Tax time has just passed, and for some of us, that means HOORAY! A TAX RETURN! But for others it means, seriously, you took MORE of my money? Whatever category you’re in, however, Spring is a time to start saving your greenbacks. Whether you want to save up for a sweet Summer vacation (and get a vacation booty call), or you just want to build up a savings safety net, we think April is the perfect month to start pinching those pennies.

When you’re single, though, there are so many opportunities to spend money. Clothes, dinners, nights out on the town, gym memberships, and more demand you throw money out like you’re Jay-Z, and it’s hard to keep your wallet closed. Never fear, though – Booty Call University is in session with some money-saving tips for singles out there trying not to break the bank.

1. Get yer budget on

Sitting down and looking at your finances can be one of the most boring, stressful, and guilt-ridden things a person can do. It’s never pleasant to see you spent $1000 on booze and only $100 on food, or that you spent $80 on a gym membership and never used it once. Taking an honest look at where your money goes each month, however, is a necessary first step to making a change. Using a website like Mint will help you organize your spending and set limits on what you want to spend.

2. Slash and burn

This is the painful part. It’s time to look at your spending and start cutting. it. out. Where can you make room in your monthly spending? Maybe drop the expensive gym membership and guy yourself a set of home weights and running shoes. Or set limits for how much you will spend at restaurants and bars. And say “bye-bye” to the weekly Nordstrom spending sprees.

3. Be a smarter partier

Alcohol, as we all know, lowers inhibitions (oh boy do we know that). This applies to our wallets, too, however, and oftentimes we find ourselves shelling out cash at the club in amounts that give us post-party shame the next day. So think like a college student and pre-game before you leave the house, so you can limit yourself to only one or two pricy drinks. Or invite friends over to your place for cocktails instead of always rolling out to the expensive nightclubs. This has an added benefit – if you happen to find a sexy booty call in the span of the night, you’ll have but three feet to move to bring them back to your bedroom. Win-win!

4. Let’s talk wardrobe

We know that lookin’ fly is an important part of being single and meeting other singles. However, cutting out the shopping sprees doesn’t mean you have to look like a hobo. Observe your wardrobe and only buy things that can be mixed-and-matched together. Or check out second-hand places near you that offer trade-ins – so you can ditch some of last season’s styles and get some cool new duds that are new to you (and are often way more unique than anything people are buying at Saks). For example: Buffalo Exchange

5. Dates and activities

We know that dating is an expensive habit. You’ll have nights out on the town and will want to have fun, and many times this means spending money you’d normally save. Of course, there are still ways to save money on dates and activities and still have a great time. Cook your date dinner at home instead of spending big money at a restaurant (it’s more intimate anyway). Instead of a pricy movie theater, find a drive-in near you and bring blankets, beach chairs, and a bottle of wine. Use Groupon and LivingSocial to find deals on restaurants and activities in your city instead of spending full price – this has the added benefit of helping you discover cool stuff to do in your town that you may have not even known existed.

What are your tips for saving dough when you’re single? Share your ideas in the comments!

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