If you have read some of my recent articles on the needs of a college student, such as Stationary and School Supplies You Will Need College , or Telephone Options for the College Student you know there are a lot of things that need to be purchased. With that said, there are also a lot of items you may think you have to buy, but you actually do not. Chances are, you can do without these items, or you already own it.
New Bedding: Yes, you do need all of the items I mentioned in Bedding Needs for Your College Student b ut they don’t have to be brand new and in the latest colors. Raid the linen closet for sheets and an assortment of lightweight blankets. Use your current bed set from your bed. Revive your pillows by washing and drying them. Get your mother or grandmother to make you a personalized quilt (provided you give them enough time). You will still need a mattress pad and protector, but you will have cut your costs exponentially.
Printer: As previously mentioned in Electronics for the College Student you don’t need a printer for college. Most colleges allow you to print your papers for free. Plus you will have to purchase ink regularly, not only for yourself, but very likely for your roommates too. Instead of buying a printer, keep a jump drive for your printing needs and plan ahead to allow ample time to print your assignments.
Laptop: If your college does not require a laptop it is because they have plenty of computers on hand. Chances are, you already have a laptop you’ve been using for a while anyway, so just get it upgraded and your files cleaned up. Save the laptop purchase for those Black Friday sales the day after Thanksgiving.
Alarm clock: I noticed that every back to school list had an alarm clock on it. This is not necessary. Every cell phone and iPod has an alarm. Use it. You may want to get a dock, but a recharger will do you just fine.
New Clothes: Yes, I know I wrote a full list of clothing items you need for college in Wardrobe Needs for the Female College Student and Wardrobe Needs for the Male College Student . However, they do not have to be new. Unless you’ve been walking around naked for the last few years, you probably have 75% of the items on the list. Don’t buy all new stuff. No one you’ll meet at college has ever seen you in anything you have worn before. It’s all new to them. By the way, don’t bring all your clothes. There isn’t enough room for them. Bring enough to last you two weeks, and swap them out whenever you visit home. It will be like shopping for new clothes every time you visit your parents. Only you will mostly be shopping in your closet.
Car: The only students who may need a car for college are the ones commuting from the comfort of their childhood bedroom. It seems like a fair trade. Save tons of money by commuting to college from home- get a reliable car. If you are living on campus though, you can walk anywhere you need to go, and if you can’t the college will provide a shuttle bus.
Best meal plan: You don’t need the all you can eat meal plan. It might sound like a good idea, but chances are, you will get sick of the food pretty quickly. At most, you will need 2 meals a day, plus a stash of breakfast bars, Ramen soup, and breakfast cereal in your dorm room. Be sure to compare meal plan prices, because in some colleges, the all you can eat plan is most economical, even if you are not going to eat it. But if you can get by cheaper, then by all means, do.
Futon: It’s a good idea, it really is. However, it is big, and cumbersome and having one will most likely force you to loft your bed in order to make space for it. Plus they start at $100.00. Unless you have been offered a free one, it’s not worth the expense. Instead, purchase large sofa pillows for your bed to arrange it like a sofa. If you need a place for guests to sleep, offer them a sleeping bag.
Land line phone: You’ll never have a need for it if you have a cell phone, unless your college campus has bad cell phone reception. Then your mom will want you to have a land line for her personal phone calls to you.