Opinion

College debt begins before first class

Monday, July 16, 2007

Buying stuff for college is quickly and easily becoming my new favorite hobby. New bedding, computers, laundry bags, Hello Kitty toasters . . . the list--and my wants--goes on and on.

According to the National Retail Federation, freshmen spent an average of $1,112.62 each on back-to-school items last year. I'd like to meet the kids who only spent $1,100 and find out where they shopped because we obviously are not shopping at the same places.

I've been learning a few dos and don'ts of college shopping from upperclassmen, but even with their helpful tips I'm unfortunately not even close to the average. Taking into consideration the purchase of brand new computers along with the many dorm necessities, it's near impossible to spend less than that.

In my search for good deals, I've also found there definitely isn't a lack of marketing done for dorm shopping season. Businesses milk us soon-to-be dorm residents for all we're worth. Catalogs full of nothing but dorm items, every appliance you can think of in the color of your choice (I recently found an adorable pink Dirt Devil sweeper); albeit helpful, it's all so overly tempting. But when you take into account the usually small size of college dorm rooms and college budgets, one can't help but wonder whether that "easy-to-store" ping pong table is really as practical as it's made out to seem.

While I am having to play the Need vs. Want game along with my fellow freshmen, I can't say I will positively lower my own dorm room spending (sorry, Mom and Dad). Frugalness is a hard lesson to learn when you have Neiman Marcus taste on a Target budget. I'm getting better with time, but it's still a work in process. However, it's something I desperately need to learn before the "E.Z. charge" at Mizzou gets into my hands.

That being said, I guess I'll leave Hello Kitty off my toast this year.

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