Article: Save Money While You're At College
Archived on 08/17/2009
By Kelly Ann Butterbaugh
Paying for college is a major headache, but the costs incurred while studying there are also high. There are ways to save money while you're at college, which can help pay for the next semester. All it takes is a little knowledge and a lot of will-power.
Books
Try to find options other than the college bookstore when purchasing books or other materials. Often art classes load up on supplies at the book store which can be purchased at the local art supply store at much lower prices. The books themselves are also available other places than the college bookstore. With the help of the Internet, textbooks can be found at incredible prices.
Check out sites like www.amazon.com and other book sale sites for used textbooks. Even with the shipping, these can be $40-$60 less per book, and many which are listed in the used listings are actually still in the shrink wrap. Can any be download as e-books? The downloading fee will be much less than the text itself.
For some courses, the library can be the biggest budget saver. English courses require books which are stocked in local and college libraries. Try to borrow what you can and avoid buying expensive books.
Frugal Food
Food is a big part of the college student's budget. The key to frugal food is self-control. Eat at the cafeteria and snack on simple, healthy foods such as fruits, crackers, and cereals. Ordering pizza, eating out, and buying expensive convenience foods is a tug of war with a college student's cash. While your wallet wants to pull it inside, your hunger pulls it back outside. Don't purchase sodas at $1 a piece, and don't spend $15-$20 on each meal when a pre-paid cafeteria meal awaits.
These cutbacks include expensive drinks as well. Lattes and sports drinks add up quickly, as much as $25 a week. Multiply that by the number of weeks on campus, and you can spend a quarter of your cost for textbooks for the semester on glass bottles of caffeine. Instead, keep it simple and splurge only once in awhile.
The Unessentials
It's hard to hear, but some of the best known aspects of college are unnecessary. Rather than creating an expense account for yourself, limit yourself and your studies will improve.
Attending the college is advertisement enough that you're a student; you don't need to wear expensive collegiate sweatshirts daily. One or two t-shirts are enough, and even those are available on the sale racks after the semester ends.
Expensive field trips aren't a necessary for any course. While a Yeats seminar may be enhanced by a trip to Ireland during the off-semester, it's not a requirement. Spring break, similarly, is not a requirement. Instead, head home for the vacation and take some time off of your studies.
Related:
Editor's Note: What are your tips for saving money at college? Post them below.
About The Author: Kelly Ann Butterbaugh is a freelance writer who regularly contributes to a variety of magazines as well as online newsletters. She teaches writing in the public school as well as at the collegiate level. Contact her at Englishteach@rcn.com or visit her website at http://users.rcn.com/wesavedamutt/Writer
Feedback:
RE: Save Money While You're At College
We used to sell our used text books to each other at the end of the semester. We'd post notices in the halls. Get a pay as you go cell phone to limit minutes and just use it as a PHONE. Get a used lap top/computer rather than a new one. Re-ink your printer cartridges if possible. Save unused/partially used printer paper to print on opposite side. Don't waste your $ on alcohol except when partying on weekends! Get an electric coil to heat water in your room for coffee/tea. Use all the student discounts you can! Read this site and learn to be thrifty! (03/27/2007)
By pamphyila
RE: Save Money While You're At College
Go to a community college your first two years! save so much money.
Also, an idea for parents. let them pay for the first two years. They have to get a job - no loans. If they do this and get good grades, you will see how serious they are. When they are ready to transfer, you step in and help them out. If they can't "handle" school, then they are not ready for it and need a few years to work before they go. And this way you find that out right away rather than after you spent 10 grand on the first year and it's blown by them. (03/27/2007)
By seeme
RE: Save Money While You're At College
For taxes - take advantage of the tuition deduction and tuition credits.
Buy bulk from discount clubs like Costco and split them with dorm/room/suite mates.
Check out prices on Ebay/Overstock.com - we got a new Toshiba laptop for my husband at half of what it would have cost us at Circuit City (for ebay, make sure the vendor is a PowerSeller with excellent rating)
If you're moving out of a dorm room and need furniture, check out garage sales/goodwill stores
Instead of meeting buddies for drinks at a bar, collect money from house/dorm mates and have a house/dorm party
Have fun
(03/29/2007)
By aw_$mgr96
RE: Save Money While You're At College
My sons buy most of their books online. I can not remember the site. They keep track of what they pay and end up selling the books back online for the same price. Make sure you use Media Mail when shipping books(at the post office) it is a lot cheaper. They sometimes will make even extra money from other kids who do not want to deal with reselling their books by selling their friends' books. The college book store pays very little for buying back books. (03/31/2007)
By Tami
RE: Save Money While You're At College
I think I posted this last year, but before your son/daughter goes to college, go to a nearby college at the end of the semester or year. Go to the dumpsters behind the residence halls. Students cannot move all their furniture so they often will throw away good furniture, and working microwaves and fridges.
Best day to go is the Friday, Saturday, or Sunday before the semester ends. Students will do their cleaning after finals, just before they leave. Be at the dumpster by 8am and wait for students to bring things out. Help them carry the stuff out, and they'll give it to you.
Don't be embarrassed. You're the one saving money, they are the ones racking up student loans.
(04/02/2007)
By bulrush
RE: Save Money While You're At College
As a student in Louisiana, I was able to receive "food stamps", which are the tax-exempt, government supplemented dollars used to purchase all things edible. For years, I thought only low-income, single mothers were eligible. However, as a full-time student working a part time job, I was able to get enough to pay for my "dorm food" while I lived on campus. Once I moved into my own apartment, the allowance increased, and I never have to spend cash on food, which is definitely a blessing! (01/01/2008)
By TMI
Report Spam or Abuse
Article: Saving Money in College
Archived on 08/17/2009
Tips for saving money in college as suggested by our ThriftyFun community. Do you have any advice to share? Feel free to post your ideas below.
Amazon For Textbooks
I've found Amazon.com to be a wonderful resource for buying and selling textbooks! At the end of the term, its always good to compare the $ you'll get between the bookstore and what amazon.com's lowest seller price is (you'll want to undercut them to make sure you sell quickly). The occasions when you can get more in the bookstore are rare, but the possibility exists and is more likely with textbooks.
By djinn
Meal Plans And Transfer Credits
Like the other poster said, buying used textbooks online is the easiest way to save money in college. Also, I found that the meal plans offered by most colleges give you far too many meals - buy a plan geared toward commuters and keep cereal and milk or snacks in a small fridge in your room. And last, check to see if any courses taken at local community colleges will transfer equally to your school. CC's are far cheaper per credit and you'll still graduate with a degree from your college.
By Trisha R
Buy Used
Shop for all room decor and clothing, if you can, at your more upscale Goodwill and Salvation Army. See if there is a used book store on campus. Much easier way to save money, join freecycle.org and craigslist.com for your area to swap things out, etc! Hope that helps. This will save a bundle!
Be Wary Of Credit Cards
Campuses are notorious for having credit card companies trying to get students to sign up, often with free gifts or other incentives. Often times, these deals are very high interest because most college students don't have much credit yet. It took me years to pay off an impromptu Discover card I opened and used my first year at college.
By Jess
Tips For Saving A Little At A Time
Always buy used textbooks when you can and resell them once the class is over. As another poster wrote, check out some of the thrift shops in your area for clothing, decor, books, movies, games, kitchen stuff, furniture,etc. Also check out garage sales. Get over brand names! I find that I can make my own cleaning products, bath/body products, and "grocery/snack" Items for way cheaper and they work or taste way better than their overpriced counter parts. Also, even if you are in a dorm, invest in a mini fridge, microwave, and coffee pot/hot tea maker. You will save a lot of money by making your own coffee/tea, buying your own drinks, and keeping other food/snacks on hand.
By tthompson
Work For The College To Save
I work at a small private college that offers free tuition for employees and their dependents after working there a year. The smaller private schools often have evening and weekend programs which is really convenient. If you want a free education considering checking employment opportunities at your local private college.
By Katie
Get Free Furniture And Other Tips
My middle daughter has been out of college many years and our youngest is living at home while attending college but I do remember some important lessons we had with our middle daughter. At the end of a semester, some kids would 'throw out' their furniture (love seats, pillows etc.). She would latch on to them and either sell them at a garage sale upon coming home or keep them for the next year.
Even after she and her husband were married and living in another state university town, they were moving back to Ohio and went to the dumpster. There, in perfect condition, was a futon with cushion. They still have it after 7 years of marriage. I told a friend recently that instead of hauling furniture back check to see if it could go into 'storage' for a couple of months till school started again in the fall.
Also, clean the room after the student moves out - I found $40 in change that they wouldn't pick up due to tails up - foolishness! It all spends. I thanked them for 'paying' me to clean their room :). Our youngest daughter is staying at home and I feel will be saving money.
By Nancy
Save On Housing By Being An RA
Most colleges allow residence assistants or dorm "mothers" and "fathers" free tuition up to 12 or 15 hours a semester. They also get free housing. This is a great way to learn responsibility, meet new people, and basically go to school for free. Most schools also even allow this during the summer school months.
Become Financially Responsible
Save all your loose change. I know it might sound silly but I've done this for years and although I don't really need to turn to it now, there were several times it very much came in handy during my "salad days."
Take a personal finance class. Whether or not you need it for your major, it can be a great resource for helping you learn about many different aspects of managing your finances now and later. Read "Get a Financial Life: Personal Finance in your Twenties and Thirties" by Beth Kobliner.
If you can, use cash instead of a debit card. Set a limit for how much you will spend each week, take out only that amount and stick to it. Write down every single purchase you make from a tank of gas to a textbook to a gum ball.
If you have the space in your room or apartment, make your own coffee. Instead of bottled water, buy a filtered pitcher and pour water into a reusable container. It's amazing how much these two items alone can cost when purchased at a restaurant or vending machine. Brown bag if you can. Buy small re-freezable lunch coolers and reusable plastic containers to tote whatever you like to munch on.
Sometimes I was able to save on textbooks by requesting them from the campus library. We could check them out for an entire semester so why not? I wasn't always successful but I'm sure it saved me at least a few hundred bucks overall, especially considering the cost of books!
I also sometimes borrowed textbooks from classmates and photo-copied the pages I needed for a course. Of course you have to weigh the cost of that vs. the cost of the book but oftentimes you come out ahead. (I'm sure we've all had a class or two that required a textbook where we read only a few pages.)
By BarbaraCollins08
Feedback:
RE: Saving Money in College
Before you go the photocopy route, check the laws where you live, governing this. Books are copyrighted and you may be breaking the law, which could lead to expulsion from your school! (06/20/2008)
By catastrofy
RE: Saving Money in College
Most students sign up for the meal plan with the smallest number of meals. They say they don't eat all of their meals in the cafeteria. Breakfast is often cereal or a breakfast bar in their room, for example. (06/21/2008)
By SusannL
RE: Saving Money in College
If you are buying used textbooks be sure you are ordering the same edition that is being used in the class. You don't want to buy the 11th edition if the rest of the class is using the 12th edition. You won't have the same information. (06/21/2008)
By SusannL
Report Spam or Abuse
|
