2026: Beginner’s Guide (10 Minutes or Less)
Are you interested in a side hustle that could become a source of income in 2026? Yes, blogging is not dead, thefrugalgrad.com is still running! Starting a blog used to feel complicated with navigating the hosting, domains, themes, plugins… it was a lot. But in 2026, it’s honestly ridiculously simple. I tested it myself using
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How Curating My Analog Bag Helped Me Save Hundreds as a Student
Since the start of the year, I have been trying to wean myself off social media and also put my spending under control. So i thought of some analog habits to pick up that I could engage in to fill my time. When I first heard about the analog bag trend, I thought: “Cute bag,
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10 Things I Stopped Buying That Saved Me $3,000 as a Student
I started grad school as a broke student. It was a new phase of life with joining a new lab and moving states. There was a lot going on with me, and I had little clue how to navigate spending wisely within my means. I realized I was spending money on things I didn’t even
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20 How to save money as a grad student
If you are looking for ways to save money, you are in the right place. Being a student does not exempt you from money problems. Real-world problems include managing your money and looking for ways to be financially responsible. In many ways and for various reasons, graduate students are likely to need practical tips to
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Money-saving activities that are great for weekends
Another weekend has rolled in, and we are here for it. Weekends present an opportunity to either spend money or save more. I’m all about low-cost (or no-cost!) ways to enjoy your days off, recharge, and maybe even discover a new hobby or two. Needless to say, you can save your money and still have
“A blog by a graduate student for graduate students on navigating frugal living”.
– The frugal grad.