The best way to save money on school supplies is to not buy any. Other than books I haven’t needed to purchase anything for law school this semester. I’ve previously posted strategies for saving money on books and using these strategies I was able to get the two books I needed fairly cheap. These books have the added advantage of being great resources for studying for the bar and when I’m finished with them I should be able to sell them for close to my purchase price.
The only other thing I need for school is pen and paper and those are both things I get for free. When I have to print something to turn in I have to pay three cents a page but other than that I won’t be spending any money for school supplies. I’m sure many of you have other school supplies you must have but you should analyze whether you really need them before you make the purchase. This is a cost of education that can most likely be reduced. If I needed a loan I could find out more at studentloans.gov.
Another way that I have reduced my overall spending on schooling is by taking classes online. I won’t spend anything on the classes that I take online, since most of the material is available on the computer. The books that go with the course are mostly unnecessary because most of the information is available through the school‘s online portal. I don’t even need a pen and paper, as I can take notes on my computer while I watch lectures remotely. The fewer supplies I have to purchase before attending class, the more money I will save in the long run.
It is even possible for me to earn my entire degree online, which could help me to cut down on my expenses even further in the near future. In fact, online universities allow me to save on things like fuel and parking, since I don’t have to leave the house to attend class. If I choose to further my education after completing my current degree, I plan on doing it exclusively online because of the cost benefits. Master’s and doctorate programs are quickly becoming more abundant online, giving students who want to work full time while attending school the chance to do so.
The best way to save on tuition is not to pay for that either. If you fail all your classes since you were too cheap to buy the books, then its not worth it. You will just have to pay for another semester of college (which will cost a lot more).
That being said, there are some classes that you don’t really need a book for. Maybe my college just has crummy teachers since I feel like I pretty much teach myself and need the book. Your situation could be different.
If you can keep up your grades w/o your books than more power to you. Otherwise it could be harder to find a job when you graduate (especially in this economy). Sometimes it is more expensive not to buy things.
Maybe you misread my post. I’m not advising not buying books for courses that require them. I’m just advising you make sure you really need them or any other supplies before purchasing them.