Savings for Back-to-College

Although the amount of money expected to be spent to furnish college dorm rooms and off-campus housing is up 3 percent to $618.12 per student, overall college spending is expected to decrease to nearly $30 billion, according to the National Retail Federation.

This decrease actually means the college-bound shopper can get more for their money, as retailers slash prices and ramp up marketing to lure buyers.

TIP: Start your comparison shopping online. Retailers are maintaining dedicated websites that will make the comparisons that much simpler. Here are two of the biggest retailers with college subsites:

TARGET
Target has www.target.com/college. At this site you can shop by price category. “Under $20,” “Under $30,” etc., at the click of a button. There is also a color-coded, downloadable checklist that lets you mark off all the necessities, such as dental floss, can opener, night light, as you purchase them. You can even shop sections by gender. Don’t forget to click on “Daily Deals” to find sale items not otherwise available online or in the store.

WALMART
Walmart has www.walmart.com/college. At this discounter’s site is interactive. There is a Q & A section, a photo of the day of student shoppers, and even a tip of the day. (Today’s: If you can avoid it, don’t buy textbooks from the college bookstore. Check sites such as half.com and others that allow you to buy used books at half the cost.) Wal-Mart also has checklists, include a road trip safety check list, as well articles. For further savings, check out its “Value Bundles” on small appliances, desk sets, electronics, etc.