Comment from Carol M
Time: December 31, 2009, 10:04 am

Some good general concepts to help college kids battle debt, and live with little. While it’s been a long time since I was first in college, here are some tips:
-each Summer before heading off to college, go thru your clothes, what is the MINIMUM that you NEED, based on how often you launder? Do you NEED to buy more? Can you make do with what you have? If you do need something, stick to solid colored, basics that can be layered for multi seasonal use. Parents/friends ask what you want for bday/Xmas? ask for clothes or a G/C to get your own. No exaggeration, I bought only underwear and socks as an undergrad. Did I receive some new pieces or new to me pieces those first 4 years (Later went to Grad school), yes I did. After Grad school, I received hand me down business attire (the style then as a teacher, luckily we are much more casual now), and I bought a purse and a pair of black pumps to start me off
-avoid vending machines. Instead, buy your own snacks for late night study sessions (tea/cocoa/juices/soda,crackers, p butter etc), use cpns when you do, shop discount stores for basics such as shampoo, soap, etc
-many dorms have a kitchenette available for students. A take and bake fzn or fresh pizza is certainly cheaper than paying the local delivery pizza joint which is going to charge top prices and a delivery charge for sub par pizza. Get some microwave popcorn and a 2 L of soda, invite some friends over
-if using a meal plan (usually required of dorm students) ask about a sack lunch on days that you will be off campus/traveling. This was a little known secret at my undergrad school. While sack lunches were available for student teachers, by asking I learned that if I was going to be off campus for work/traveling back home, I was entitled to a bag lunch. How else would I have eaten my dinner if I was stuck on a train/bus for many hours? It included a can of soda, freshly prepared sandwich, a piece of fruit. Worked well for me.
-school supplies. No need to run out and repeatedly buy this stuff. Invest in a light weight vinyl 3 ring binder over a spiral (they tend to be cheaper and filler paper goes on sale 3/$1 pften in Aug). Get pencils over mechanicals, name brand 10 packs of pens from the $ store (I like Bic crystal pens). Also, check what kids leave behind at the end of every semester. Personal care supplies (shampoo in a bottle, notebooks, furniture, etc) Tear out the old notes, you have a perfectly serviceable notebook. Think outside of the box.
-Before hitting the local Walmart/Target the minute you hit campus, make a short list of what you NEED for college. Ask older cousins if they still have the xlong bed sheets before heading out to buy some. DD is soon approaching college and she will be offered some older sheets and towels to take with here. If anything happens to them (yes stuff gets stolen), not a major issue.
-live off campus? check Freecycle/Craigslist, ask relatives/friends, shop second hand for furnishings. Clearanced flat sheets offer a ton of material for decorating. I recall some being used as wall coverings in an older, rental home w/ cracked plaster. Looked really nice. Quick sew matching curtains, pillow covers for a couch, etc.
-of living off campus and responsible for your own meals, plan your meals, include adequate protein. Buy a second hand crock pot, breadmaker. Dinner is ready when you get home from classes and you can cook cheaper meats (chuck roast) and tenderize it. Read blogs such as this one, to get tips on how to feed oneself on the cheap
-buy used books. Amazon and half.com are great resources. Find out who’s currently taking the course and will they sell the book to you next Semester. Can you check literature books out from the library instead of buying them? Brown bag lunch to take to compus vs buying lunch at the commuter cafe. You can still meet friends and eat there. Pack some tea bags in your backpack. Most cafeterias have hot water available for free, bring your own mug/carafe. You can also tote instant oatmeal packets, instant soup packets. Inquire about commuter student discount meal tickets, we had this program when I was an undergrad. Pretty reasonable, but more $ than bringing from home.
-laundry can be expensive. Back in ’81 I paid 50 cents/wash and
50 cents/dryer. I am sure it’s at least double that! When I was really broke, I hand washed in the bathroom, and hung up to dry. I know that it takes 2 days for jeans to dry. Even if I used the washer, I had a foldable drying rack, which I placed in front of the huge radiator in my dorm room, which dried clothes w/i 1 day. I also hung up a clothes line in my room, to pinch pennies. Use your towels more than one day, wear “bottoms”-jeans/skirts more than once before laundering.
-traveling home? can you carpool with someone? is a train cheaper than a bus? (in my case it was) Can you get a ride from someone to the train/bus depot instead of taking a cab?

Comment from Paula Wethington
Time: December 31, 2009, 10:26 am

My daughter’s college offers the sack lunch option too. IDK if she used the service last fall – one of her classes was at another campus so she was an ideal candidate for it. But I do remember the sack lunch has to be ordered in advance.

If students aim to be frugal with routine expenses such as school supplies, parking passes, laundry and food, it will be a lot easier to find the cash for more memorable activities such as football tickets and weekend road trips.