ATLANTA — Creating a dream dorm room could create a nightmare for college students’ budgets.
Channel 2 Consumer Adviser Clark Howard put three kids through college and says you can shop for dorm room essentials while keeping your spending plan in check.
“The costs can get out of control in a hurry, but there are things you can do when setting up a dorm that will save you a ton,” Howard said.
At the end of the spring semester, Channel 2 spoke with students about dorm room budgets.
Christian Aycock is a junior at Georgia State University. His advice to upcoming freshman, “Just be aware of your surroundings and try to stick to the budget. Try to maintain your expenses because it got me my first year.”
Sophomore Allison Hoffmann said she brought some items she had at home to save money. “Decoration was very stressful because I wanted to get my room to look cute, but I didn’t want to spend too much money,” Hoffmann said.
Shopping your home first can be the biggest key to savings, helping you check off your list with items you already have. And you can find even more savings by asking family and friends if they have any unwanted items they’d be willing to sell or let you borrow.
For Jackson Barry, a rising freshman attending Georgia College and State University this fall, the cost caught him off-guard. “I didn’t think about buying a vacuum and a rug and a duster and like a broom, all these things,” Barry said.
Those supplies can add up quickly, sending a shock to your wallet. Luckily for him, his mom was ahead of the game.
“I like to plan and save as much as I can,” Misty Barry said. “I want to stay as close to a budget as I can and not purchase everything at one time.”
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Howard says looking for deals throughout the year can be a huge help, spreading out your expenses and allowing time to find savings.
If you’re short on time, Facebook Marketplace and thrift stores can be a good place to find lightly used items, and some major retailers offer student discounts (Student Discounts | Free and Exclusive discount codes | UNiDAYS).
And there are even online platforms like The Dorm Guide (The Dorm Guide | Dorm Room Essentials and College Life Tips) that find deals, test them out, and focus on items that will last.
“Make sure it feels authentic, so you’re not buying stuff out of consumerism,” Hoffmann said.
Once the year is over, you can save even more money by making a plan to move out before the deadline. This will help you avoid rushing to get rid of items that could have been donated or sold.
Howard advises making sure you aren’t just throwing away items that others can use.
“Many colleges now have programs where you can donate items that you don’t need anymore to new college kids coming in to save them money. This is great. See if there’s a program like this where you’re going to school,” Howard said.
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