save money
Here are 10 tips for saving money on your college student:
1. Ignore the little things
Don't stress out about paper, pens, and the small things. Many parents stock up on a ton of these things, and their kids never use them. While your kids may pay more for these things once they get to school, wait until they find out exactly what they want and need.
2. Timing is Everything
Back to school season is one of the largest retail seasons of the year, and stores will offer huge discounts for common products. Find these discounts and you'll save big.
3. Student Discounts
Several stores offer discounts specifically for students. Now that you're kid is a college student, they can capitalize on this. Student discounts are great for computers and electronics.
4. Research Textbook Costs
You can often save 50% or more by buying your textbooks online. Use a price comparison engine to make sure you find the best possible prices - a good one is SwoopThat.com. It integrates directly with your courses and automatically searches the web (Amazon, Half, Abe Books, etc.) to find you the cheapest prices for all your books.
5. Browse Craigslist
You'll find a ton of cheap and great second hand products.
6. Download some sweet iPhone Apps
There are a ton of great apps for college students. Use rate my professor to sign up for good classes, Evernote for easy notes during class, or Pageonce Personal Finance to manage your money.
7. Search Your Cupboards
Odds are, you've already got a lot of what you need somewhere in your house. Take some extra time and go search for it - you'll be shocked with what pops up!
8. Backpack Attack
There are a ton of super expensive backpacks out there....believe it or not, some of them are actually worth it. Several people go for the cheap backpacks - they not only are uncomfortable, but they must be replaced after 1-2 years. Buy a good backpack and it will last you well beyond college.
9. Don't Overspend on Calculators
Several students spend $100+ on a powerful calculator that solves the equations for them. The fact is that your kid is going to school to learn, and they should be solving those equations themselves. Save $50+ dollars by purchasing a regular calculator and force your kids to learn the right way!
10. Don't be "Cool"
You don't need expensive brand names to be cool. Buy a less popular quality brand and you'll feel cool knowing you just saved a ton.
These tips are courtesy of Jonathan Simkin, CEO of SwoopThat! www.swoopthat.com
