If you choose to dorm your first year at college, it can be quite expensive and overwhelming. It's basically moving into an apartment where you'll need all your own things. Fortunately, once you buy it all as a freshman, you don't have to buy it again. Luckily there are so many ways to keep it relatively cheap. It might be tedious, but take the time to compare prices from different stores to save the most money. Take advantage of coupons and student discounts.
1. Amazon Prime
As a college student, you get an Amazon Prime account for free for six months and then 50 percent off once your free trial is up. Amazon has all your college needs and the Prime account comes with free two-day shipping! If you're unsure about buying something, wait until the first two weeks of college to see if you really need it or not. If you do end up needing it, no worries, you can get it shipped to your dorm in two days.
2. Bed Bath & Beyond Coupons
They send out 20 percent off coupons to my email literally once a day so take advantage of them! They have anything for college; bedding, kitchen items, bath, furniture, organization, decor, electronics, and laundry. They will even ship anything you buy to a location near your college.
3. Student Discounts
Many companies offer a student discount. Apple and Best Buy offer them for electronics. Many clothing stores offer discounts as well. My personal favorite is Spotify's student discount. Here is a list of 101 Student Discounts.
4. Buy Used Appliances from Older Students
Whether the older students are moving off campus or graduating, they won't need a mini-fridge or microwave anymore. You can get many appliances for cheap by buying them used. I was able to get my fridge with freezer, microwave and Keurig for very cheap.
5. Split Costs With Roommates
You certainly don't need two fridges when you have a roommate. Coordinate beforehand who is bringing what so you don't end up with doubles! You only need one rug, fridge, microwave, Keurig, etc.
6. Don't Buy Textbooks Right Away
I cannot stress this enough. Do not buy your textbooks until you see your professor's syllabus or talk to your professor about if you really need the book or not. Most of the time you won't actually need the textbooks to pass the class. If you do need the textbook, sometimes you can save money by getting an older version. Also I personally prefer renting my textbooks rather than buying them because then you have to deal with reselling them rather than just returning the rental. Do what Tessa did and compare prices on different websites to find the cheapest option. Most of the time your college bookstore prices are too high, so take a look at Amazon, Chegg, Book Renter, etc.
Good luck to all of you moving in this week or in the upcoming weeks!
