Happy Friday: Couponing for College
Sent from reader, Daniel:
I’m 17 years old and a senior in high school. I started couponing a while back, and I’ve learned to be more responsible with money and how to make a dollar stretch. I know college tuition and books will cost a fortune, so I’ve been planning ahead.
For the past few years, I have been slowly accumulating school supplies to use when I’m in college. Pens, pencils, folders, post-its, notebooks, you name it. I make an effort to donate half of the supplies I collect every year, while stashing the other half in my “For college” pile. Why spend $4 for a Five Star notebook at the school bookstore when I will be able to use the same notebook I got on sale for $0.50? I plan to continue couponing in college as well. My future college roommates won’t have to eat ramen noodles every night, we can eat the delicious and healthy food I’ll get for a good price with my coupons and frugal ways. And if any of them ever run out of school supplies, they can just dip into my stockpile.
HAPPY FRIDAY! 😀
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Way to go, Daniel! Keep on saving and giving! 🙂
Way to go, Daniel! You’re going to go far in this life, my frugal friend …
Thats awesome Daniel wtg!
Good for you! I wish I had known all that when I was in high school……..we could have saved literally THOUSANDS of dollars, debt and student loans……you always think those kinds of things “don’t matter” when you’re young!
Smart idea, wish I started in high school! Love your school supply stock pile!
OUTSTANDING DANIEL! Best wishes on all of your academic endeavors.
Yes!!!! You are awesome!! Keep up the good work 🙂
Daniel, I am impressed. I love couponing and shopping the sales. I have also created a small stockpile of.school supplies that I will send with my daughter to college next year. Good luck to you in your college career!!!
Very smart! I wish I would have started couponing back in high school. Would have saved me a lot of headaches!
Awesome Daniel!!!!! Very very smart and generous!! You are way ahead of the game!! That’s so awesome!!! Best wishes in college and all your future endeavors! Such an inspiring story!
Super super choice! Best to you as you go forward in school!
Starting young will definitely make it a long standing habit. I find myself stockpiling school supplies and I am able to donate backpacks(find on the cheap) to local charities during their school drives.
Yay for learning fiscal responsibility at such a “young”age! Best of luck and keep it up 🙂
Very smart. Do it now while you have time, because you DEFINITELY won’t have time when college starts. I’m on my third year and I don’t have time to do anything until christmas break, spring break, or summer break.
So smart I wish my kids thought this way. I tell my oldest whn he moves out hes going to need to learn to coupon. He says its not worth it to save >75 cents. He doesnt get it how much money I really save.
Not only money conscience but generous! Congrats on your planning ahead!
That is so awesome!! I love it, Daniel! Thanks for sharing! 🙂
Awesome job Daniel!!! Stockpiling school supplies is something I’ve yet to do, but you’ve inspired me to do so for this coming school year! Good luck at college 🙂
Wow, what an outstanding job, Daniel! I have taught hundreds of high school students and none have been as “worldly” as you! I hope your friends take notice of your frugal ways and do the same. It will save them so much money. A fabulous job!
Thanks for sharing! I wish I had learned to coupon as a student. I didn’t learn about couponing until AFTER I had graduated. I definitely could have saved a bunch especially on notebooks, pens, etc. It’s truly amazing! Keep it up. 🙂
I actually did that too. I still have some of my notebooks and folders and highlighters. I had a huge tub and now it’s dwindling finally but it helped me and my boyfriend now!
It’s so awesome to see other young person living a frugal lifestyle! I’ve been couponing since I was 18 and am so glad I did! I don’t think I could ever spend money the way I see some of my friends buying things left and right and then always being broke. Best wishes to you and your journey through college!
I am a college student as well, and I can’t find the words to express how much money couponing has saved me, both on my school supplies and the things I need for myself! I am able to pass along the savings to my friends who are in college too. 🙂
So awesome! Best of luck!
That is so awesome that you have learned to and also pay it forward. Ilove it
Daniel, I appreciate you wanting to save money on school supplies, but, all of the college students that I know (and, I live in Boston) have very fast laptops and tablets for their classes. Gone are the days of note taking with a pen or pencil when it is faster to type. Also, text books come as ebooks now, so you don’t even need colored highlighters because you can use the software program’s highlighters and bookmarks, or even copy and paste the text into Word or another word processing program. You will need a good printer, printer ink, and good paper for any reports you write, however, some colleges/professors even allow you to email your reports to them (one of the reasons is to check for plagiarism).
Stop buying notebooks and highlighters, and give away what you have stockpiled to low income after school programs. Save your money for a fast laptop and a good tablet.
I just graduated in May and used countless notebooks, pens and pencils…I took lots of notes. Homework…
Really? Thats so negative! Daniel, don’t stop! Not everyone can have high tech gadgets and your willingness to help others is great!
I think it depends on one’s own personal style. I finished my PhD 2 years ago and I have always preferred sitting in class with a notebook rather than a computer. I also prefer paper textbooks over ebooks, when that is possible (I am now a college professor at an online university, and we use a mix of paper-based and ebooks). A computer is absolutely necessary for college at this point, I agree, but pens, notebooks, and sticky notes will always have their place as well.
I am still in school and use normal school supplies daily. There are still normal textbooks and in class tests. Writing notes is so much better to learn by. Plus you cant really take math notes on a computer effctively.
My daughter graduated this year from Michigan State with a Special Ed degree. She DEFINATELY used notebooks, highlighters, pens, pencils, post-its, etc. Almost NONE of her books/workbooks were available as ebooks. So keep up the good work Daniel!!!
I agree with Katrina, Tiffany and SLS…especially for math/physics/engineering classes. Typing equations takes way longer than actually writing it down. And the notebooks get used up really fast when you’re taking several classes a quarter/semester!
Always always a negative Nelly =/ keep going Daniel! Lots of people didn’t know how to be frugal when they were as young as you, and more are in lots of debt/and or broke. This will take you far in life in more ways than you know. Keep on going you are awesome! I your stockpile of supplies.
I agree with the ladies above too–technology has its place but so do the standard supplies!
My husband is a professor at Cal, and he himself still uses notebooks and pens and his students absolutely still do as well.
And as far as textbooks, they do not all come as e-books — not by a long shot, particularly not in specialised fields where the professors make their own readers rather than using normal textbooks.
I asked my husband what his thoughts we on the comment above, as he is a professor and grad student. He said “I use both notebooks and computer obviously. And every single student in my class this semester had a notebook even if they also had a laptop or tablet. That kind of comment doesn’t take into consideration that some people learn better if they write it by hand. I supply all my materials as PDF files and some students still print them all out so they can highlight them and handwritten notes on them.”
Hi Leslie,
I have to say I was disappointed to read your negative reply in response to Daniel’s outstanding efforts. It’s been long known that students learn differently and many thrive on the act of physical note-taking. As a recent grad myself I can tell you MANY professors forbid laptops and tablets in the classroom due to the various distractions they pose. I hope young people like Daniel continue to coupon for these very useful items both for themselves and the less fortunate.
Leslie, I’d like to see you take a math or chemistry class and use a computer to take notes…you’ve obviously never been a college student.
I just graduated in May and used hundreds of notebooks, pens , and such during my undergrad. Go Daniel!
I teach at a major state university. Many of my faculty colleagues actually do not allow laptops in class because they are distracting — students in those classes must take notes with paper and pen. We also find that most students are still buying printed, bound books and highlighting in them because they can (usually) resell them the next year, whereas e-books have no resale potential–even though most titles have an e-book option.
I just graduated with my bachelors degree and my school doesn’t allow laptops or tablets in the classrooms. I went through TONS of notebooks and pens and highlighters. Keep on collecting them.. you’re doing a great thing!!
I graduated from college not all that long ago and I found that I retained information better when writing it than typing it. Some students took notes on laptops but I’d estimate the percentage of students who did so was probably somewhere around 5% to 10%. Many, many more students put pen to paper. And I used a heck of a lot of highlighters! Plus, you never ran the risk of a technological snafu causing you to lose your notes if you wrote them out! Leslie’s comment is not representive of most universities at all!
I have been working on my undergrad for the last five years and have yet to use a single ebook. I hand write all of my notes in freebie Staples notebooks and I burn through at least eight highlighters a semester. I’m a history and political science major and I have at least two books for every class and 500 pages of reading each week, so trust me– I know! Keep buying that stuff, Daniel. You will go through a pack of stick pens in a few weeks if you take thorough notes. 🙂 Also, it might be beneficial to trade school supplies for other things, like meals, gas, and laundry! 😉
Dang!! I was so happy reading all the above post until I got to this one! Such a Debbie Downer!! I also just graduated from college and I used every single item Daniel mentioned. I am sure what he donates is greatly appreciated!!!! KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK DANIEL!!! I THINK YOU ARE AWESOME!! Yes, I did use my laptop as well but since he is using HIP2SAVE I would have to guess he has a computer. Goodgrief!!!
Leslie, you must not have taken any advanced math courses in college. Those equations cannot be easily typed on a computer and must be worked through with pencil and paper. Please don’t be such a downer to such an inspirational, young man, when you don’t have all of the facts. Daniel, way to go. Keep it up! You are definitely on the right track!
I never used a computer in class a single day during my time in business school. Even my husband, who has an IT degree, still used his notebooks, albeit in conjunction with his computer as well because of the nature of his degree.
Great job Daniel!! Keep up your awesome efforts 🙂
Way to go Daniel! You are a very smart 18 year old. I wish I had been couponing when I was 18, I could have saved my parents and myself a lot of money. Only if my sister was as wise as you, its her first year of college and I live on the other side of the country from my family so I can’t really help them out with couponing, and they all think I am just a little crazy with all my coupons and stockpile. Best of luck in College!
Love this story. You will go far in life! Great job on the savings.
Be careful keeping your pens and highlighters for too many years. They tend to dry out. That’s a pretty impressive stash, tho! If you have a Staples nearby, you may want to start stockpiling printer paper, too.
I started couponing early too. At first, my roommates made fun of me for shopping the sales and couponing but when I would make a delicious meal or share great late night study snacks, they weren’t laughing anymore. I am still friends with most of them and they often call me to find out how to save money on something. Good for you and best of luck in college.
Daniel, you’re awesome! I wish that I had started couponing at your age. You’re so smart to begin being frugal now. Here’s hoping that saving money will always be a part of your routine! 🙂
Congratulations, Daniel! You sound like a very responsible young man who has not been raised with the “entitlement” attitude of so many young people these days. Your parents are to be congratulated for instilling you with such a wonderful work ethic. Your kindness and generosity, not to mention forward-thinking, will get you far.
Enjoy the remainder of your senior year!
I love it! Good on you, Daniel. Like many others have said, “you’ll go far in life.”
Smart and generous – great combination! 🙂 All the best to you in college and beyond!
I am almost done with college and I didn’t use as much note books, high litters, and etc as much as I thought!! Also some class’s I took you didn’t even need to by the book!!
Classes
That’s an inspiration Daniel! Wish I was more frugal at 17!
I bet your parents are so proud. I hope my kids grow to be as frugal and thoughtful as you.
We did this also with my daughter when she left for college she had quite a stockpile of not only school supplies but all her toiletries,cleaning supplies and paper products. She also has 2 Rubbermaid totes of snacks under her bed. Her roomates appreciate not having to run to the store to get laundry detergent. You might want to expand your stockpile to include medicines,tissues,laundry and cleaning supplies as well.A box of Tylenol Sinus meds was $ 18.00 on campus and Oreos were $ 6.00 a package. Having these on hand will help offset unexpected costs.
Thats awesome! Good luck in college! It’s already obvious that you’ll go far!
Go you!! Make sure you use your savvy money-saving skills to find scholarships and grants…that’s where the real savings in college happens! That is awesome though! : )
Daniel that’s such a great idea! I’m a junior in high school, and Ive been stockpiling for a while too! Except it’s stuff like household items and hygiene things for my family haha. It never occurred to me that stockpiling school supplies for college would save so much money. I guess I’ll start paying attention to school supply deals now!
I am a high school senior too and I have been doing the same!
Can I adopt you? You are making your parents so proud! Bet you have one fantastic momma!
That is great! Good for you, Daniel… Just so you know though, as a teacher, I stock-pile supplies at the beginning of every year and have found that some pens do dry out and no longer work (and we try everything to get them working), so you don’t want to keep them too long or they’ll just end up going to waste… but definitely keep stocking up on all the paper goods!
I have couponed my way through my undergrad and plan to do the same for graduate school. Through couponing and selling books and other things on eBay, my husband and I have managed to focus solely on school and we both have 3.8 GPAs, great health insurance, a nice place to live, a decent car to drive, and we send our son to preschool three days a week. 🙂 Keep up the good work, Daniel! If I can do it, anyone can. I don’t know what we would have done without sales, coupons, and yard sales, but I can honestly say that the frugality and sacrifices will be so worth it when you’re finished with school and are able to find a better job because of your education. 🙂
way to go! i just started a small stock pile of “supplies” for my brother that goes is going to be going away.
Very Impressed! Wish I had your frugal ways at that age! I agree with others keep an eye out for printer paper also and keep up the good work!
I’m in college. Here are a few tips:
1. Yes, while you will still write with pen and paper, it’s not that much. Trust me. You’ll never use all of those pens in your LIFETIME. I’ve been using one pen for 2 years, and it’s still not out of ink.
2. You think that you’re going to coupon for groceries, but that won’t really happen. Grocery stores are far away from most college campuses. They are also overpriced and sometimes mom and pop stores, which don’t accept printable coupons. Also, you won’t have time to cook. Some nights, you’ll have to pull all-nighters, meet with groups, go to study sessions, club meetings, etc. It gets overwhelming.
3. No one eats ramen noodles anymore for meals. Colleges now have amazing dining plans with tasty food!
Hope this helps. Not trying to be negative; it’s the truth.
I am a grad student not on the university meal plan but the food that is served in the commons is not that good. So the undergrads I know often don’t use that super expensive meal plan that the college requires them to buy. I also still eat ramen for meals add an egg or two and its an ok for an on the go meal or ‘oh goodness I spent my last dollar for the week!’ situation
my sons 2 best friends are in college, and both of them, one a scholar and one an amazing athlete, eat ramen noodles for meals, use notebooks and pens, and neither of them have their own laptop. old school is still the way for many students, thank goodness!
I think how much you write and use notebooks depends on your personal style and the classes you are taking. While some classes require very little note-taking, others require a LOT. Also, what kind of pen are you using? I want one of those! I usually go through at least two each semester.
I couponed through college (well, my last two years. I didn’t know about it before that). I did just fine and usually managed to save around 50% or more. I lived on campus and had a Kroger basically within walking distance (a little under a mile) and several other chain grocery stores within another two or three miles. I’m in grad school now and don’t coupon quite as much, but I still do some, and I almost always only buy stuff if it is on sale, which is where most of the savings are to be had.
I know lots of college students who eat ramen noodles. Some colleges do have good food, but most of the time it is just mediocre. Plus meal plans are usually not very cost effective. Personally, I ate a lot of sandwiches, easy mac, and spinach salads.
Really, with all of these things, you have to figure out what works best for you. The things that work well for one person may not work at all for another, and that is okay.
I just graduated from college this past May and I can say that one pen does NOT last two years.. especially if you have ever lost pens or lent them to someone who doesn’t return them….
Our meal plan was mediocre and expensive. The food got old. It was not healthy. And most importantly, barely any students lived on campus after Freshman year, so no one is going to have a meal plan they need to drive/walk to school to use. My school had a Publix and CVS within walking distance from campus as well as Walgreens and Target very close by. If you are out of the dorms and in an apartment, OF COURSE you cannot live on a meal plan and OF COURSE you have access to grocery stores.
As far as not having time to coupon or cook? False. I was a straight A student and I pulled approximately one all-nighter in college as a Freshman. There aren’t tests and group meetings every day of the week!! I had more time than I even knew what to do with! Couponing definitely was a positive way to fill that time. Plus, you don’t need to cook a four star gourmet meal for yourself.. saving on things like Healthy Choice or Lean Cuisine entrees is good too..
Finally, nobody at my school ate Ramen, but that was because it was a store where the majority of kids had rich parents and everyone had takeout every night. (except me;] )
I couponed my way through college and anybody that has the desire to do that is a winner in my book! Good job Daniel.
way to go daniel!!
Holy moly I am very impressed Daniel! A teenager concerned with saving money and giving to others????? I almost fell off my chair. I only wish we had more young people like this.
I know.. I wish they would too!!! Me and my mom helped out a family this Christmas, because of couponing!!!