Sharing is caring.  This is something my sister used to say to me when we were kids.  It usually meant she wanted one of my cookies or part of my cake or something to that effect.  And while sharing IS caring, it also is a great way to save a lot of money.

The most obvious way to save money sharing is by sharing an apartment.  You get a lot more space for the money with roommates, and you can usually each have your own private space in the shared apartment.

Wish you belonged to a warehouse club?  Memberships usually come with two member cards, so you and a friend can share the cost of a membership.

Want the savings of buying the jumbo pack of paper towels, but don’t want to store all of them?  Team up with a friend and split the cost!

The PILF auction is coming up soon.  Many of the “experience” items will go for a higher price than any one student wants to pay.  But if you team up with friends, it can become downright affordable to purchase dinner with your favorite professor (or drinks with the Financial Aid Director if you are so inclined).

The only limit to sharing is your imagination.  I remember a time that a friend and I both needed new glassware for our homes, but neither of us had much space.  We bought a set of glassware and split it.  Another time I was suit shopping with a friend (and separates were not yet pervasive).  I needed one size on top and a different size on bottom.  So did she, but the reverse of me.  We both bought the same suit and swapped parts.

Whenever I eat something sweet, my sister’s voice pops up in the back of my head saying, “Sharing is caring!”  But my life experience also tells me that sharing is a great way to save money.