2017 College Dorm shopping on a Budget

[dreamin_disney]

So happy to have found this thread, as my DD starts college in a month. We've already done a bunch of shopping, but am constantly looking for deals. Target Cartwheel has been a life saver. My daughter will only be two hours away, so I should be able to visit with supplies, but am starting to stockpile items for care packages. I got great deals on towels at Target with Cartwheel, and also using the coupons at Bed, Bath and Beyond. We are renting a fridge/microwave combo, instead of buying one. My daughter is also in communication with her roommate, and they are splitting the things that they can share.. full length mirror, drying rack, rug, trashcan, Keurig, etc..

I need to checkout cartwheel. I use ibotta so I can earn some money from shopping Plus Red 5% off.

A lot of professors like for papers to be submitted online so they can run them through Turn it In to check for plagiarism. My parents gave me a Sam's Club card and I would go there a few times during the school year with my friends to stock up on school supplies, snacks, toilet paper, etc. We'd buy in bulk and split up the big packages amongst ourselves.

Same here we buy bulk and will send DD with some for the month

Today I ordered DD the mini fridge with freezer from Best buy 6 months 0%. I bought the better brand and she will use it all 4 years and hopefully she can use it when she gets a job (for her classroom)

 

[sk!mom]

I need to checkout cartwheel. I use ibotta so I can earn some money from shopping Plus Red 5% off.


Same here we buy bulk and will send DD with some for the month

Today I ordered DD the mini fridge with freezer from Best buy 6 months 0%. I bought the better brand and she will use it all 4 years and hopefully she can use it when she gets a job (for her classroom)

My classroom fridge is many years old so hers should last easily through college and beyond. She will love having one once she's teaching.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

Just an FYI - Best Buy has a bunch of stuff on sale as "Student Deals". I got DD a dorm size 2.6 cu ft fridge for $79 last night (with free shipping or in store pick up). I also ordered for pick up a small $33 microwave from Walmart. With taxes, I got both for a total of $119. I think that's pretty good!

 

[sksjasams]

For those whose kids don't have locking drawers, I found this. No tax (in WI) and free shipping. None of these portable ones get great reviews, but it should be a deterrent anyway. DS needs something to keep his SSN card, birth cert, etc.
http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/sentrysafe-compact-security-safe#repChildCatid=859608

Best Buy has a nice minifridge with separate freezer as a deal of the day for only $99.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/insigni...t-free-stainless-look/3831032.p?skuId=3831032

 

[DaisyJ]

For those whose kids don't have locking drawers, I found this. No tax (in WI) and free shipping. None of these portable ones get great reviews, but it should be a deterrent anyway. DS needs something to keep his SSN card, birth cert, etc.
http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/sentrysafe-compact-security-safe#repChildCatid=859608

Best Buy has a nice minifridge with separate freezer as a deal of the day for only $99.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/insigni...t-free-stainless-look/3831032.p?skuId=3831032

All of those documents are safely in our safe at home. There was no reason DS needed those with him and in over two years at college, he has only needed his SS card once and it was returned to our safe afterwards.

 

[sksjasams]

All of those documents are safely in our safe at home. There was no reason DS needed those with him and in over two years at college, he has only needed his SS card once and it was returned to our safe afterwards.

My DS will be looking for a job and will need I-9 documents once he is hired. I guess he could bring them home after that.

 

[sk!mom]

All of those documents are safely in our safe at home. There was no reason DS needed those with him and in over two years at college, he has only needed his SS card once and it was returned to our safe afterwards.

DD21's documents also remain safely locked up at home. She's had the same job since the start of college so her SS card was returned home for safe keeping. She's never had need for her birth cert.

 

[Xcited4Disney]

Best Buy has a nice minifridge with separate freezer as a deal of the day for only $99.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/insigni...t-free-stainless-look/3831032.p?skuId=3831032

So mad I missed this deal. I was just looking at this fridge the other night.

 

[sk!mom]

GMA Deals and Steals has dorm stuff today. Act quickly if you want anything. It's today only and sell out fast each week.

https://gma-roomify.com

My DD21 ordered some wall pops for her apartment last year. They worked well on walls that you can't nail into. https://gma-wallpops.com/collections/4-cork

 

[LynnTH]

I am so overwhelmed with all the stuff to get and I think mostly anxious about DS leaving. It will certainly be a change. He is only 1-1/2 hours away so he can come home easier on some weekends. We move him in on August 17th. He and a kid from his travelling soccer team requested each other as roommates and they got each other, so that is great. I think it eases his mind a bit going in knowing someone. He is also in one of the Suites where they share a bathroom with another room. Each room has their own sink though.

I have all the bedding and towels and working on storage stuff and misc items. Roommate has microwave and I just ordered the fridge from Target that has the separate freezer (good for pizza rolls and hot pockets). Still trying to figure out a futon or something. Target had one for $99 so that is pretty good. Their beds are lofted so the futon can go under one bed and the fridge, microwave, TV etc under the other.

For those looking for a mattress topper - check out Amazon. I got a 3" foam mattress topper for a bit over $50. When I checked in stores they wanted from $150-$200. I love Amazon and I'm sure DS will be using it at college a lot too.

Glad for this thread and all the good suggestions!!

 

[dreamin_disney]

For those whose kids don't have locking drawers, I found this. No tax (in WI) and free shipping. None of these portable ones get great reviews, but it should be a deterrent anyway. DS needs something to keep his SSN card, birth cert, etc.
http://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/sentrysafe-compact-security-safe#repChildCatid=859608

Best Buy has a nice minifridge with separate freezer as a deal of the day for only $99.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/insigni...t-free-stainless-look/3831032.p?skuId=3831032

I ended up buying the Frigidaire once from Best Buy $199. I bought it because it had more positive reviews and hopefully DD wont have any issues. I know I should have just gone with the cheaper one since I buy warranty anyways. Best buy didn't have any floor models of the insigna so how does it look in person? A few more items to buy might it up IKEA this weekend

 

[sksjasams]

I ended up buying the Frigidaire once from Best Buy $199. I bought it because it had more positive reviews and hopefully DD wont have any issues. I know I should have just gone with the cheaper one since I buy warranty anyways. Best buy didn't have any floor models of the insigna so how does it look in person? A few more items to buy might it up IKEA this weekend

I had bought the one from Target a few weeks ago for $139, so I didn't see this one in person. I was just sharing in case someone else was still looking.

My list feels truly endless. I cross off a few items and add a few more. I'm prob buying way too much...

 

[Limes96]

My son drinks a lot of water...has anyone found a good dorm room water filter. I'm assuming he'd fill it at a water fountain or sink somewhere on his floor.

 

[sksjasams]

My son drinks a lot of water...has anyone found a good dorm room water filter. I'm assuming he'd fill it at a water fountain or sink somewhere on his floor.

My son drinks a lot of water, too. I'm hopeful that the drinking fountains in his dorm have water bottle fillers, which I believe is filtered water. I'm getting some ice cube trays for him to use in the mini fridge freezer.

Maybe your son's dorm has water bottle fillers?

 

[debster812]

DS will be a junior, and is a soccer player. He says the best things he brought with him were his Brita water pitcher (it's a slim one that he keeps in the fridge, so he has water in his room), and a few Brita water bottles that he keeps in his school backpack and soccer backpack. As long as he can find a water fountain or faucet, he can get water, and him being an Environmental Science and Policy major, he likes that he's not using throwaway bottles.

 

[Mrs. Ciz]

GMA Deals and Steals has dorm stuff today. Act quickly if you want anything. It's today only and sell out fast each week.

https://gma-roomify.com

My DD21 ordered some wall pops for her apartment last year. They worked well on walls that you can't nail into. https://gma-wallpops.com/collections/4-cork

I am so glad you posted this link! I have been trying to help my DD and her roommate find wall art for their room. Their theme is bohemian in gray and white with purple accents. Wallpops had the perfect bohemian circle art!!! https://gma-wallpops.com/collections/adult-wall-art/products/taza-wall-art-kit

 

[disneyeveryyear]

So last night DD18 and I spent 2.5 hours looking for textbooks online. Her college bookstore has lists for all of the classes, including ISBNs, so we took that info and shopped around.

She needed 8 books, and I used 6 different vendors to get them including college bookstore, Amazon rental, Amazon purchase, Chegg, Half.com, and Barnes & Noble. It was a time consuming process, but we saved a ton of money and all she has to do is run into the bookstore and pick up the 2 books from them that we ordered. One more big thing checked off the list.

I am not sure there is anything left to purchase but under bed storage, and we are going to pick that up at Ikea the day she moves in when we can measure exactly how much space she has.

The only other question mark is toilet paper. She has a communal bathroom but is withholding judgment on the TP until we get there and she tries it. She may want to buy her own and carry it with her (apparently she is much more delicate than I realized ).

2 weeks and 6 days to go until move in day.

 

[aprilgail]

I have all the bedding and towels and working on storage stuff and misc items. Roommate has microwave and I just ordered the fridge from Target that has the separate freezer (good for pizza rolls and hot pockets). Still trying to figure out a futon or something. Target had one for $99 so that is pretty good. Their beds are lofted so the futon can go under one bed and the fridge, microwave, TV etc under the other.

!!

Are they allowed to bring in outside furniture- at my daughters school they can not bring in any furniture on their own, just what is already in the room.

 

[elgerber]

Are they allowed to bring in outside furniture- at my daughters school they can not bring in any furniture on their own, just what is already in the room.

At my dd's school, they actually show futons under the lofts, and other chairs in the room, in the dorm photos on the website. She had an Ikea chair in her room both years.

 

[aprilgail]

The only other question mark is toilet paper. She has a communal bathroom but is withholding judgment on the TP until we get there and she tries it. She may want to buy her own and carry it with her (apparently she is much more delicate than I realized ).
.

LOL- last year at the summer program at Brown my daughter hated the toilet paper- she hated the whole shared bathroom/shower thing in general. This year she has to share a bathroom with 2 other kids and her room mate-they share a jack and jill type bathroom. They have to supply their own so they are ordering a bunch to be delivered but as far as "delicate"-my daughter won't use dry toilet paper, she uses the wet flushable "butt wipes".