Small ways to save at school
June 15, 2012
Sometimes, it seems like there isn't enough financial aid in the world to make college affordable. The good news is that according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans who attended college have higher salaries than those who did not - in 2011, a high school graduate on average earned $638 a week while a college graduate with a bachelor's degree earned $1,053 a week. The bad news is that before you can start earning that cash, you have to plan for the cost of college.
For those who have already tried finding grants for parents and scholarships in their field and still need to save, here are some helpful tips:
Rent your books
Bookstores often run out of cheaper used copies of texts quickly, so it's usually less expensive to buy or rent books online or from a friend who took the course last semester. If you happen to have books someone else may need, you can sell them and make a few extra dollars.
Bring your own food
If you take any classes on-campus, bring your own snack or lunch, even if it makes you feel like you're back in the third grade. Inexpensive school cafeterias are often closed during late-in-the-day continuing education courses, meaning you'll need to spend money on food off-campus if you get hungry.
Walk wherever you can
To save money on gas, walk whenever possible, and when you can't, try to take public transportation or carpool with a friend - and then you can remind your friend of the money you saved her the next time you walk past the bakery. The high cost of transportation is also a good reason to consider online courses.
Skip the printer
Your computer is already expensive enough without its companion printer. So before you purchase a printer, check your school's printing policy - most universities offer a certain amount of free printing for students.
Use what you have
Buying new school supplies for every online course adds up quickly, so before you embark on a shopping spree for notebooks and binders, check if you kept any materials from your last class. Look around the house to see what supplies you - or your kids - already have. You'd be surprised how cool that glow-in-the-dark Mystery Machine folder is at night school. And it's even cooler because it left you extra money for next semester.
