College is expensive. So we here at Slickster are here to give you a heads up on how to save money in college. This way you’ll be able to budget for and avoid fees, or at least minimize them.

Hidden Fees in College

We all know about tuition rates, room & board, student loans, etc. But what a lot of people don’t realize are they hidden fees in college. The kind of expenses that sort of sneak up on you.It could be something like a matriculation fee, or an “activity fee”. These are fees that go into things like paying for all the clubs on campus. There’s not much to stop these fees from happening unfortunately. But if you’re looking into college, ask them about the other fees. Because the will try to slip them past you.

Books

The absolute bane of any student’s existence. Those damn textbooks. Paying for books in college can be one of the most painful parts of your next four years. After I graduated high school, I got money from my friends and family. (Thanks guys!) And 90% of it wound up going to books. Why? Because I bought books at the university bookstore. Never buy your books at the college bookstore! The markup on these things are ridiculous. See if your books are available on half.com, rent your books with Amazon, check eBay. But never buy them at the bookstore.

Another good way to save on books? Buy the previous Edition. In my public speaking class I had a book that was on its 11th Edition. I used the 8th Edition. All the information was the same it was just laid out slightly differently. I was able to study just as easily as my classmates. Because the truth is, nine times out of ten, nothing changes when they publish a new addition. All that happens is they are paying professors to use their new book. And that cost comes back to you. The difference between buying the newest addition at the College bookstore and getting the 8th Edition used is monumental. The example I just gave you wound up saving me about $200 just for one book. The newest version was about $230. I bought it for $25 and change.

Food

Ah, food. That thing I need to consume in order to not die. College is weird, sometimes you wind up forgetting to eat because you’re so busy. Don’t do that. Make sure you’re eating, but make sure that you’re eating right. A common issue with college students that we always want something quick and easy. And because many of us have no idea what we’re doing, that means McDonalds. Or Pizza Hut. Or Chipotle. It’s fine to go out every now and then but do yourself a favor: Don’t always go out to eat and go to the grocery store.

You can save a huge amount of money just by going to the store and having food ready. Things like macaroni and cheese, rice with beans, shredded chicken and vegetables are all meals that have saved me plenty of money down the line. There are plenty of websites where you’ll find quick and easy meals that you can make in your dorm room.

Computers

Truth be told, I’m a bit of a technophile. I love having the latest computers, games, and technology. But that doesn’t mean I don’t know how to save money on computers. If you got to have a laptop, you probably don’t need to have the newest laptop. Buy a refurbished or used laptop online or at the local computer store. If you don’t need a laptop but still want a computer, build your own. It’s a lot less scary than you think, and there are plenty of guides online.

Another great way to save is on software. Instead of buy Microsoft Office, use LibreOffice. Even with the student price for Microsoft Office, it doesn’t save money in the long run. You only get it for four years with the $80 “student price”, and then it’s back to a yearly fee. LibreOffice is an open source version of Microsoft Office and comes with its own versions of PowerPoint, Word, Excel, Access, and Visio. The layout takes a little bit of getting used to, but it’s a huge savings down the road. And you can save it in Microsoft compatible formats. So you can actually take your work over to Microsoft Office at the library computers, and back to your computer on LibreOffice.

Budgeting

This one’s really simple but it needs to be said for the people in the back. Make a budget and keep it! In college there’s so many things you want to do, things to buy, and so much alcohol to drink. If you’re going to listen to anything from this article it’s this: Do everything in moderation, and don’t exceed your budget. If you want to go out with your friends, that’s fine. But don’t go crazy with the spending. This is your first taste of adulthood. So you need to act like an adult. At least a little bit.