OK, so everybody wants to make a top 10 list because it’s the cool thing to do. Fuck that. Here’s my random, unnumbered list of things you can do to save money for the new semester. (PS – most of these ideas were recommended by students in the forum, so proceed with caution).
If you need a computer, steal one. If you don’t have the balls to do that, then buy a netbook with Linux installed. Everybody seems scared to death of Linux, but it’s not that complicated. You’re a college student for Christs sake, you can’t figure out how to use a computer?!? I would recommend Ubuntu Linux to my dying grandmother. Not only is it safer than Windows (no need for Antivirus, spyware removal, trojan protectors or whatever else you need to protect a raggedy ass Windows computer), but it’s free and every piece of software on it is free too.
Now that you have broken free from the grasp of Bill Gates (or ended up with a court date for stealing a netbook), get the software you need for free. Now, there really isn’t a piece of software that you should have to pay for. OpenOffice does everything Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint, etc) does with the exception of costing you money. If you have too much money, and are running out of places to bury it all, then by all means, give it to Microsoft. Otherwise, download OpenOffice and thank me for it later. Any other software you might need, go to ThePirateBay and get that shit for free. You get bent over by your school enough as it is for tuition, don’t blow anymore money on nonsense.
The easiest way to save money is to use our tool for finding cheap textbooks. This isn’t where I try to tell you about some new bullshit tool for renting your textbooks, or downloading eTextbooks. You can easily save hundreds of dollars every semester by staying the hell away from your official college bookstore. Don’t let them scare you about international editions, different ISBN’s or anything else. The reason they sell Calculus textbooks for $200 is because you’ll pay it (there’s your first real-world economics lesson in college). Stop buying from them, and the prices will come down.
Do you realize that in a recent poll, just over 70% of professors said that their students would do just as well with the old edition of their textbook (the most recent one, not five editions ago)? Do you realize that you can normally pick up the most recently out of date book for $10 – $20, rather than $140?
Don’t ever, ever, ever buy the study guides! 90% of classes don’t use them. If you really think you need a study guide, use that little electronic thing you are looking at right now (your computer, not your nose trimmers). If it’s in a book, it’s on the Internet, but for free. Learn how to use Google because Google is your friend.
You can also learn how to siphon gas, run out on bar tabs, assault crack heads for Ramen noodles and other tricks that will be covered in part II of our eight part series “Dog, I’m broke”.
If you found this article informative, you probably won’t like the following articles:
- Scholarships, Your Ticket to College
- Finding the Right College or Univeristy
- Save Your money (or your parents money, you lazy bum)
- Choosing a Major
- Study Tips
- College-Housing
- College Social Life
- Dealing With Professors
- Deceptive Practices by Credit Card Companies on Campus
- 18 of the Weirdest Scholarships for College
- Bullshit Your Way to an “A”
You can also submit your articles for fame and fortune (without the fame or fortune) by contacting us..