Welcome Back Gators!!
First and foremost I would like to congratulate those who graduated, those who are commencing their journey here at state, and those who are halfway there.
Cheers to you!
Now let’s get to business. We are all on the same boat when it comes to back to school shopping, we have to buy books, utensils, clothes, room decorations and everything in between. So… What is the best way to manage our money in order to get more for our buck?
Books
Many of you have already waited in long lines at the bookstore to spend hundreds on books that you need for class but what if you don’t use them? There many ways to find out if you will need a book for class.
First, check the syllabus.
Some teachers will write “recommended” or “suggested” next to the list of books that are needed but do not be fooled. These words are like kisses to your wallet. If its suggested then what will mostly happen is that your professor will teach you what you need to know about the text so you do not necessarily need to buy the book.
Secondly, talk to students who took the class before.
If your friend took the class before you did then ask if its necessary to buy the text. It saves you from wasting money and wasting precious time.
Lastly, check if there are different forums of the book you need.
Most of the time the books you need can be found as online versions which means they are cheaper than buying the hard copy. Once you are online browsing go ahead and compare prices on great websites like Amazon, Chegg and Ebay.
Room Decor
Are you living on campus? Are you renting an apartment (park merced perhaps)? Or maybe you are commuting from home. Which ever the case, you may want to make the place your own but that may cost more than you hope. There are many ways you can touch up your rooms without breaking the bank.
-You can visit your local thrift shops! A lot of thrift shops receive vanities that may be perfect for you.
-DIY all the way girl! Get some paint and frame your creativity. P.S .. or you be on the look out for future projects here on HerCampus.com (;
Clothes, clothes, clothes
Now onto, my favorite topic, clothes. I am 100% in favor for buying clothes but my wallet might just hate me for that so I’ve adopted a few new ways to shop.
One is called the Bye Bye and Hellooo Method. You get rid of some of your unused clothing to make room for new goodies.
Another is always hit the sales. There is no harm in browsing the sales rack. Who knows maybe your next fav. top is in that rack.
My last tip is online shopping. I’ve always been skeptical of buying things online because I know that what you see on a screen can differ from what you see once it’s at your door steps. Luckily there are some tools that you can use to buy clothes online.(More on this next week)
A lot of stores are found online which means that you can shop in your PJ’s. Go ahead girl there is no judging here. Most of these websites offer free shipping on orders $49 and above but lets be honest if you go to the mall you can be spending the same with muni and bus rides. Although if you have time to go to the mall and walk around then swerve! If you have limited time then online shopping is perfect for you.
Wishing you all an unforgettable semester!
Until next week,
xo Jess.