Back to School Savings Tips

Heading to college this fall? Summer may have just started but it is never too early to think about back to school savings. I didn’t dorm during my college days, but I tried to take advantage of the enticing back to school sales by making my room at home look like a dorm. Now is the time to save on many things for your home including bedding, décor, office supplies, and more. There are many ways to cut back on your school bill, and now’s the time to save money if you’re heading back to school this fall season!

These tips can be helpful for the back to school season:

• Keep big box stores and dollar stores in mind: Walmart, Target, Sam’s Club, Costco, and other big box stores are often the places to find some of the best deals, especially when shopping in bulk. Keep an eye on these store’s ads as well. There may be some coupons available. 
• Start early: Don’t let your wallet take a big hit at once! Spread out your spending and start ahead of time.
• You don’t need to buy a printer: just about every college campus has printers and usually the cost to print is already allocated in your tuition. Many professors don’t even require printed copies, you can usually email them the assignments.
• Have you considered refurbished? Factory refurbished computers, tablets, and smartphones often perform as well as new ones do, and cost far less than buying new.
• Buy in bulk: buy pens, notebooks, and pencils in bulk. This can last you through your college career, or you can split the cost and supplies with friends.
• Rent your textbooks: I made the mistake my freshman year of college. I went into the campus bookstore and bought every book that I (thought) I needed. Total added up to over $500. I learned quickly that there was an easier, more cost effective way to do this. Amazon, Chegg, and Ebay offer options on textbook rentals. The cost of return shipping is usually paid for by these sites as well. Electronic copies are also a more cost efficient option.

Do some research and avoid impulse spending. Your wallet will thank you!