As I'm typing this post, many college kids have started classes-or on the verge of beginning the school year in the coming weeks. For my alma mater, Indiana University, the first day of class begins today. As a college alum, I have seen the good deals and not so good deals. This post takes a look on some of the top 10 items your student will need to make their years of college a great one for them (and your wallet)...
10-SUBSCRIPTION SERVICES
This can be anything from Office 360 to music streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music. Spotify and Apple Music have special pricing for students starting at $4.99 rather than the usual $9.99 individual price. There is also special student pricing for Office 360 and Dropbox. You can also utilize the college bookstore and see if any additional discounts are applicable.
9-TABLETS
Believe it or not, more and more students are switching from laptops to tablets like the iPad Pro and Microsoft Surface. The key is compatibility. Try to look for a tablet that is going to be accessible to professors syllabuses. For a personal preference, a tablet that'll open files on Safari or Firefox will be your best bet. Google Chrome is also a safe bet, but I wouldn't trust Internet Explorer that much. If you are also gonna go big with the tablet screen, then a laptop isn't worth needing.
8-ACCESSORIES
Of course, we can't skip out on accessories for any electronic devices. One accessory that I am loving currently is my Zagg keyboard for my iPad Air 2. My fat fingers are perfect for typing on my iPad rather than using my stylus or my fingers getting dirty. Amazon has great pricing right now for iPhone cases. Here's a quick tip, try not to overspend on iPhone cases or screen protectors, if you are planning to upgrade to iPhone 7...which is due out on shelves reportedly onSeptember 23. Another store that I enjoy checking out is Brookstone. Rather than spending an arm and a leg for a Beats Pill for the dorm, check out their Big Blue wireless speakers. I purchased mine for $40 bucks during a sale that they had.
7-LAPTOPS/CHROMEBOOKS
For the first time college student, a laptop will probably be a must for all the notes and essays that will be typed over the year. While products like Dell, Apple and HP are all plus, really ask your student what all they would do with a laptop. Perhaps a Chromebook would be the best solution. They are small, easy to carry and is perfect for storing Word files and pics. I'm not including music on this list given the fact that streaming music services is what's in.
6-EXTERNAL HARD DRIVES
As a journalist, a recurring nightmare that I had as a student was an error occurring on my MacBook Pro and everything would be gone. All my pics, my music and my video pieces. Hence why investing in an external hard drive is key. Again, the theme is compatible and typically, a 1TB or 2TB is best. Since Best Buy is having their anniversary sale going on as I type this, their deals are sweet right now. Seagate external hard drives are very good as well. Also check out Western Digital (WD) external hard drives. Pricing starts as low as $60 bucks.
5-CALCULATORS
Believe it or not, calculators are a top item! I know that we have calculators on our smart phones and tablets, but it does defeat the purpose when phones aren't allowed come test time. Office Depot has a Casio graphing calculator starting at $45. You can even find some cheaper at Target for $40. This is where I would ask the professor if there is any special calculators one might need for algebra class. This is where research is very crucial before spending hundreds of dollars for a calculator that could make or break your bank.
4-BACKPACKS
This is another item of important research. For me, I look for a backpack that is going to sustain me for 4 years. Therefore, I love the backpacks that have the padding on the back that makes carrying your books, laptops and other items with ease without stressing out your back. One tip that helped me was asking my doctor/chiropractor about any recommendations he had for me. The bookbag that carried me through was a women's Jester backpack from the North Face. For $65, I had great support for my back after carrying 15 pounds of books and 4 pound MacBook Pro. Although, with many schools going all tech friendly, a sturdy messenger bag would be the case.
3-HEADPHONES
Of course, one needs some entertainment while walking from class to class! Or perhaps some music to listen to while studying. I am still in love with my Beats Wireless headphones that I got for free. How? Apple is having their yearly free Beats headphones if you buy a laptop or free PowerBeats if purchasing an iPad. Gotta love receiving free Beats! But what if you don't need a laptop or tablet? A lot of cell phone companies are offering their accessories (like headphones) as a part of their payment plans. Take T-Mobile. If you qualify, then basically, rather than paying $300 all at once, you can pay the headphones as a part of an installment payment plan. Other companies will have you pay say $140 and then break the remaining price to your plan.
2-SOFTWARE
Software is huge for any college student, and rather than spending hundreds of dollars on compatible software, look no forward than your local college bookstore! When attending IU, there is a service called IUWare in which I was able to download Microsoft Office for Mac, and other software for free. If your school doesn't have a program like IUWare, they can also provide software for as low as $10. Better than spending upwards to $300 for a software program.
1-FLASH DRIVES
Finally, the top item on a college student's tech guide are the small flash storage drives that are found on keychains across college campuses in America. You don't wanna spend an arm and a leg for this item either, as forwarding word processing files to your campus email works as well. However, if you are purchasing these small lifesavers, make sure the flash drives has a 3.0 speed so that transferring files are quick and painless. I was able to get a 16gb 3.0 flash drive for under $10 at stores like Best Buy and online.
Again, the key is to not break your wallet and spending $60 for a small item.
Hopefully, with these tips, your wallet (or mobile wallet) will thank you for not spending over your back to school budget.
