By: Ashley Jetton (UGA Class of '15)
Best Bargains[]
There are many ways for college students to save the money they earned during the summer. In order to find the best bargains, students must take the time to look for them. There are many different ways to shop smart, from using coupons to taking advantage of student discounts. Here are just a few useful tips for UGA students to keep in mind while looking for “The Best Bargains.”
Groceries[]
To prevent weekly trips to the grocery store, college students should try to buy in bulk. Students should buy large cases of water and a jumbo pack of oatmeal, granola bars, yogurts, and Ramon Noodles rather than buying solitary units. Students can buy in bulk at many supermarkets, one example is Sam's Club . Sam's club offers oversized packages of foods for affordable prices. As a bargain shopper, one wants to get the most for their money. Besides, making frequent trips not only wastes money, but study time too.
Books[]
When school starts, one of the first things students have to do is buy books for classes. It's easy to be overwhelmed when college students initially grab his or her first textbook and glance at the price tag. However, there's no need to be frightened; college students can avoid paying a mountain-high price if he or she looks around to compares prices. When buying books, go to many different places (bookstores ) rather than getting all of the required readings from one location. Also, college students should look online for books at sites such as Amazon and Chegg.com . A combination of buying online and shopping around at local bookstores will lead to definite savings. Remember that renting books is also an option to consider when trying to manage a budget. It's normally cheaper to rent books as opposed to buying them outright, especially if students only need them for a single semester. At the end of the semester the books students bought can normally be sold back to the bookstore, although less than the original price.
Specifically UGA students, at the UGA bookstore by the Tate Center , don't buy simple necessities such as a printer-to-computer connector cord. Instead buy technical, everyday items at Walmart . The bookstore prices items other than books higher than normal because when buying on campus, students are paying for convenience; there is an added cost to items which would otherwise require going slightly off campus. If students buy at larger stores outside the heart of campus they can save a great deal of money. This rule of thumb is not only applicable to UGA students, but all college students as well.
Coupons[]
Using coupons may seem unimportant and tedious. However, this is untrue. When students are attempting to bargain shop, using coupons is a great way to do so. Coupons save college students from spending an excessive amount of money, and the savings outweigh the time it takes to get the them. Coupons are available at multiple places. Throughout the UGA campus, one example is the Used Bookstore, while another is the University Health Center . On other campuses, look for coupons at bookstores, newspapers, health facilities, and local restaurants. Coupon books will help save money throughout campus. While some coupons may only be a dollar off, those dollars add up over time. The most important factor of using coupons is consistency; students should steadily replenish coupons, and be sure to plan ahead in what he or she is planning to buy before shopping. Also, at the beginning of the year, businesses and other local venues around campus mail coupons directly to students. It's important to keep these coupons and use these free discounts and offers continually throughout the year. Even coupons that say, “bring this magnet in for a free t-shirt” are beneficial for students since t-shirts are worn regularly by many college students. In fact, a recent survey indicates that 66% of college students wear a t-shirt 5 or more days a week (random sample of UGA students courtesy of author). Another key ingredient to using coupons successfully is organization. Don't discard clusters of coupons, instead, create a folder so that these coupons can be organized and easily accessible.
Consignment Shops[]
There are many ways to save money on campus, one of those ways is through buying gently used clothes as opposed to brand-new designer clothes. Plato's closet (located at the top of Baxter Street at UGA) is an example. Here, affordable clothes are sold for students. Plato's closet is a great way to make a few dollars by selling lightly used clothes for profit. Students can buy clothes at Plato's for up to 70% off retail price ("Plato's Closet Athens"). Specifically for sorority and fraternity themed date nights, Plato's has unique “dress up” clothes for super cheap (such as neon leggings, pink belts, or other “party-oriented” attire).
Athletic Goods[]
UGA Students, athletic goods are available at the UGA Bookstore, as well as other locations around in Athens such as Academy Sports, Hibbets, and the Baxter Street Bookstore. Since Baxter street is a prime location during football games, there are many sports stores located on Baxter that supply UGA spirit attire. However, when shopping for college spirit items, students should always look for sales and clearance items first. Often, people tend to think that “clearance” means “raggedy and old.” However, clearance is often used in order to simply make room for upcoming newer attire.
Bulldog Bucks[]
For students who plan to take full advantage of the meal plan, the VTS card is an option to consider. The VTS card allows UGA studetns to wash and dry his or her clothes, and make copies. This is an option that students are not informed of until they realize they need to wash clothes, but they are without Bulldog Bucks.For students that plan to buy food outside of the meal plan often, Bulldog Bucks are a great way to save money on food and other items. Bulldog bucks are stored on the UGA student ID, and the student is able to transfer funds to the card. The card may be used at specific locations around campus that accept the it. The card then acts as a credit card for students to use for purchasing. Bulldog bucks gives discounts to places such as Buffalo's, Papa Johns, Plato's Closet, and Sonic ("Bulldog Bucks").
Student Discounts[]
At UGA, there are other ways for students to save money without Bulldog bucks. When students get tired of the traditional “meal plan food”, there are always places that offer student discounts. One such example is Chick-fil-a. A Chick-fil-a employee (and UGA student) Michael Mann commented that “Tuesday nights are always busy at Chick-fil-a because so many UGA students come to take advantage of the discount. If two students pay together and both order the original chicken sandwich, they will only pay $1.51 each, including tax. That's pretty cheap I'd say!” Chick-fil-a has a student night every Tuesday where students can buy 1 entree and get the other free. In Athens, all but one dining hall (Snelling ) closes at either 8 or 9 on weeknights (Bolton and O-House at 8:00pm, ECV at 9:00pm). So on Tuesdays, Chick-fil-a provides a cheap alternative for students to fing tasty food, while re-uniting with freinds at the same time.
Other discounts college students can take advantage of is through Apple Inc. Apple (the brand of computers that created the “Mac”) gives college students up to $200 off a new Mac if proof of acceptance to any college or University is provided ("Education Pricing"). This is definitely something worth looking into when it comes time to buy college necessities.
Sports Tickets Bargains[]
Another saving college students can look forward to is discounted tickets to sports events. At UGA, students get home football games for $8 per game, and men's basketball tickets for $2 per game. For non-students, these prices can range from $20-$200 for football tickets, and $10-$40 for basketball tickets. Students at UGA can get into all other sporting events for free with their UGA card (baseball , volleyball , women's basketball , etc). Students can find information on the official UGA ticket site .
Works Cited
Amazon.com-Logo.svg. 2010. Photograph. Wikimedia Commons."Apple Student Discount - Education Discount - Apple Store (U.S.)." Official Apple Online Store - Buy Mac Computers and Notebooks, IPhone, IPad, IPod, and More - Apple Store (U.S.). 2011. Web. 02 Nov. 2011. <http://store.apple.com/us/browse/campaigns/education_pricing>."Coupons - Bulldog Bucks - The University of Georgia." Bulldog Bucks - It's the Way To Pay at UGA! Web. 02 Nov. 2011. <http://bulldogbucks.uga.edu/coupons.php>.Coupons, UGA, Athens. Personal photograph by author. 2011."How It Works at Plato's Closet." Plato's Closet Athens, GA | Buys and Sells Teen Clothes and Accessories. Web. 02 Nov. 2011. <http://www.platosclosetathens.com/how-it-works>.Jetton, Ashley M. "T-shirt Survey." Chart. 60 Random UGA Students. Print.Mann, Michael. "Student Discount Interview from Chick-fil-a Employee." Personal interview. 1 Nov. 2011.SanfordStadium.jpg. 2006. Photograph. Wikimedia Commons.Textbooks, UGA, Athens. Personal photograph by author. 2011.UGA$!logo.png. 2009. Photograph. Wikimedia Commons. By University of Georgia.USCurrency Federal Reserve.jpg. 2004. Photograph. Wikimedia Commons.Walmart_exteriorcropped.jpg. 2007. Photograph. Wikimedia Commons.