I’ve hit a point that is all too familiar to a college student: I’m broke. At the beginning of every month, I experience hell in the form of bills. Rent, utilities, car payments and car insurance all haunt me.

When I’m stuck in this situation, there is one word that gives me hope, one word that can make every bone in my body tingle: Free.

Ah, that word is such a blessing, I’ll say it again. Free.

If this word hasn’t caught your attention, I don’t know what will.

Being that we are college students, we are always looking for ways to spend less money. Two of the sources that suck up the most of my income are food and drinks. A growing girl has to eat, and eating well means spending money.

Back in freshman year, eating at the cafeteria wasn’t as bad as it could have been. The food wasn’t too horrible (with a couple exceptions) and it was always there. What made it the best was that I didn’t have to pay for it.

From first-hand experience, I’d have to say that the best place to work when you’re in college and broke is a restaurant. You will forever see me eating at my work place for a couple reasons. It’s damn good, I love the people I work with, and I can eat for free or really cheap. Heaven.

Did I mention free samples at Costco? Double heaven.

Knowing that you’re not paying for something can also lower your expectations. I once went to go see a movie just because we could all get in for free (my friend worked at the theatre). Did I want to see the movie in the first place? No. Did I care when the movie sucked more than any other movie has sucked before? Not at all because it didn’t cost me a dime.

If you get a free accessory with a $50 purchase or more at a clothes store, it’s probably not the best quality or the cutest necklace in the store. But who cares? It’s free.

When talking about things that are free, you can’t leave out free-loading. Free loading comes hand in hand with being a college student. It’s that little devil on our shoulder that pops up as soon as we move away from home. Raise your hand if you are guilty of going home for a weekend for free food, free laundry, and Costco runs with your parents? My hand is way up. Thanks Mom!

I’m one of those suckers that will fall for free promotions. It’s common knowledge that people flock to promotions if the word “free” is in it somehow, no matter what it is. We, as consumers, love a deal. However, we are stupid enough to ignore the fact that we are sometimes spending more in order to get the free shipping, the free installation, or that third t-shirt. In cases like these, sometimes free isn’t better, it’s a scam.