There is no need to break the bank in the process of sending your student back to college at the end of summer. With a little forethought, there are many ways to cut back on expenses.

Rent Texts Whenever Possible
Within the last couple of years, a number of college text rental options have opened up on the Internet. These services rent most texts that are required for the major universities for a fraction of their retail or even used costs. Most are willing to order texts if they can’t be found in their catalogs.

Buy Personal Items in Bulk
College students go through an abundance of toiletry items during the course of a term. Shopping for certain items in bulk will ensure that your student will stay supplied for the entire term and save money in the process. Items such as extra toothpaste, hair products, deodorant, shaving supplies, toilet paper and other things can be found in bulk quantities at warehouse-type discount stores.

Layer the Linens
Most dorms require students to provide their own linens. Two sets of extra-long, all-cotton sheets and pillowcases should be enough for the bed. If the student winters in a cold climate, make one set flannel. A light blanket and a heavier bedspread or comforter that allows for layering is the best way to stay warm on cold winter nights without having to buy expensive wool blankets.

Eat on the Cheap
Send your college student back to campus with an ample supply of dried and instant foods such as ramen noodles that do not require refrigeration. When students spend their food money on just a few fresh fruits and vegetables each day to go with the dried or instant foods, they will end up saving hundreds of dollars per semester.

Avoid Fancy Coffee Houses
If your student is a coffee drinker, providing him or her with an electric coffee pot can also save a lot of money. Fancy coffee house drinks can run between $2.50 and $3.50 per day. That adds up to around $280 per semester or $560 per year!

Use Prepaid Cell Phones
Provide college students with prepaid cell phones to avoid expensive overage charges on minutes and text messages.

Shop for Student Specials on Computers
It is hard to get by without a computer in college. However, many stores offer student specials in the form of discounted computers. Begin with your college’s bookstore or computer lab. They usually keep tabs on these types of resources.

Lower Your Recreation and Entertainment Costs
Most colleges and universities offer a plethora of free entertainment. Urge your student to take advantage of these events when possible. Also, rather than paying for a cable subscription for television or to go to the movie, they can rent movies or watch many television programs online.

Take Public Transportation
Public transportation is the way to go for college students. Forget about the upkeep and gas expenses of having a car on campus. Public transportation is cheaper, safe, and better for the environment.

Seek Out Student Discounts
Many college towns offer student discounts for an array of services. Students should inquire at restaurants, fitness centers, and so forth to take advantage of student discounts whenever possible.

With a few changes to their daily routine, college students can save hundreds of even thousands per year!

The new school year is rapidly approaching, and shopping for school supplies is one of the largest expenses that you will face when preparing for the new school year. Here are some tips to help you stretch your budget for back to school supplies.

Buy in Bulk
The easiest way to save money is to buy in bulk when possible. There are certain things that your child will always need in order to go back to school regardless of his or her current year of schooling. Some of the things that you can purchase in bulk include pencils, notebooks, folders, printer paper, staples, paper clips, etc. These are items that will never go bad, so why not purchase bulk quantities of these items and just store them until next year? Keep in mind that this might not make sense for some products that have a shorter shelf life. It wouldn’t be a good idea to buy pens and batteries for calculators in bulk to be stored for over a year or two. Over time, these products will no longer be usable.

Delay Your Shopping
There always is a chance that the teacher will change the requirements for students once classes begin. Therefore, by delaying shopping for supplies you can avoid purchasing items that students will not need or cannot use in school. The back to school sales in stores are usually ongoing through the first month of school so that you don’t have to worry about missing out on these sales if you don’t shop early. In fact, often, once school is in session, many stores have extra inventory they need to clear out and may offer an even deeper discount than at the beginning of the school year.

Skip the Decorations
Many school supplies are decorated with designs for kids with popular fictional characters or different fun colors. If you will look closely, these decorated items usually cost more than the non-decorative versions of the same quality. Also, the non-decorative items are more likely to come in bulk as described above. While it can be hard to say no, unless your child has their heart set on the decorative items, try to go the cheaper route.

Use Coupons
You can cut the cost of discounted school supplies even more by combining sales with coupons. A Staples coupon code combined with a sale can result in substantial savings. Stock up when you can get items cheaply so you won’t have to pay full price at a later time.

Go for Needs Versus Wants
When shopping for these items, try to keep in mind what a child needs for school compared to what they want. While we all want to give our children everything they want, sometimes our bank accounts just don’t allow it. Try to give each student a budget for their supplies before shopping as a way to reduce the amount spent on “wants” instead of needs. The only hard part will be saying no to your kids when they find something over their budget that they “absolutely have to have.”

With some careful planning, it is not difficult to save money while shopping for back to school items. Simply follow these tips, and your child will be well equipped for school on a small budget.