Channel 2’s Consumer Advisor Clark Howard warns that creating a picture-perfect dorm room can come with a hefty price tag.
Howard said after sending three of his own kids to college, he found ways to save more every year. He said you can save money while still making the space feel like home.
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“There are so many things out there that can cost a lot of money. I am trying to find financially better ways to pay for and decorate my room,” said Bekah De Leon, a college freshman working multiple summer jobs to help pay for her dorm supplies.
Bekah is teaming up with her mother, Cheri De Leon, to find affordable ways to decorate her dorm room.
They are leveraging online deals and sharing their needs with friends and family, which has resulted in receiving some items for free.
“We’ve actually had people go, ‘Oh, I have that.’ And a friend dropped some drawers off for us last week,” Cheri said.
Bekah told Channel 2 thrifting is another option to find cheap items. She is working with her roommates, making a list of necessary supplies, which helps in dividing costs and reducing individual expenses.
Websites like Dormify and Amazon offer features to create and share lists with roommates, making it easier to coordinate purchases.
Lara Becker and Jessica Brown, who run website The Dorm Guide and a popular Facebook group, advise students to focus on practical, reusable, and quality items. They say retailers are trying to capitalize on dorms right now.
Their Facebook group has over 125,000 followers. They test dorm items, in a mock dorm room in their home, to provide useful advice. They also stress the importance of planning for the end of the school year to avoid waste.
“How you’re going to get those things home or how you going to donate them or sell by the time you leave are some great ways to be able to recycle and reuse,” said Brown.
That’s something Bekah keeps in mind when shopping and acknowledges the social pressure to buy certain items seen online but advises finding what truly works for your needs.
The mom and daughter team believe it’s OK to get what you want sometimes.
“You may have your heart set on something, and maybe that’s ultimately the one thing you treat yourself to, but then you balance it with the other things that may not have been your first choice,” said Cheri De Leon.
Howard says look for Facebook groups dedicated to your specific campus.
“Just make sure it’s the real page and not someone trying to scam you,” he said.
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