Save Money on College Back to School

When your college student goes back to school (or goes to school for the first time) there are costs beyond tuition, room and board. The good news is that there are a number ways to save money on some of the items that college students find necessary to campus life:

1. Textbooks: You can find deals online for many textbooks. Web sites like Amazon.com and BetterWorldBooks provide ways for you to get used textbooks at a fraction of the prices charged by the university bookstore. You do have to be careful, though: Some editions may be outdated.
2. Laptops: More and more colleges are requiring students to have laptops. You can find discounts on laptops, or you can save even more by getting netbooks. These are smaller versions of laptops, and are becoming rather popular. Research prices on sites like PriceGrabber.com and Buy.com.
3. Meal plans: If your child will be living in the dorms, it may be necessary to purchase a meal plan. These can get expensive. Instead, you can get a microwave and mini-fridge for the dorm room. Get the least expensive meal plan, and your child can save money by buying groceries. This worked well for me. I kept a half gallon of milk in my mini-fridge, and used it on cereal for breakfast in the morning. I also bought microwavable dinners (on sale), bagged salads, fresh fruit and more to supplement my meal plan. You can find used appliances for good prices, and some dorms will rent you a micro-fridge (mini-fridge with a microwave attached) for a small fee.
4. Cell phones: Fewer colleges are offering landlines in their dorms. It’s no wonder: Most students have cell phones these days. You can save money by looking into some pre-paid cell phone plans, or getting a family plan for your cell phones.
5. Dorm decor: A bed in a bag can help your student save money on sheets and comforters. Most dorms have twin sized beds, so it is fairly affordable to buy a couple of these. Check to see if a desk and chair are provided. As for decorating the walls? I say your kid is on his or her own.

Image source: Thenavigator1 via Wikipedia