This post may contain affiliate links. Read our disclosure here.
I’m Kate, one of Jenny’s college-age daughters, here to talk to you about what your teens DON’T actually need for college.
With graduation approaching, you’re starting to think about what to give your seniors that they’ll need in college. This is a tough time for many parents as they prepare to say goodbye to their children. As much as you want them to be prepared for this new stage of life, don’t be tricked into thinking you need to buy a thousand things for your future college student to have. Remember when they first came into the world – all that baby gear people said you’d need that you never actually used? College is the same way.
A Car
The biggest way to save when sending your kid to college is by waiting to get them a car. Universities love to charge you crazy amounts of money just to keep a car parked on campus for your college student to have. Living on campus eliminates the need for a car. Everything is within walking distance and if they need a ride there are plenty of upperclassmen to help out! It’s also much safer for them to not be driving around a lot until they’re a more responsible upperclassman.
Printer
As a college student you will definitely need to print a lot of papers, but do not think you need your own printer. There are plenty of places to print on campus, ranging from the library to various buildings. Some schools will offer free printing by including it in tuition costs.
New Books
Parents will want to prepare ahead of time by getting the newest edition of every book assigned in their classes. Most of the time this is unnecessary and can cause you to spend a lot more money than needed. Renting your books from an online vendor such as chegg.com or amazon.com can save a lot. At many universities, group chats made by upperclassmen on campus will sell used textbooks to freshmen for very reduced prices. After a couple classes it will become obvious if you even need the “required” textbook or not. Since professors usually give about a week grace period for students to get their books, sometimes waiting it out and then buying whatever you need on campus is the best idea.
Big Meal Plan
If your college-bound kid is living on campus then they more than likely will need a meal plan (most colleges make meal plans mandatory). Parents normally over-compensate and buy way more meals than their child actually needs. I had plenty of friends in college who would be giving away meals near the end of the semester to get rid of all their meals (great for me but not their parent’s wallet). A small meal plan is great idea and gives your student more flexibility to eat what they want instead of being chained to always eating at the (usually subpar) cafeteria.
TV
As much as your kid protests, their college dorm room doesn’t need a TV. The point of college is to get out and meet new people and learn new things. Getting cable to run into the dorm rooms is also another big cost that colleges love to charge you with. I guarantee that your child will find plenty of friends with TVs in their room as well. Also, laptops can stream most any TV show so you can catch up with your shows that way.
Credit Cards
A credit card is not a good idea for a future college student. It’s easy, especially when distracted by heavy class loads, to accidentally end up in a lot of debt. While any young adult will need to spend money, there a lot of better alternatives. Giving them a prepaid card with a set amount is a great option. You can’t spend money you don’t have and it is easy to set a limit on an account so you know how much is being spent.
Brand New Bedding
A dorm room is going to get messy, trust me. There is no need to go out and spend a lot of money on nice new comforters and sheets. The linens they have been using since high school will suffice during their freshman year.
Note: If your college has Twin XL beds, then they will probably need new sheets. Target has them for great prices.
An Ironing Board
This is an unnecessary item that I see a lot of parents buying for their kids. No matter how big of an advocate your child is for ironing, as soon as that 8 am class rolls around, they will have no energy to iron their clothes for the day. It also takes up valuable space in an already small dorm room.
A Tablet
iPads, Kindles, and any other kind of high tech tablet are all the rage right now. You might think your student needs one, but they are an extra, unneeded cost. A laptop will fit the needs of any college student perfectly. If they already have one… this can possibly be a way to save on text books though, check into the cheaper digital versions.
Extra Storage
We as parents love to overdo things. Sending our kids off with a ton of rubber maid storage units or new bookshelves isn’t the best idea. Most dorms come with desks and shelves already so adding all these extra containers can really get in the way. Wait until after your child is completely moved in before buying extra storage units for the room. A dorm room is small and the space is valuable!
So if none of these items are crucial, then what can you ask relatives to get your future college student as a graduation gift? Read this post about 10 Things You Need For College to learn!
