How do we pick a meal plan? Any recommendations?
How often do your kids do laundry? (for budget purpose)
How much money for spending money on/off campus? (Highly subjective but any ideas on how to narrow it down)
When do you start dorm shopping? Do you find it’s cheaper to wait until August?
How many sheets/ towels ? Did you buy too many or too little?
To bring a car or not? thoughts?
I know much of this is self choice but if you don’t mind sharing I would be forever grateful. Thank you.
At many colleges, the cost of the laundry facilities is built in to the cost. All you need to do is send detergent, etc. I sent my son up with Pods and a box of Bounce sheets. He brought more pods back after winter and spring breaks. My kids do laundry once a week or so.
Many schools have a specific meal plan which new freshmen are required to purchase. At my D’s school, that plan lasted for the full year. At S17’s school. we were able to change this semester. He fell the required plan was too much so he downgraded to a less expensive plan. If you have an option, read through them and decide what serves the best. I personally think that the unlimited all-you-can eat are best for freshmen because they have no worries about running out of dollars or points and can use the time to eat around and figure out what they want to change to the next year.
Cars are subjective also. My D’s school didn’t allow freshmen to have cars, S17’s does. Neither has a car. Both found enough friends with cars locally that they didn’t need one.
I sent three sets of bedding with each kids with one comforter. I think I sent 4 towels with each. I shopped at sales when I saw them, but got most of the stuff at Costco and Bed, Bath and Beyond.
How do we pick a meal plan? Any recommendations? We went with the plan with the most meals to start with. One of our kids cut back (can’t remember if it was a year or a semester later), the other kept the same plan all the way through.
How often do your kids do laundry? (for budget purpose) - Ha. When they ran out of clothes. As someone said above, it was different for different college regarding cost and how they paid. Often there is some kind of account you or they put money into, and then they swipe instead of paying cash. One of my kid’s dorms decided to use some discretionary money they had to make laundry free in their dorm. So it varies.
How much money for spending money on/off campus? (Highly subjective but any ideas on how to narrow it down) - Our family made our kids responsible for their own spending money. It varies a lot – a kid at a college with a lot of other wealthy kids in a city with a lot of shopping and dining options could spend a lot. But our kids supplied their own spending and book money. It made them a lot more frugal than they would have been if I’d just given it to them, I think. Both worked the summer before starting college and had graduation money gifts as well. One worked a few hours a week while in college, the other worked for money only in summers.
When do you start dorm shopping? Do you find it’s cheaper to wait until August? - Bedding gets picked over. You need to see if the college requires XL sheets. Also, if they are going away to school, there are logistics for bulky stuff like bedding to talk about. But if they are close to home, I’d say start looking for bedding in the May-June timeframe.
How many sheets/ towels ? Did you buy too many or too little? - My kids had 2 sets of sheets and 1 towel.
To bring a car or not? thoughts? - Many colleges don’t let frosh have cars on campus. Parking can be expensive. I can’t think of hardly any colleges where a car is necessary. Plus, other students then always want rides (airport, drug store, etc), which can be hard to say no to. Neither of my kids had a car at all in college. Remember that many colleges have Zip cars or Uber available, and there are usually campus buses as well. Frosh are usually living in dorms, so pretty close to campus.
My older student took 2 sets of sheets but only used one - it worked out fine since they were washed and then immediately put back on the bed. I would suggest a foam pad to make the bed more comfortable, but do not buy too much stuff. Freshman rooms are usually really small!
One thing I did which worked out well was to print out a sheet of address mailing labels with the name and college dorm address (Avery brand, size 1x2 5/8") which we stuck on the back/bottom of everything. My student kept the remaining labels and used as needed.
We did the highest meal plan for the first year.
One set of sheets. Two sets of towels plus one for swimming.
I think they do laundry every couple of weeks? I sent a bottle of detergent and it lasted all year.
We bought a memory foam mattress at Costco. That’s a favorite.
We do some stuff for birthday and Christmas and some as we’re getting closer.
Neither of my current students had a car on campus until junior year second semester we let the one who is an RA bring our “teen” car up. Neither school would have allowed it freshman year.
ETA: Spending money varies. Our one DD works on campus and has all three years. She really doesn’t need supplements from us. The one who’s an RA doesn’t get “paid” but we get a big break on room and board so we give her spending money–usually about $250 or so a month. They also have an emergency credit card, but we expect that to be less than $100 a month unless it’s been cleared with us.
Two sets of sheets but one would work. Two towels. 4 shorts, 2 pants, one suit, $100 per month on debit card. Limit the stuff, they will be too busy to keep it clean. Less stuff actually gives more free time. We did the all you can eat. The cost difference was very limited to know if they are hungry they can eat. Not every college has free laundry. My sons does my daughters will not. It can be expensive the cost varied with the school. Don’t buy extra chairs ie the “string chair” unless you know for sure they can have it. It was sent home move in day. Same with fridges and appliances. Each school has their own rules.
How far from home are you going and is your student a boy or a girl? My daughter needed more than my son and we ordered a bunch on line and picked it up in Indiana to limit what we had to take in the car.
I love the idea of ordering things online and picking them up at the college, but don’t want any of us to have to deal with the hassle of washing them at the dorm before using them that first day.
@milee30 We brought the bedding and towels. Bought all the other junk (cleaning supplies, fans, fridge etc) on line and just picked it up. She went to school 12 hours away and we weren’t doing a UHAUL. We took what we could fit in the Highlander
@birdie3 my daughter spent a lot of time on Pinterest making lots of lists and gathering ideas of what she needed (like twinkle lights!) We started shopping once the list was finalized and after dividing it into what she was picking up at home and what she was getting at school. She did not have a car freshman year but brought one out as a sophomore for student teaching. Freshman year she got the meal plan with 3 meals a day. By sophomore year, she had a better handle on the timing of meals and her class schedule, so she changed it up to get 2 meals a day and dining dollars to use at various other places around campus. She used money from her summer jobs for discretionary spending but we would give her money for things like a warmer coat and books. We also gave her a credit card (authorized signer on one of ours) for her gas and emergencies (which sometimes included a Taco Bell run :). She had a couple of towel sets and a couple of sheet sets. Amazon Prime became a necessity.
D18 will be going 1000 miles away but in the same city where her sister lives. I’ve started picking up small items-foam pad, zipped mattress and pillow cover, etc. we will take by car this summer to DD’s house. She trying to wait to pick certain things until she has a roommate and can coordinate items/colors.
When DD (now 24), was in school, kids were required to have a bedbug mattress cover. I don’t know if that’s still an issue but since D18 has allergies and asthma, I bought one for her.
Laundry is free at DD’s school. We will get 2 sets of bath towels, 2 beach towels, 1 set of sheets.
We picked the unlimited meal plan for the first semester. There was not a big price difference and I didn’t want her to have to deal with figuring out time limits or keeping track of # meals per week. She’s really picky so we need her to eat and she’ll choose to just not eat instead of asking questions if she feels awkward. I figure we can reduce the plan in future semesters if she knows her routine better.
No car because her brother will be using it for his senior HS year. She’s in a walkable city with free bus service. Her sis did not have a car 1st year either. I wanted them to learn the area by foot before adding driving in a new location into the mix.
We cover food, books, school. She will be working PT for spending money. She has some savings to get her started.
“Bought all the other junk (cleaning supplies, fans, fridge etc) on line and just picked it up. She went to school 12 hours away and we weren’t doing a UHAUL. We took what we could fit in the Highlander”
Although he’s going to college 1200 miles away, we’re just flying up there. Was going to drive him up in my honking huge SUV, but the prices on Southwest were so insanely low that it made more sense to fly. Probably for the best. If he had a fridge it would soon look like a science experiment. And there’s no reason to waste money on cleaning supplies he’s not going to use. So I’ll ship up some prewashed sheets and hope that at some point he finds himself a nice nerdy significant other who convinces him that cleanliness is a good thing. Sigh.
I started early, really early. When my oldest was a junior in high school I came across the post back to school Target clearance. I found towels dirt cheap and bought a bunch. As each one packed for school they hit the bag. Each took 2-3 sets of towels. Also 2 sets of sheets, so one set in the wash and the other set on the bed. I hit a lot of back to school clearance but my kids didn’t care if all of the towels matched or if everything was color coordinated. I ended up spending less than half of what a lot of people would spend. Also living in a college town, if things were not purchased early there would be very little left by the end of July.
Speaking of towels, I would suggest purchasing something a little unique: two-tone, striped or other pattern, etc. as it makes it a lot easier for them to keep track of and identify their towels!
Most girls tend to overpack and are big into decorating their space. If you want a laugh, read the “ceramic pineapple” thread on this site. A CC classic.
My kid picked out everything at Bed Bath and Beyond in late June or early July, then we picked it up in her college town the day before move in day. 2 sets of sheets and towels, although I’m not sure she ever used the second set, just washed and re-used. Don’t get everything on the suggested lists - there just isn’t room in most dorm rooms. Look for a combo of dining hall meals and dining dollars that can be used elsewhere on campus; they get tired of eating every meal in the cafeteria. But don’t plan on a freshman doing a lot of cooking in the dorm. No car the first two years - not really needed and parking is hard to find and expensive.
Many schools have a plan you have to use if in the dorm (or have two options one with extra dining dollars.) once they are in an apartment with a kitchen, you can drop down but it can still be handy to have a minimal plan that allows for a campus lunch or dinner on a late night. Some plans have dining dollars that can be used at campus coffee shops and markets and that’s really handy.
Eldest had free laundry machines. No idea how often she did laundry but be warned, clothing theft happens in even elite, wealthy schools. Don’t leave your laundry!
My kids don’t/won’t have cars at school. Too expensive for us and all the way across the country. We only offered cars if they went to local college and lived home for a year. Eldest has done fine without.
My kids pay for their books (largely used or rented through amazon,) incidentals and entertainment. Eldest worked in the summer (or paid internships) and keeps a small campus job to supplement. She typically spends the weekly earnings and about a grand of her savings over the year. Middle is planning on doing the same.
Since the kids are/will be going far away, it’s just easier to buy stuff at move in. The only things we bought prior were wardrobe related. Eldest spent about 400 on bedding and dorm items (out of graduation money.) I suspect son will spend less.
My daughter took WAY too many clothes and she’s not even a fashion hound. She ended up dumping a lot of it over the 4 years. Son will probably not take enough lol. I warned the kids to factor in some potential clothes shopping into budget since they went/are going to climates where you don’t wear shorts and t-shirts all year long. Get two sets of goals and sheets. Highly reccomend investing in a mattress topper. We got just the foam top for daughter and I think it was largely useless. Will spring for the memory foam for son.
