Back-to-School Savings

The Back-to-School season typically means increased traffic and big bucks for retailers. However, this year the economy is lagging and consumers (especially college students) are doing everything they can to stretch each and every dollar. For example, according to a recent study by consulting firm, Deloitte, 70% of back-to-school shoppers in Illinois plan to buy lower-priced items than they did a year ago. A recent study conducted by the National Retail Federation* predicts the following trends in back to school spending among college students:

"While students will still allocate the largest portion of their budget to electronics, spending will fall to $211.89 per person from $258.43 last year. Spending on clothing ($134.40 vs. $149.85 last year) and dorm furnishings ($90.90 vs. $109.85 last year) will also drop, while spending on shoes will remain flat ($58.46 vs. $59.90 last year). Only one category—school supplies—will experience a notable increase, from $63.52 last year to $68.47 this year. Spending on collegiate gear, a new category, will average $35.26 per person."

They also expect these trends to hit over-priced college campus bookstores the hardest with "only 41.8 percent of students planning to buy from those stores, a sharp decrease from 57.2 percent last year." This is obviously great news for the discounters like Wal-mart and Family Dollar who are likely to draw even greater flocks, but what does this mean for the online retailers?

Our generation is very internet-savvy and well aware of the potential savings and convenience of shopping online. Online retailers want some of this price-sensitive traffic so you'd better believe they're going to have their share of discounts although finding some may take a bit of digging.

Here's a sneaky little tip for finding the best discounts on Amazon. By adding a tiny piece of code (like this: "&pct-off=70-") to their search results urls you can easily and quickly narrow down items discounted by a certain percent or more. Our example would limit search results to items discounted 70% or more! Use the links below to jump right to discounts on the stuff you need.

Office & School Supplies: 10% Off 20% Off 30% Off 50% Off 70% Off 90% Off
Cell Phones: 10% Off 20% Off 30% Off 50% Off 70% Off 90% Off
Computers: 10% Off 20% Off 30% Off 50% Off 70% Off 90% Off
Laptop Notebooks: 10% Off 20% Off 30% Off 50% Off 70% Off 90% Off
DVDs: 10% Off 20% Off 30% Off 50% Off 70% Off 90% Off
Electronics: 10% Off 20% Off 30% Off 50% Off 70% Off 90% Off
Study Snacks: 10% Off 20% Off 30% Off 50% Off 70% Off 90% Off
Kitchen Appliances: 10% Off 20% Off 30% Off 50% Off 70% Off 90% Off
Dorm Decor: 10% Off 20% Off 30% Off 50% Off 70% Off 90% Off

*About the Survey
The NRF 2008 Back to School and Back to College Consumer Intentions and Actions Surveys were designed to gauge consumer behavior and shopping trends related to back to school spending and back to college spending. The surveys were conducted for NRF by BIGresearch. The poll of 8,361 consumers was conducted from July 1 -8, 2008. The consumer polls have a margin of error of plus or minus 1.0 percent. - NRF.com

The War on Textbook Prices

If there's one thing this blog stands firmly against, it's buying overpriced textbooks. The rising cost of textbooks is a problem every student has to deal with however some deal with it by simply putting up with this rip-off, and others are clever enough to deal with it by working around it. Before you give away your life savings at the cash register of your campus bookstore this semester, try the following:

• Read this article on JoblessNCollege.com to get a solid understanding of how and why you're being ripped off and learn why it's better to buy online.

• Buy Online. It's most convenient to have your own copy of the textbook so you can study as much and as often as you need to without having to depend on others. You might also wish to hold on to the book for future reference. If this is the case, shop online for cheaper used textbooks at sites like Amazon, Half.com, Textbookx.com, or BetterWorld. You'll save time by knowing the ISBN numbers of your books before you begin searching.
  

• Borrow or Buy from an Upperclassmen. Use your network. Ask you friends to ask their friends to see if anyone has taken this class and would be willing to lend or sell you their book. If this is a book for a major class, rent it from someone now, and buy your own copy a year later after another newer version has come out and the price for the version you used is reduced to a fraction of what it originally sold for.

• Scan copies. For the truly thrifty college student, you could always buy or borrow the book just long enough to scan copies of the chapters you need and return it afterwards.

• Share with a classmate. This strategy certainly has its limitations, especially when it comes time for an exam. If you have a good friend who will be taking the class along with you you why not go half on the expense and share the book. It's a good idea to decide beforehand who will keep it afterwards.

Hopefully one or perhaps a combination of these strategies will help you fight rising textbook prices. When you're done with your books remember the poor kids coming behind you. Sell your books via Facebook, posting flyers on campus, or listing them on sites like Amazon and Textbookx.com.

Money Saving Student Discounts

It's a known fact that college students typically struggle with finances. Fortunately there are many companies that recognize our struggle and offer us a helping hand every now and then. With this post I hope to shed light on a few really great money saving opportunities.

StudentAdvantage - For $22.50 you can get one of their cards that gets you student discounts on just about anything. Shop places like Target, Barnes & Noble, FootLocker, and Office Depot, and save on things like food, movies, shoes, school supplies, and cell phones. Right now their prices range from $22.50 for a one year registration to $52.50 for 4 years. The price is fair considering the savings potential. The biggest problem is probably remembering to use the thing. I've had one for four years and I can only remember using it about 4 times. Mostly for Amtrak tickets. Otherwise, when used regularly, it can be a great investment. The card can easily pay for itself during your back-to-school shopping alone. See all of the discounts they offer here. If you do decide to get the card I suggest printing the list for reference.

StudentUniverse - This travel site offers discounted airfare to college students traveling in or outside of the US and allows you to compare prices between airlines. They negotiate prices sort of like Priceline or Travelocity. You can book flights, hotels, and rental cars all from the same site and at a student discount rate. They also have guides to overseas destinations like Paris, Rome, London, and Mumbai. You can also check with individual airlines themselves as many of them offer some type of student discount.