Unexpected ways to save a little money in college ?

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THis is a great thread.

At my son's future college, all the parents on the Parent Facebook page talk about Uber.  When we visited for orientation I was really confused because you can get around the entire campus on free shuttle busses, and you can walk anywhere on campus and you can walk to a Target and CVS which are literally on the edge of campus, and on the rare occasion you'd need to go truly off campus (maybe specialist doctor, or Walmart trip or shopping somewhere for clothes other than Target), you can take the same bus system for 1.75 round trip!  So, why in the world would you uber around all the time? Or taxi for that matter, they're both rarely necessary and definitely a luxury.

I've also talked to my son about eating out.  He is very tempted by the pizza place downtown, but at 12.00 for a gluten free pizza, that is a lot more expensive than his Meal Plan which is only about 2.75 per meal (and already paid for.) so he will definitely need to say "no" sometimes when other kids with more money are heading downtown to eat out.  🙂

Another idea I had, is to make my son pay for his own textbooks.  This will give him incentive to find good deals, shop around, and RETURN the rentals on time! 🙂

[elegantlion]

If you children live off campus, try to scrutinize the financial costs of the apartment carefully. I rented an apartment last year that paid all utilities but electric and Internet. The complex also offered a less than 12 month lease for only $25 more per month. Their off street parking was free and their deposit was $250 instead of the normal one month's rent. Move in costs were lower than other complexes and so were the monthly expenses. Having to deal with only two utilities saved time as well. I would encourage students to watch for those hidden fees, like parking fees or high application fees, or utilities that may not be paid. 

Also, make sure they are evaluating food plans each semester or year. At my undergraduate institution, students can order food to spend the rest of their "flex" dollars. Some students end up with hundreds of dollars left over, which they up spending on overpriced snacks and drinks just to not lose the money. Seriously, they set up the orders in the food court every semester and it looks like a warehouse. 

 

[katilac]

On 6/18/2019 at 6:12 PM, Sebastian (a lady) said:

I was reading a thread elsewhere about college for students with disabilities.  Folks were discussing accommodations that involved having a note taker in class.  Evidently students can sign up with the college to be a person who provides notes to those who need them.  Some colleges pay outright, others used gift cards or free coffees.  

One of my dds' schools doesn't pay anything, or at least the professor and the student who needed the service were unaware that they did. 

On 6/20/2019 at 8:00 PM, Calming Tea said:

 that is a lot more expensive than his Meal Plan which is only about 2.75 per meal (and already paid for.)  

Goodness, that's a cheap meal plan!! 

[Sebastian (a lady)]

1 hour ago, katilac said:

One of my dds' schools doesn't pay anything, or at least the professor and the student who needed the service were unaware that they did. 

Every school would run its own system. That was actually one of the points made in the other discussion, that finding how the disabilities office advertised and rewarded note takers ws an indication of how students with disabilities were supported. 

Some mentioned gift cards. Others mentioned free coffee (which could add up to a lot of money saved).

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On 6/27/2019 at 7:48 AM, katilac said:

One of my dds' schools doesn't pay anything, or at least the professor and the student who needed the service were unaware that they did. 

Goodness, that's a cheap meal plan!! 

 

That should have been typed 5.25 per meal!! 

[G5052]

4 hours ago, Calming Tea said:

 

That should have been typed 5.25 per meal!! 

 

That's more like it. It's a little more than $6 for lunch at the college mine attend. That's still not bad, all things considered. It's an expensive major metropolitan area, and the cafeterias are all-you-can-eat.

[cintinative]

A friend of mine's daughter attended Miami University in Ohio, but she enrolled via Miami University Hamiltion (their branch campus). As long as she took two classes a year at the branch campus, she could take the rest at the regular university and live off campus there. There is a free shuttle between the campuses so when she needed to get to a class in Hamilton she took the shuttle. The tuition was lower and she was not required to live on campus which saved a ton of money (she got an apartment).