Whether we want to admit it or not, it’s back to school season. That means that parents and students alike are all gearing up to spend a ton of money gearing up for class with laptops, school supplies, clothing, and accessories. Here’s how to save where you can and keep the cash in your wallet.




10. Shop the Best Back to School Sales and Deals


The first, and perhaps the most obvious, tip is to make sure that you’re shopping back to school sales for the things you need. Make use of your state’s tax-free back to school shopping days, even if many states are doing away with them. Head online and check out back to school sales at Amazon or BestBuy, or stop into a Microsoft or Apple store if you’re planning on buying tech. And of course, make sure you know what to buy now and what to wait on.

Also, like any sale, keep an eye out for retailers that artificially inflate prices in order to cut them and proclaim “huge discounts!” during the back to school sales boom.




9. Steer Clear of Tempting Student Credit or Loan Offers


This one’s for the new students—especially new college students. As soon as you set foot on campus, you’ll likely be bombarded with offers for credit cards, often at deceptively low starting interest rates, or with all sorts of perks (free t-shirts! Amazon gift cards!) Don’t fall for it—while credit cards are a tool that can be used wisely for your benefit, college is one of the worst times to open them, and the cards aimed at students are generally some of the worst too.


Being fresh out of college and on your own for the first time, that purchasing power is tempting, but resist. You can get better deals without those cards, and without the sword of debt hanging over your head. Then, once you’re settled in and ready to actually build your credit, you can do your homework and get a card that works for you and matches your priorities, instead of whatever your classmate is getting minimum wage to shill to you at a folding table for a t-shirt.


8. Buy Your Basics Online


What counts as your “basics” will differ from student to student, and whether you’re starting a new year in high school versus your first year in college, but in almost every case it makes sense to at least shop around online for those basics. Not only can you have them shipped right to you and avoid a trip to the store, you also have the freedom to price compare, price match with brick and mortar retailers, and only jump when you see something you need that’s exceptionally affordable. Plus, at least window shopping online can get you those discounted online prices in local brick-and-mortar stores, if you want them.


Either way, it’s likely that some of those basics, like shoes, toiletries, some clothing items, and even tech like computer peripherals, storage, and other accessories, are going to be cheaper online than they ever would be in a retail store, whether they’re on sale or not. Of course, before you buy, consider the added costs of tax and shipping.


7. Skip the Unitaskers and Invest In Multi-Purpose Gear


This is a tenet of small-space living, but even moreso when you live in a dorm and have even less space (and you have to share it with other people, then move all your stuff in and out potentially every year for four years,) but avoid unitasking furniture or other equipment whenever possible. Trade out the chairs and stools for ottomans and seating with built-in storage. Skip the set-top box and the game console and just grab a console that can stream everything you want. Skip an individual hot plate and a teapot for an electric kettle. Invest in a slow cooker. You know the drill.


6. Look for Bundles on the Stuff You Want


Speaking of buying multi-taskers, consider shopping bundled deals if you’re buying more than one related item. This is more common when it comes to tech than anywhere else, but that’s also where you can save the most. For example, Microsoft almost always offers steep discounts on an Xbox console if you buy a Windows laptop (as do retailers like Best Buy and Dell,) and Apple will usually give you a break on an iPad, headphones, or other peripherals if you buy a Macbook or another Apple device for school. Even Google has been known to offer a break on a Nexus phone or peripherals if you pick up a Chromebook or tablet (even though they’re not at the moment.)

If you’re thinking about buying a new laptop but would also love a tablet or a new phone, or if you’re buying a laptop and would love a console to stream movies or relax when you come back to your room after class, bundles are the way to go.


5. Check University Surplus Stores


If you’re living off campus, or just want to save a bunch of cash on often-great but slightly-used items, check your University surplus store. If you’ve never heard of them, or didn’t know your school had one, no one could blame you—they’re not exactly on the brochure when you apply. Usually they’re open only to students, staff, and faculty, and offer steep discounts on everything from furniture like desks and filing cabinets to used technology like displays, printers, and sometimes, old-but-still-useful laptops, speakers, and other peripherals. Whether you’re looking for some added storage, or you’re moving off campus and need a desk and want something a little better than IKEA, they’re worth a look—and they’re usually really cheap by comparison.


4. Head Just Off Campus


Some of the best bargains to be had are waiting for you just off campus. In many college towns, the businesses around your school know they have to compete fiercely for your business, and everyone from clothing stores to thrift stores to off-campus unofficial bookstores are happy to offer you competitive prices to anything you might find on campus or in your student bookstore.


At my alma mater, we had a campus bookstore, but everyone knew the best prices for textbooks and printed course materials were available at the print shop and unofficial bookstore literally across the street from the campus gates. They had better deals on clothes and supplies than the campus bookstore did, too, as did a number of stores up and down the retail “strip” just off campus. Explore, don’t be shy!


3. Use Your Student Discounts Whenever Possible


Retailers worldwide offer students discounts just for, well, being a student. Don’t pass them up! They’re especially useful for back to school shopping, and for picking up all the stuff you’ll need for that first year away from home if you’re just starting college, including things like food, books, even discounts on your bills and regular expenses.


If you’re buying technology, like laptops, tablets, phones, and software, your discounts can save you some serious dough there too.




2. Use Free Software, or Check with Your University IT Department for Discounts


Speaking of saving money on tech and apps, before you buy software at all, make a call or visit to your campus’ IT department. Most schools have student licensing programs where they sell super-affordable copies of productivity software like Microsoft Office, programming tools like Visual Studio, or even design apps and subscriptions like Adobe CS Live. Bonus, almost every university has a VPN you can use for free, and they hand out antivirus software for free (and have their own servers to keep it updated.) Definitely check out what’s available to you before you spend anything, and then only spend to fill in the gaps.


1. Save Money on Textbooks by Buying Used or Renting Them


One of your biggest, and sadly mandatory, money sinks whether you’re going away to college, studying at home, or any year in between, will be textbooks. You probably know already that you should buy used whenever possible, and only buy new if you think you’re going to keep the book as reference for years through your college career. Similarly, whatever books you buy, keep them in good condition so you can trade them in after the semester is over and get the most possible money back for them.


Beyond that, don’t stick with your college bookstore. Sure, they may be the most convenient, but plenty of online stores like Chegg and Bigwords are also happy to sell you used copies and pay you for them at the end of the term. In many cases, you can even rent your textbooks instead of buying them outright, which can also save you money. Make sure to compare prices before you buy anything, and check with your professor to see if the fifth edition is okay if the syllabus asks for the sixth edition of the same book. Oh, and don’t forget your campus (and local) library. You may be able to get that book for free.


Illustration by Fruzsina Kuhari. Additional photos by Michael Mandiberg , Sean MacEntee , Stephen Woods , seretide , Oregon State University , Julian Partridge , Maura Monahan , Chris Betcher , and m01229 .

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