Any College Cost Saving Tips You Want to Share

[MrsPete]

Do you know if the high school friend ever finished the semester? Sounds a bit like she wasn't ready to be on her own. Maybe she was just having a very bad day. It was nice of you to help her get back on her feet.

I don't know the answer to that question. She and my daughter weren't really friends, but they knew one another from high school. And I teach at that high school, so I kind of know all the kids and feel a bit of responsibility to them.

Toiletries & snacks (don't forget the bottled water)

Some of the best advice I received (and the hardest) was to let him go. That this was his time to grow. So when I get the call & that one of his suitmates is crazy (last semester), you gotta say "what are you going to do about it?" not here's what to do. sometimes he asks me advice but sometimes he doesn't..... it's hard for me, as I'm the controlling one but I'm amazed at how much he has grown. Right now, he wants to get an apartment off campus next year and he's calling and asking questions. Kinda hard for me to not go down there & take over but so far he's listening....

encourage your child to get involved...an involved child is much less likely to drop out...... of course, too involved has that problem also..... pray a lot.

Maybe yes, maybe no on the bottled water. My daughter goes to a school that's just rabid about the environment (and she's become much more "green" in her two years as a college student). The school as a whole is very anti-bottled water, and it's "in" to carry a refillable bottle. Beside every water fountain they have a bottle-filler; I love them and wish they were common.

+ 1 on "let 'em go" . . . and "let 'em solve their own problems" . . . and "encourage them to become involved".

 

[MrsPete]

My son had a class in community college where the teacher wrote the book himself, so they had to buy it, and could only buy it from the school bookstore. It was around $185 if I recall.

Sometimes you just can't win.

I also sent DS21 to school with a small tool kit- box set of screwdrivers, little pliers, little wrench, couple extra screws. He used it frequently - much easier to tighten the screws in your school-provided chair than try to get maintenance in. He also brought a small sewing kit to sew on buttons (I showed him how, you'd think it would be easy enough to figure out, but if he had to try to figure it out, he'd never do it - once he learned, he knew how easy it was), fix a pocket, etc.

Before you take up room space with anything like this, check to see what items can be checked out from the dorm's front desk. I know these things and quite a few other things are available from my daughter's dorm desk (evenings only) just by showing a school ID.

I have also been enjoying this thread and the above advice hit me square between the eyes. DS17 is a senior, and I have been growing apprehensive that maybe he is just not ready to go away to college. Hhhmmm...maybe it is more that I am not ready to let him go?

Warning: In my experience, many kids -- perhaps most kids -- have a "panic attack" sometime in the month of May as they realize THIS IS REAL, I'm going away to college, I won't live here any more, I am going to have to take care of myself, OH CRAP! It might last two days, or it might last a week. Doesn't mean the student isn't excited about school, doesn't mean the student isn't ready for school . . . just means he or she is still a kid. My daughter was thrilled beyond belief with her school, her choices, yet she did it.

My advice: Don't allow yourself to have a breakdown at the same time! And don't allow the student to make changes during his or her breakdown. Instead, just stay calm and remind your student that he or she is ready, capable, and is going to be fine.

 

[jerseygirl81]

I have also been enjoying this thread and the above advice hit me square between the eyes. DS17 is a senior, and I have been growing apprehensive that maybe he is just not ready to go away to college. Hhhmmm...maybe it is more that I am not ready to let him go?

He was accepted at 4 schools, and he has to make a decision on which school to accept. He has been so fickle and wishy washy -it is a concern. It is like he is waiting for dh and I to make the choice for him. I guess it is the start to the letting go process.

My DS was uncertain which school to go to, he felt very overwhelmed. He decided to go to County college and was happy with his choice. He stayed home for 2 yrs and is now a Jr at a 4 yr college and new just where he wanted to go early in his sophomore yr and we saved a lot of money at community college those 2 yrs. Linda

 

[jerseygirl81]

A lot of great advice here! This is not money saving but the extra long twin bedding goes fast so shop early for it. Linda

 

[StephMK]

I have found this to be true as well. We certainly invested some money in cute dresses to start off but next year she will trade with her sisters in the sorority. By living in the sorority house instead of the dorms it will save us about $3000 a year and the food prepared by the house mom is like meals she gets at home versus the meals on the meal plan.

That about what we saved too and she likes the food much better. She liked the cafeteria food but got tired of by the end of first semester. Next year, she is hoping to move off campus and will save a little or a lot more, depending how food costs work out.

I agree about getting involved. DD has joined some clubs and gotten involved in leadership in her sorority. It has been a huge help, both in allowing her to meet more people and giving her things to do. She did not click at all with her roommates freshman year and having activities to meet other people was really important.

 

[crisi]

I have also been enjoying this thread and the above advice hit me square between the eyes. DS17 is a senior, and I have been growing apprehensive that maybe he is just not ready to go away to college. Hhhmmm...maybe it is more that I am not ready to let him go?

He was accepted at 4 schools, and he has to make a decision on which school to accept. He has been so fickle and wishy washy -it is a concern. It is like he is waiting for dh and I to make the choice for him. I guess it is the start to the letting go process.

I've recommended this methodology on the DVC boards.

Have him make a list of the attributes of schools. It might look like this.

Out of pocket cost
Reputation
Strength in Intended Major
Campus atmosphere
Distance from home

Weight these 1 through 10. For instance, he might not be really sure on the major, so that might be a two, but out of pocket cost is a big deal to your family, that might be a ten. One ten - but you can have multiples of any other number

Then rate each school - 1 through 10 on the attributes - there can only be one ten. Multiply the rating by the ranking, add everything up, and you will have made a choice.

If you look at that choice and say "darn it, I was hoping for X" you have ALSO made a choice, and the process just clarified it.

 

[pjlla]

SO many great ideas and thoughts here.... wish I had seen them a year ago! DD is just finishing up her first year at University and I agree with so much of what has been shared here!

Amazon Prime is a LIFESAVER at times! Brought DD back to school just yesterday after spring break.... and she realized that she left her phone charger at home. She was able to borrow one from a friend for a few days and I was going to ship hers to her.... but discovered that for just a bit over the price of USPS shipping, I could send her a new one through Amazon Prime! Plus she texted me last night to say that she forgot to buy hair conditioner and could I send some! That would have been an expensive package.... so I added two types of hair conditioner to the Amazon order (one was a great deal since it was an "add-on" item).... and I also added a package of her favorite instant cappuccino mix (a bit more expensive than the local Target, but not always available here). She will get her necessities and an extra surprise day after tomorrow!

DD has been a go-getter about finding the cheapest text book options, but we did end up feeling a bit ripped off from Amazon this year. They refused to take a return on a damaged book (it wasn't any more damaged on the return than it had been when we received it) AND they took so long to return it that even though DD got an offer to buy it, she wasn't able to sell it because it arrived 2 weeks after classes started. Very frustrating. She will try to sell it again next year. Guess we should have documented the damage better when we received the book and notified Amazon at that time.

I agree with the BUY LESS camp.... dorms always hold less than you think they will and there is no sense in a small room having two of everything. Plus there are RULES... so many more than when I went to school... about curtains and wall hangings and types of fridges/microwaves, etc.

Command adhesive hooks and velcro strips.... you will NEVER have enough!!

If you live close enough to visit after a few weeks, may be leave some things behind until you know if they are really needed. DD ended up needing an additional bookshelf (over and above the one we brought). Her original idea of keeping her books/notebooks on her desk just didn't pan out.... once she put her printer, lamp, pencil cup, and laptop on her desk, there was NO ROOM left for books. But she was able to live without it for about a month and that gave me time to find a used one the right size, paint it, and bring it to her in time for my first "scheduled" visit! And speaking of printers.... we sent DD to school without one because folks had advised us that they aren't used much because so much is submitted online.... and DD can print a certain quantity at the library for free each semester. But all it took was one phone call from DD at nearly 2 am asking me to keep her company while she walked across campus to the library to print something that she needed in the morning, for me to decide to buy her a printer all her own!!

I doubly agree with the Mom who mentioned packing up a medicine kit. Nothing elaborate, but enough to get your child through a 24 hour period of time without having to hit health services or go to the local market..... a bottle of Advil or Tylenol, a package of daytime/nightime cold medicine (Target sells a combo pack), anti-diarrheal meds, Pepto (tablets store easily and with less room), Tums, and a "boo-boo" kit.... multiple sizes of band-aids and bandages, a few gauze pads, alcohol wipes, anti-biotic ointment, and a tweezer and needle for splinter removal. I also included a few of those instant cold packs (the type sports teams usually carry around) and a few of those instant warm wraps (for sore shoulders and such). If they have enough space, a "sick day" kit isn't a bad idea either .... a small bottle or can of ginger-ale, a sleeve of crackers, a box of GOOD tissues, cough drops, Gatorade, a can of soup, tea.

As far as school supplies go.... printer with extra paper and ink (so that they don't have to buy these things at the overpriced school store), calculator (with extra batteries.... ditto the school store thing), pens and pencils, scissors, ruler, a small pack of colored pencils (sometimes they need to do drawings or diagrams, even in the most unlikely classes), tape, binder clips and paper clips, and a stapler. That should be enough unless your student is majoring in something like Art or Architecture, etc that might require something special.

Small lock box/safe.... we bought the smallest one available at Target and it was been just enough.... holds cash, passport, back-up drive for laptop, and the emergency credit card I sent along. She has it locked to a part of her bed frame out of sight (why tempt people?).

Towels and sheets..... DD opted for WHITE for all of this and in the long run it has actually turned out to be a GREAT idea. We can bleach it all if she has been sick or gets a stain and it can ALL to in the washer together.... no need to sort the linens into different loads. Glad she made the more practical choice, since I was leaning toward fun colors!

That's it for now! Best of luck to your children!...................P

 

[jeffbear]

As far as school supplies go.... printer with extra paper and ink (so that they don't have to buy these things at the overpriced school store)

Agree with this in general, but note that a lot of the bigger schools are going with campus wide print que services that allow students to print out documents at various copier/printer locations around campus at a low cost ... in some cases for free.

Check this out, because if your schools offers this service you will not only save money, you save the HUGE pain of setting up a printer in a dorm room.

 

[TLuvsD]

On the printer--it can be a YMMV item. For our D it's an absolute must--she edits everything on paper, she participates in an EC that requires a lot of printing, and she likes to work at night. I don't want her walking around at night, so the printer makes me happy. We got a Brother, it was inexpensive and prints a lot (just black and white. Think about how your student works before you make a printer decision...and consider the major they have choosen.

Set up was really easy, it's wireless, but we took a cable just in case. In a pinch, the suitemates used whichever printer would work...they do the same now that they share an off campus apartment. Even with the online "turn in" of papers, most of her profs want a paper copy.

 

[clh2]

My DD did not take a printer with her when she started her freshman year. She requested one by the end of her first week.

DD will use hers if she is printing small document, or if it is late. But if it bigger, she will go to the library.

The starter toner lasted her a whole year. We bought her a full-sized toner with the printer. For now, we will just wait until she gets a low-toner type of message before we order her a cartridge.

 

[MKCP5]

subscribing

 

[MrsPete]

Agree with this in general, but note that a lot of the bigger schools are going with campus wide print que services that allow students to print out documents at various copier/printer locations around campus at a low cost ... in some cases for free.

Check this out, because if your schools offers this service you will not only save money, you save the HUGE pain of setting up a printer in a dorm room.

Whether to buy a printer for our daughter to take to college was a question in the back of our minds, and here's what made up our minds: When we were touring a dorm at our school's flagship university, UNC, a school that's rated tops in every category . . . we saw down in the first-floor lobby two printers for student use. BOTH out of order.

After that we started paying attention to on-campus printing services. Most of the time you have to walk to the library (or similar) to do the printing. While it's unlikely that ALL their printers would be out of order, I'd rather my daughter didn't need to walk across campus to print something.

Once she chose her school, we did look at printing services costs, and we did determine that it's cheaper to print in the on-campus place. So she figured out for herself that IF she needs to print a lengthy article to read for a class, it's worth her time to walk over between classes and print . . . but if she's printing a short paper, it's not worth the savings, and she should just print it in her room.

However, there's no need for both roommates to have a printer.

 

[seus-mouse]

Our oldest DD is in a Masters program now at a SUNY school and our youngest is getting ready to jump off next year as she's a HS Senior. So I asked them and this is what I got.

A big memory foam pillow is a must. It follows them around like their blanky did when they were little ones. A pack of pillow cases too.

Gift cards for local coffee shops, and Tim Hortons and Starbucks which are on campus.


As far as books, my oldest says that at least once a semester the past few years she's used the library copy and avoided buying the text. YMMV, but if it's a hardcover text her university is required to buy one of every new edition that's required that semester.

We have to show proof of insurance at the same level of coverage as that offered by the school, every semester, that adds up. They have a charge for it immediately on the semester bill and we have to make sure it's off.

Great ideas, thanks all for sharing.


Holly

 

[jeffbear]

Whether to buy a printer for our daughter to take to college was a question in the back of our minds, and here's what made up our minds: When we were touring a dorm at our school's flagship university, UNC, a school that's rated tops in every category . . . we saw down in the first-floor lobby two printers for student use. BOTH out of order.

For the record my son is also at a UNC system school (Asheville) and has never had a problem with the network printers. They have 4 on each dorm floor and a bank of them at the dining hall, the library and the student center.

Of course, it's easier to keep that stuff maintained when you've got 3,500 students instead of 40,000.

 

[tvguy]

I hadn't thought about a printer since you can get one for $29, but I guess every penny counts.

The computer was a big issue, desktop, lap top, PC or Mac. The price spread was nearly $1,000.
When DS went away to college in 2005, his college strongly recommended a desk top because they are cheaper and a lot less likely to be stolen. They suggested a netbook for students who wanted to take notes in class since the cost of a desk top and a netbook was less than the laptop.
His college was all PC based. He went with a desk top PC, and later added the netbook.

DD went to a school that had no recommendation. She went with a Mac laptop. More expensive, and suffered a hard drive failure (after warranty of course), but no loss since she religiously backed up data. She is a huge Mac fan, but had access to PC's at school, and even she admits there are a few things she could not do on a Mac.

TV's are another issue, our kids went away with a $75 tube TV with a DVD built in, not a $1,500 flat screen like some kids have.

 

[danygirl]

Trust me they won't print much. Most papers are turned in electronically. Also when we toured many schools mentioned the number of free prints the kids have.

Most big schools have a deal with dell or apple. The prices may not be much lower but on site Mtc is included. So check with the school before buying