Beware Of This Unnecessary College Expense
July 17, 2018We are quickly approaching that time of year when thousands of college students head off to school and the joys of communal living in dorms across the country. Perhaps you’ve noticed all the store fliers for big box stores that are filled with colorful images of hip looking dorm rooms.
It can be easy to go overboard when helping your child prepare for their first time away from home, but I’m here to remind you that college is expensive enough (I know, newsflash), and adding thousands of dollars in dorm shopping is really just adding insult to injury after tuition and books.
7 tips to minimize expenses when setting up a dorm room
Be careful where you shop
Shopping at high-end stores or your favorite store (where you love everything they make) is a bad idea. Does your young scholar really need a $250 bedding set? Assuming you don’t have extra bedding laying around your house that they can use, stores like Marshalls and TJ Maxx sell comfortable bedding sets for as low as $40-$60 dollars. If your young adult was like me in college, the bed will never get made anyway unless a parent visit is expected, so save your money.
You may also find deals online at sites like Overstock and Amazon.
Make a list and have a budget
Having a list will keep you focused while shopping and help you avoid buying things you don’t really need (trust me, your daughter doesn’t really need a faux-fur throw rug). There are a lot of lists online to use as a guide if you are not sure what you need for college, and your child’s university probably also has a list of necessary items.
Setting a budget of total spending ahead of time will also help you to resist those impulse purchases, although you may want to give a little bit of wiggle room for one or two things.
Check in with any roommates
Coordinate with any roommates to avoid having two microwaves or mini fridges. This is also an opportunity to discuss what items you think you need and what you can live without.
Look around your home for supplies
Before investing in color-coordinated folders, notebooks and pens, check around your home office and basement. A lot of people find they have leftover folders, notebooks, and pens/pencils at home from the high school years. Plus, your kid may not even need this stuff like you did in college – many students just use their laptop for notes.
You may even have things like coffee makers, clothes hampers, shower caddies and other goodies that can save you some money in supplies. That stuff adds up!
Take advantage of sales and coupons
Many retailers offer good sales and coupons this time of year for college stuff. Keep in mind though that those sales are often just ways for them to get you in the door so you can splurge on other stuff as well. Again, stick to your list and wait for those sales and coupons to save some money on the items you plan to buy anyway.
Talk to other people in college and use hand-me-downs
If you have older kids or friends with kids already in college, talk to them about what things they really needed and what things they took, but didn’t use. You may find you don’t need to buy that microwave or small TV after all.
They may also have some items they don’t need any more that they can give you or sell to you on the cheap.
Know the dimensions of the room
Knowing how much space you have is key before buying furniture for your room, if any. There are creative ways to save space like having elevated bed frames built – but make sure you are not buying furniture that doesn’t fit in the room.
The bottom line is that having the hippest, best-decorated room on campus is not going to be what helps your child excel in college, so be reasonable about what’s really needed, versus what just feels like a need. Going off to college is an exciting time for students and parents. Hopefully these hacks will help you prepare your child for a happy dorm life and save some money in the process!