Comments on: 10 More Tips for Frugal Scholars

By: Isabel

Isabel — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 02:03:30 +0000

I graduated university in 2006 and things really changed! for me, the most expensive thing to buy was text books. i needed to buy at least one for each papers every six months and they are very expensive (average $150 per book). while you could read them from the library for free, I am a slow reader, so didn’t work for me. so i decided to photocopy a week’s worth of reading and read them throughout the week. It worked out great for me because i could make notes on the side and i could use highlighters as well.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Sat, 25 Apr 2009 00:25:25 +0000

Regarding travel, I would definitely encourage students to consider getting involved with Couchsurfing.com. It's a great way to meet people from all over the world, learn about their communities and avoid spending your trip rotting in a hotel. And not least you can save a LOT of money on accommodations. We've been involved in it for years and it's really changed our world view. As usual, this is a really useful post! Dan Casual Kitchen Daniel’s last blog post..CK Food Links--Friday April 24, 2009

By: bob

bob — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 20:25:25 +0000

These are more general college savings ideas, but I’ll throw in a few electronics related ones as well. As far as sound systems go, most college towns have at least a few local goodwill or Amvets stores. You can get used stereos or boom boxes for sometimes $5-$20. I had an old 70′s stereo that I plugged my CD player into ( they didn’t have ipods back then but you could also use an ipod in the same way).

In regards to computers, unless you’re a graphic design major, I’d recommend an older computer. I actually found mine in the trash when I was in school. It was a black and white Mac classic ( the little guys with a handle). I used it mostly for writing papers. I later bought a used mac that (barely) went online for $25 from a sale that the local hospital was having. If all you’re using it for is surfing online and writing papers, then the lowest grade new computer will work and most of these are pretty cheap these days… as in $450 for a laptop. They generally have Celeron processors which are the slowest processors but will work fine for general computing.

As far as college in general, well first of all the first 2 years of school tends to be somewhat remedial, with a heavy load of math, science, and various English and literary classes. Research your degree first and see what the required curriculum is. If its as I mentioned, consider community college for the first 2 years since they teach almost all of these classes. That will cut down on your costs dramatically.The 2 last years can be spent at either a state school ( cheaper) or a renowned out of states University ( more expensive) I did this exact same thing. So did my brother who graduates next month. The result was that neither of us have any debt.

Here’s some other ideas. If you’re going to a large city, consider either a bicycle or even a small gas scooter. I had an 85′ Honda Elite I paid $300 for. I used it for 2 years. Riding public transportation back in the late 90′s for me was around $2 a day. I seldom used it and used the scooter instead. The result is that I saved over $1,000 in 2 years. The nice thing about the scooter was that I could park it anywhere and also take excursions to the burbs when I was bored.

Man… I can’t believe I’ve been out of college 10 years already…

By: mark

mark — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 17:15:28 +0000

Anyone tried this?

dnafxtrading

By: Bill

Bill — Thu, 23 Apr 2009 11:52:35 +0000

Just like kids travel a lot, they also eat out a lot. Limit restaurant and fast food visits. You'll save a lot...and be a great deal healthier. Bill’s last blog post..Typical College Student Budget: How Do You Compare?

By: Juli

Juli — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 17:14:07 +0000

I just bought a phone for texting (I’m 42), and switched over to AT&T. I’m paying $5/month. While not unlimited, it gives me enough to work with (maybe 200). Combined with roll-over minutes on the cheapest plan they have, I am pretty happy!

By: Elizabeth Shepherd

Elizabeth Shepherd — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:38:38 +0000

Concerning #3 - Protect your Electronics... If you have a Mac I just discovered a great piece of software called Undercover 3.0 When downloaded it creates a unique ID for your Mac and if stolen will track your computer's internet location, take screenshots of the thieves' activities on the computer, takes a pictures of the thieves using iSight, and if all else fails will simulate a system failure encouraging the thieves to take the computer in for service. It's only $49 and they promise to refund your money if they fail to recover your computer or just if you're not satisfied w/ the product. Elizabeth Shepherd’s last blog post..I'm a big girl...

By: DDFD at DivorcedDadFrugalDad.com

DDFD at DivorcedDadFrugalDad.com — Wed, 22 Apr 2009 12:30:13 +0000

These are great tips. There are many expenses on this list that didn't exist when I went to college, and many others that weren't there when I went to graduate school either. They say education is expensive, but not having an education is even more expensive. DDFD at DivorcedDadFrugalDad.com’s last blog post..Ways to Jazz Up a Salad . . .