Looking for Advice - managing monthly salary leftover

Hey everyone,

I’m a freshman studying in the U.S. on a scholarship. It covers my tuition and gives me about $5,000 per month for living expenses.

Here’s roughly what I spend monthly:

•	$1,500 – rent

•	$500 – food

•	$300 – random/other spending

So that’s about $2,300/month in expenses, leaving me with around $2,700 leftover each month.

I want to buy a car that costs around $50,000, so I’m thinking about saving toward that. But I’m not sure what the smartest move is:

•	Should I just save the extra cash in a savings account?

•	Should I invest it while I’m saving?

•	If investing is better, what would be the safest/most reasonable way to do it as a college freshman?

For context:

•	No debt

•	I’m studying abroad (F1 visa)

•	My main short-term goal is the car, but I also want to be smart long-term too but idk how to manage my leftover

Would appreciate any advice on how to split between saving vs investing, and what options make sense at my age.

I have until graduation

Thanks!