As college students, we have spent our life savings on not only tuition, but also all the “benefits” that come with the education. Things like the books and the websites that couple with classes. Even though we apply for scholarships and other helping hands to hopefully lessen the weight of our loans, it does not cover the books. As someone who has recently spent thousands of dollars on books and websites alone, for this semester only, I have three life hacks I’ve found work for me. By introducing you to them, I hope to help you do college on a budget.
Amazon student
I’ve been at college for a few months now, so I know a thing or two! I have learned quite a couple of things about whether to buy and rent books from the book store or another retailer. This first hack was mentioned to me by an older student. There are many benefits that come with going to amazon for our necessities, you don’t even have to sign up for the student portion. However, when you sign up for an Amazon Prime Student account you get kindle unlimited, free delivery, music and shows. This comes with a discount from the normal membership. Additionally, Amazon tends to be cheaper when renting books and easier to deal with as far as returning the books. My advice is using a kindle or the kindle app for text books, this will lessen the cost by a lot.
The Truth about websites
My semesters have involved paying a truckload for websites and “unlimited” access. Here are some real truths about the websites you are paying for. First, you are told by the list of “required” materials that in order to buy the access code you need to buy the book too. Stop, this is a lie. Access codes can be purchased on the bookstore website and it does not require a book to be purchase also. You also have an option to buy the access code directly from the manufacturer’s website. Second, if you are a eBook girly like me, before you buy that heavy book, just be aware that most websites already come with the eBook, no extra cost. Save your money, and buy the website first. If the book is not included, then proceed to buy the book. Lastly, if you buy the year long access code, I recommend keeping the code in a google doc. Many of my friends have thrown theirs away and ended up having to pay more than necessary. They will ask for the access code again in the second semester, trust me.
too many notebooks?
I know from first hand, just how satisfying color coding your notebooks with your classes can be. But on a budget? Not a good idea. My recommendation is to buy a 5 star, 5 subject spiral notebook. Not only does it lessen the heavy weight on your back, but it condenses the notebooks to one. Making it easier to find and more affordable. No folder, no problem, this notebook also comes with pockets on the inside for easy, quick storage. Trust me, take advantage of this notebook to limit buying more than you need.
As a second semester freshman, I’ve learned a lot about how much college really costs and how it can add up. We already pay a lot for our tuition. So, why sacrifice more to buy textbooks, websites and notebooks? You could always try college on a budget!