<p>Most cafeterias are on an all you can eat while you're in the cafeteria policy, same as cafeteria-style restaurants. I don't really see the harm in grabbing an apple to stick in your bag for a snack later or filling up your water bottle at the fountain, but that's a bit different than taking piles of food, forks, plates, etc. like I've known some people to do. </p>
<p>I think my #1 moneysaver would be to cook all your food from scratch...no eating out, no boxed meals, giant bags of chips, etc. But usually freshmen are on a mandatory meal plan and don't have kitchen access so this really isn't practical....in that case, eat all your meals at the dining hall because it's already been paid for. I also don't drink, which I've heard is a big spending area as well.</p>
<p>I buy and sell all my books on half.com...I look for ones that are good prices but not too beat up, then I make a point to take care of them and resell them for about the same price. I've actually made a profit since I started doing this, but overall I think I've ended up spending about $400 for books, which is $100 per year or $33 per term...not bad. Total cost was about $1400, but a lot of my classes don't have books so I could see where it might end up costing $3,000 over the course of 4 years.</p>
<p>I also know that the library usually has text books on reserve, which means that they can't be taken out of the library, but you can borrow them and read them in the library for a max of 2 hours. I like to be sure I have access all the time so I buy them, but I could have just gone down to the library and borrowed the book for an hour or two each week for about half my classes.</p>
<p>Dude, I know most of my money is spent buying ridiculous textbooks. The best way is to buy them from other students who took the class before. Sometimes my school (UMass) has like special get-togethers for students to sell their books, but an easier way are websites like <a href="http://www.dormitem.com%5B/url%5D">http://www.dormitem.com</a> where you can sell or buy books for free straight to other students.</p>
<p>Thanks everyone! That was really helpful and I'll be sure to keep them in mind next year!</p>
<p>I'm not too keen on stealing from the cafeteria. I've worked pretty hard to get in, it'd be a pity to get kicked out for stealing a loaf of bread or a bushel of apples.</p>
<p>Any other ideas?</p>
<p>And someone posted up something about Sharebuilder?
Can anyone elaborate on that?</p>
<p>Ramen will kill you. Literally.
Monosodium Glutamate.
Learn to Cook. Fast Food, Ramen are new 'innovations' in the span of human history. Before then, humans used to cook and they led relatively healthy lives (even though their life expectancies were shorter). Look at what is happening to the majority of Americans now. </p>
<p>You can save all the money you want in life, but if you DIE from health complications, then what's the point?</p>
<p>Open an Online Savings Account that earns 5.00% APY+ and put whatever you can in there. If you have a decent amount of money, buy blue-cap stocks and hold them for 5 years minimum. Do NOT spend more than 1% of your purchase on commission fees.</p>
<p>just a comment on book costs--I've paid anywhere from $150-$500/semester (the lower end from getting smart and buying them online or not buying them at all).
But my boyfriend, a civil engineering major, can pay anywhere from $400-850/semester (even buying used online), due to the many textbooks and workbooks his classes require.....it sucks</p>
<p>Hey! How do college students cook unless they have an actual kitchen in there? Do you have to like buy the carrots and stuff and put it in your mini fridge, then take it down to the kitchen??</p>
<p>I don't see how realistically a college student can cook the way they did at home! O_o</p>
<p>"^"Before then, humans used to cook and they led relatively healthy lives (even though their life expectancies were shorter)" </p>
<p>that's contradictory"</p>
<p>has anyone ever told you that quantity and quality are not the same thing? sure the overall well-being may have increased due to natural economic growth and health care improvements, but i am talking about things such as heart disease. hopefully you will agree with me that the increase in heart disease (among many other diseases) is correlated strongly to our deterioration in diet.</p>
<p>The good news is a lot of universities are offering apartment style dorms now, so you'll actually have a full kitchen in them. Hopefully you're lucky enough to have that at your school, if not its going to be difficult to cook for yourself.</p>
<p>First of all, congratulations on getting in to Dartmouth!</p>
<p>Here are a few tips from someone else who scrimped her way through an Ivy League school. All of my advice is meant to help you follow the other, more step-by-step advice given to you in magazines and by other posters so far: I've tried to focus on a few things you might not necessarily see coming.</p>
<p>1) Saving money on textbooks is <em>all about planning ahead.</em> The times I've saved money, it's because I picked my classes early and got the syllabi (course schedules) in plenty of time to order everything online. The times I've spent too much money, it's because I really had to have the textbook right away. . . so I had no choice but to run to the campus bookstore and pay full price. The cheapest books are often available on the internet (try <a href="http://www.abebooks.com%5B/url%5D">www.abebooks.com</a> or <a href="http://www.half.com)%5B/url%5D">www.half.com)</a>. If you plan on using reserve books, you still have to plan ahead: if you try to do your homework at the last minute, you may find that someone else has checked out the reserve books, or that the homework is much tougher than you expected, and you will not get done in time. So <em>plan ahead</em>. . . especially about textbooks! </p>
<p>2) Make sure you have a few friends who are in your situation. If all of your friends are very comfortable financially, you will feel awkward about not having new True Religion denim. . . or whatever is hot by the time you hit school. But if some of the people you're spending time with are finding ways to look hot and study well and not spending any money while they do it, you will feel confident and secure while you keep your own expenses trimmed. Does this mean you should avoid having rich friends? Of course not; that's just as ridiculous as avoiding poor friends! No one should be judged by family income. It just means that you should have a few people in your life who are also trying to save money; it will help you keep your perspective and stay sane. </p>
<p>3) This is VERY IMPORTANT. Remember: your education may cost you $30,000-$45,000 a year, including room and board. <em>Never</em> sacrifice your ability to perform academically in order to save money. If you have to spend money in order to maximize your own academic abilities, do it. (Otherwise, you are much better off at a state school.) If you have trouble with this line of reasoning, you shouldn't head off to an Ivy League school. Remember: while you're in school, you will have to invest in yourself and in your studies. You should be smart and avoid unnecessary expense, but you can't nickel-and-dime yourself to death!</p>
<p>I wouldn't worry about having a cache of cash (heh) saved up for books. If you're a keener, you'll just stay up on where to find them and what's the lowest price. You can't wait until the weekend before your first class to buy books and expect to get a bargain.</p>
<p>Do not, not, not, not, not, get a credit card! Get a part-time job if possible (but don't sacrifice school work) Use libraries as much as possible. Use thrift stores for clothes, jackets, shoes. Try selling stuff you don't need anymore on ebay for extra cash. For traveling, try ride-sharing with other people. It might be cheaper than Amtrak or Greyhound. For office supplies, keep an eye on sale circulars at places like Target, Walmart, Office Depot. I don't know how it is now but when I went to school, the campus book store charged outrageous prices for everything!</p>
<p>NO NO NO NO credit cards!!! Cooking for yourself is great, but aren't you required to have the full meal plan freshman year? Some little ways to save money are:
*instead of Starbucks, make your own cup of coffee. Store brands of coffee are just as good.
*you really can find alot of clothes at thrift stores
*check out fastweb.com for a listing of outside scholarships you may qualify for
*urge for a pizza rather than a frightening dining hall casserole? Try cooking a frozen pizza, not quite as good as delivery, but it works.
*stock up on snacks, sodas, etc. from Target, wal-mart, etc., much cheaper than vending machines
*look for a someone from your area that has a car at school. Often if you pitch in for gas, you can get a ride home. Cheaper than any airline! More fun too!
*Even if you did not qualify for financial aid, you may be able to get a work/study that can help out!
*Your family will probably want to help you out with things you need, so for Christmas,birthday, etc. make a list of things you are really needing so you can save your cash for school
*ENJOY DARTMOUTH !!!!</p>
<p>I wouldn't entirely forego the idea of getitng a credit card. There are so many different plans out there...you could get one and be responsible with it. You could try one where your parents set the spending limit. Look into it BEFORE doing away with the idea.</p>
<p>
[quote]
*instead of Starbucks, make your own cup of coffee. Store brands of coffee are just as good.
[/quote]
Coffee IS NOT coffee. Starbucks is superior to the store stuff, so at least buy starbucks at like Wal-Mart or something for a ground bag for like 5-6 bucks and that will save you money all while allowing you a robust, bold coffee :)</p>
<p>In general you will spend lots of money in college. Its unavoidable, but you can help it in some way. For example, Try to get big plans.. Instead of buying a Metro pass everyday, buy the week pass... You will probably need to buy plenty of books, which are require lots of money. Instead, try to fotocopy as much as you can or check out the books from the library.... Small things make a big difference</p>