How You Can Save On College Expenses
We already know that college education is expensive.
Here are six things you can do to cut down on your college expenses this coming fall:
1. Think about online education
Not everyone can go to a brick-and-mortar school these days. There are many online options that can give you quality education you are looking for. You not only get to save on tuition costs, online education also allows you to cut down on, if not totally get rid of, money spent on gas, parking, clothing and food. You also don't need to worry about getting to school on time since almost everything can be done in the comforts of your very own home.
2. Hunt for Scholarships
Consider applying for loans only as a last resort. The first thing to do is to search for grants and scholarships. These don't have to be paid back! Many will also have provisions for books and living expenses. And not all scholarships are reserved for the straight-A student. If you do your homework right, you should be able to find many non-academic scholarships as well.
3. Buy Textbooks Online
You can save as much as $100 per book if you buy your textbook online. There is the shipping time to think about, since most online book stores will take about five to fifteen business days to get books you need delivered. But if you can find out next semester's books and start buying them online now, that's about $400 you get to save each semester!
4. Rent Textbooks
If it's a book you won't need to use after one semester, you are better off just renting it. Go online, look for the book you need, and pay only about a quarter of what the book will cost if you bought rather than rent it. Just make sure you are able to return the book in as good a condition as when you first rented it.
5. Buy Used Goods
If you are looking for furniture, a second-hand computer or a bag, walk around late in the summer and look for used stuff that's still in almost mint condition. Many students who are graduating would rather get rid of extra stuff they had than haul it all back home. Go on craigslist and look for yard sales, garage sales or moving out sales.
6. Use Your I.D. Card
Many establishments like coffee shops and restaurants offer discounts to students in the area. These discounts can easily go up to about 20% and when added up together may mean savings of as much as $200 each semester on food, school supplies, clothes and even entertainment.
Jul152010