---
title: 'How I Saved ₦35 Million as a University Student (7 Ideas That Actually Work)'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=V0SMSe7Xnnc'
video_id: 'V0SMSe7Xnnc'
date: 2026-08-23
duration_sec: 908
channel: 'Personal Finance Circle '
---

# How I Saved ₦35 Million as a University Student (7 Ideas That Actually Work)

> Source: [How I Saved ₦35 Million as a University Student (7 Ideas That Actually Work)](https://youtube.com/watch?v=V0SMSe7Xnnc)

## Summary

A Nigerian university graduate shares the seven strategies he used to accumulate over ₦35 million in savings while still a student, emphasizing that the methods are replicable for anyone regardless of income. The video provides practical advice on income diversification, automated savings, expense tracking, and intentional spending.

### Key Points

- **Proof of Savings** [00:01] — The creator shows screenshots of his savings account balance, which grew from over ₦30 million to about ₦35 million after leaving the money in the account for over a year post-graduation, earning interest.
- **Replicable Strategy** [00:55] — He believes his approach is replicable for anyone, not just students, regardless of current income, and that most people fail to save not because they don't earn enough but because they lack the right habits and systems.
- **Idea 1: Multiple Income Streams** [01:21] — The first idea is to have multiple income sources. He tried affiliate marketing, crypto trading, podcasting, a gaming channel, a YouTube channel (now 200k+ subscribers), working for crypto companies, and selling digital products, emphasizing that you only need one or two to hit the jackpot.
- **Idea 2: Automate Savings** [04:55] — He automated his savings by connecting his cards to PiggyVest and Cowrywise, saving weekly and monthly amounts. He started with small amounts (₦2,000-₦5,000) and increased as his income grew, benefiting from compound interest.
- **Idea 3: Track Expenses** [07:34] — He emphasizes tracking every expense, no matter how small. He started in 2021 after realizing he was making money but had little left at month-end. He used a Google Sheet from 2022 to 2025 and now uses his own app, Grow Now, to budget and track spending.
- **Idea 4: Use a Structure (50/30/20 Rule)** [09:20] — He recommends the 50/30/20 rule: 50% for needs, 30% for wants, and 20% for savings/investments. He notes the percentages can be adjusted (e.g., 60/20/20) but the principle of allocating every income on purpose is key.
- **Idea 5: Have a Savings Goal** [10:42] — Having a specific savings goal provides motivation and purpose, making it easier to resist dipping into savings. His goal was to have a large sum saved by graduation, which kept him focused.
- **Idea 6: Use High-Interest Savings Apps** [11:46] — Traditional bank savings accounts offer low interest rates, which can lose value to inflation. High-interest platforms like Cowrywise and PiggyVest offer better rates and features like lock savings and automatic transfers to help save better.
- **Idea 7: Think Before Big Purchases** [12:51] — He advises using the seven-day rule: wait seven days before making any big purchase. If you can live without it after that period, skip it. Impulse buying is a silent drain on finances, and tracking expenses helps identify where to cut back.

### Conclusion

The video concludes by reiterating that these seven ideas—diversifying income, automating savings, tracking expenses, using a budgeting structure, setting goals, using high-interest apps, and thinking before big purchases—are the keys to building substantial savings. The creator encourages viewers to apply these strategies regardless of their current financial situation.

## Transcript

University in 2024 and as a student, I had over 30 million naira in my savings. screen so that you guys can see it. And you can see the balance as of 2025. So, I actually left the money in the account for over 1 year after graduation
and then it got more interest and it all summed up to about 35 million naira. And I've now used the money to actually do some important things, start businesses, in my life. Now, I'm not showing you all of these to actually brag or show off.
No, I'm not doing any of that. I'm only showing you the screenshots because I this video right now and they are thinking maybe I'm just calling out numbers from nowhere. So, I just want you guys to actually see the proof right
actually show you guys that you can do it, too. And it might not be up to the 35 million naira or the 30 million naira I have saved, but you will have a lot of money in your savings if you follow what I'm about to share with you because I
genuinely believe that what I did is replicable and not just for students, but for anyone at any stage of life regardless of how much you currently make. And the truth is that most people are not saving as much as they could.
earn enough money, but because they haven't built the right habit and systems around money. So, in this video, I'm going to share with you the seven specific ideas I used to build my savings up to 35 million naira while I
was still a student. Now, let's get into the video. Now, the first idea is to I'm not going to come here and deceive you guys or lie to you that I was able to save this amount of money in school with just one source of income. Now, the
truth is that as a student, you can't do this with just one source of income or right now cannot save that amount of money in a short period of time with just one source of income. And here's something I understood very early that I
believe had a significant impact on how much I was able to save as a student. And this is it. You see, saving more is not only about spending less. It's also is a ceiling to how much you can actually cut from your expenses, but
there is no ceiling to how much you can actually make because your income is money. And during my time in the university, I did not just rely on one to make money. I'll share that story on
it family learning. I will put the link in the description below. But to just to make money at school, I started with affiliate marketing in my first year. apps or website that will pay me for referring people. And from there, I went
into crypto trading towards the end of my first year. And after that, I started podcasting. I even started two different podcasts, but I only made a very little amount of money from that and I dropped it later. And then I started a gaming
I didn't even grow to anything. I abandoned it. And then from that, I started another YouTube channel during the lockdown in 2020, which is now my main YouTube channel that has over 200,000 subscribers. And also, there was
Jumia. And I've also worked for different crypto companies before I started my own YouTube channel. This was in my 200 level. I was working for making money with crypto. And after that, I started selling digital
products. And I can go on and on and keep telling you the different things I far more than all of these things I've just mentioned. And the thing is that I put in a lot of work into every single thing. So, you can see right there that
I tried multiple things to make money and that is something I always tell are trying to look for a way to make money, don't just find one way to make money. Try multiple things and always put all your effort into anything that
you find to do. And you only need one or two of those things you are trying to hit the jackpot and then you can easily focus on that. So, please, if you are still young, please make sure you take every risk you can take. Don't be a
multiple things and you'll see the result after some years. Now, I'm only saying this because it worked for me and that is why I can recommend it to did. Actually, helped me to be able to save this amount of money while at
video, if you are serious about making money online, I have just launched an ebook where I explained everything about how to make money with digital products, how to make money on YouTube, and how to make money with affiliate marketing.
lot of money while I was at school and I have pocketed all of my resources and ebook. And I've also titled it the digital income blueprint. And also, once 90-day plan on how you can start making money online within 90 days. It is
included in this ebook for free. And you'll also be learning how you can build a full-time digital business and make up to $1,000 per month even as a beginner. And if you are getting this ebook right now, I'm giving it out on a
50% discount. Yes, half the price. But, it will actually go back to the original serious about making money with digital products, with YouTube or content and you want to take advantage of this discount, click the first link in the
description of this video to get the ebook right now. Now, let's get back into the video. Now, the second idea to actually save more money is to automate your savings before you spend anything. Now, if you have been watching my videos
saving money has always been a part of me since I was a teenager. I've said this multiple times. I was always saving money in shoe boxes even before I got into secondary school. Now, when I got into the university, that is OAU, I
Piggy Vest app. And the way I even discovered these two apps was when I was referring people. Remember I said that in number one. And for those of you that remember, back in 2017, 2018, these two apps were paying people 1,000 naira for
every person you refer to the app. And I even made over 300,000 naira or I think 400,000 naira from Piggy Vest alone. I also made money from Cowry Rise through able to do this was that I was always going to different rooms in my hostel
these two apps and I would beg them to actually register with my link. So, that this source of income. And this was my first source of income back in the you see when I started getting some money or when I started making some
money, the first thing I did was to automate my savings by connecting my cards to these two apps to save money. So, what I did back then in my 100 level my PiggyVest and I was doing weekly savings on my Cowrywise app. So, with
that um every Monday, Cowrywise would take an amount of money from my account also take an amount of money on the first day of every month and they would did this from my first year in the university till I graduated. Uh
have money to actually save. Uh but I was actually consistent with it. And when I started, I was actually saving just maybe 5,000 naira, 2,000 naira, and you know, figures around that amount. And obviously, that's too small and that
But remember, that's the amount that I've now grown up to over 30 million naira. Now, the simple thing I did right there was that as my income was growing, the amount I was saving was also increasing and compound interest really,
really helped me a lot. So, in summary, if you already have ways to make money or maybe you're making some amount of money, no matter how small the money is, please go ahead and decide on a serious percentage. Even if it is just 10% of
what you are making right now, start saving and please make sure you automate it. And over time, please increase that percentage as your income grows. And can add up. Now, before I go to number three, please if you haven't liked this
haven't subscribed to this YouTube channel, please subscribe to the channel and help us get to 20,000 subscribers. We make videos on how to make money, how your money on this YouTube channel. Now, let's go to number three. Now, the third
idea is to know exactly where your money is going. Now, you see I can tell you feel like they never have a lot of money I've never actually done this properly. serious about your finances, you need to track every single thing you spend money
on. I mean, every expense, every transaction, every purchase you make, no matter how small. Write it down, put it in a spreadsheet, or maybe you can use a budgeting app. Whatever system works for you, just go ahead and do that. Now, for
me, I only started budgeting my money and tracking my expenses back in 2021. And the reason why I started this was that I discovered that I was making a lot of money, but at the end of every month, I was having almost nothing in my
account. And there was even a time I had to reduce my savings because I was discovered this issue, this was back in September 2021, and I made a decision to track every single thing I was spending my money on from October to December
2021. And after doing this for 3 months, I discovered that I was spending a lot of money on eating out, I was spending a lot of money on clothes, gadgets, and a lot of irrelevant subscriptions. And then in January 20 22, I created a
Google Sheet myself for tracking my expenses, and I used it from 2022 till 2025. And right now, I currently use the Grow Now app to budget and track my the Grow Now app is an app I built with my team to help you track how you're
spending your money and to give you insights to help you grow your finances. you can actually check the link in the description um below. And by the way, I created the Grow Now app simply because I saw how budgeting really helped me
grow my finances between 2022 and 2025. And between those years, I was able to save more money and see massive growth in my savings. So, please, if you want to start budgeting and tracking your finances, you should try out the Grow
description below. Now, the fourth idea is to use a structure to manage your income. Now, you see, one of the frameworks I found very useful is what is mostly called the 50/30/20 rule. Now, this one is simple to do, but a lot of
really help you. Now, here's how it works. You see, 50% of your income goes to your needs. That is, things like uh your rent, food, transportation, utilities, things you genuinely cannot function without. Now, the second one is
30%. Now, for this one, it goes to your wants. And these are things that just enhance your life, but that you can still survive without them, like eating enjoyment, and so on. And then, the third one is your 20% that goes directly
to your savings or your investment. Now, you see that 20% it is protected from the start. That is, once you get money to your account, take 20% or whatever percentage you agree on, take it and put into your savings or your investment.
this. Now, please, it doesn't have to be 50-30-20. That's just a starting framework. There's no a rule you must follow. Now, depending on your income and your situation, your own might be 60-20-20, or maybe 50-10-40
About these specific percentages matter less than the principle behind them. The main thing is that every amount that comes in into your account is allocated to a category on purpose. Now, like I said, you can budget this on the granny
savings goal. Now, you see, one thing a lot of people don't know is that having a savings goal is like a motivation to you. The goal is actually what motivates you to save more money. And saving money is something that is very hard to
very hard to sustain. Because I just putting money away and you're watching your money grow, and after a while, the excitement of that actually fades away, dip your hand into your savings and spend it on irrelevant things. But when
you save money towards a specific goal, that is completely different. It has a meaning, it has purpose. And every time you feel tempted to break your savings or to break that habit of saving money, you remember your goal. So, make sure
you have a goal for saving money. It will really, really help you. Now, for me, my goal or what actually motivated me was that I set a goal that when I finish from school, when I graduate from school, I want to have so much money in
my savings. I don't even I had a particular target, but I just wanted to have so much money in my savings, not in my account, in my savings. So, the more I was making money, the more I was also saving my money in that savings account.
So, I didn't want anything to touch it until I graduate from the university. Now, for number six, always use high interest savings apps. Now, you see, if to save money, you're only losing money. You're wasting your money, actually. You
see, most traditional bank savings accounts in Nigeria pay very low interest rate. Your money is actually safe. Yes, I know that, but it is barely growing. And over time, with inflation factored in, it could actually be losing
value. But with high interest savings platforms like Cowrywise, and PiggyVest, offer interest rate that are significantly better than what you would typically get from keeping your money in a bank. And beyond just the interest
rates, these platforms are actually designed to help you save better. They have different features like lock savings that you can't easily access. goal-based savings and automatic transfers. You know, all of those things
that will really, really help you save money easily. And if you're looking for save money, we have a video on the eight best high interest savings apps in that video, please feel free to ask for it in the comment section below. And you
might see it in the comment section, too, or maybe in the description of this video. Now, number seven is to always think before you make any big purchase. purchase or any big purchase that is not a basic necessity for you, especially
anything significant or maybe something with huge amount to pay, always think about it, please. Think twice. Think three times. Think 10 times. Now, one useful rule that a lot of people use for this is what is called a seven-day rule
for anything expensive. Now, what does this mean? Now, this means that anytime you feel like making a big purchase, always wait for seven days to see without. Now, if after 7 days you realize that you can live without it,
purchase at least for now. And you can only go ahead with it if it is something will add value to your life or even So, you can only go ahead and do that. Half you get it. And one thing I've
you would realize that you didn't actually need it. And that money will actually stay in your account and eventually in your savings and also make you more money. And another thing is that impulse buying is one of the most
silent and most consistent drains on a person's finances because it doesn't feel like a big deal in that moment where you're making that decision. And each purchase you make might look very small and justifiable, but by the time
you start tracking your expenses, the total adds up to something very saving a lot of money, you need to be intentional about how you spend your of using the Grow With Tony app. So, for example, by the time you start budgeting
recording your finances, and you start seeing where you can cut down on your you. Again, the link to download the Grow With Tony app will be in the description below. So, there you have it. Those are the seven ideas that I
personally use to save over 35 million naira as a university student in regardless of where you are in your life, how old you are, and how much you currently earn. Now, if you found this video valuable or useful to you, please
and don't forget to also subscribe to the YouTube channel and help us get to forget to download the Grow With Tony app. The link will be in the description below. And if you want to get the Digital Income Blueprint ebook, the link
is also in the description below. Thank you for watching. I'll see you in the you for watching. I'll see you in the next one. Bye.