College Shopping is D.O.N.E!

With the arrival last Wednesday of #2 Son's laptop/backpack, I can cross the College Shopping Marathon off my To-Do List!
Woohoo!!!

Except for his clothing, shoes, case of water, pillows, laptop, printer, backpack and musical instruments and musical paraphernalia, what is pictured is everything going to school.......

You KNOW I shopped at home in my cupboards, cabinets and stockpiles before spending $$ in the store to gather all this.  A few things I could have not spent on(the towels/washcloths)and given him stuff in the house or gotten him a cheaper backpack(tho the one we got has a lifetime guarantee) but I think we did a fairly frugal job on this.
Take note of where I bought items......Walmart, Best Buy, online, Rite-Aid, Ollie's, Big Lots, etc.
Not a single item bought from Bed, Bath & Beyond......lolz


Here is our College Shopping List..........anything purchased includes sales tax(if applicable).

2 Items not pictured above--
Printer on sale at Walmart  $74.19 w/ink
Backpack  bought the "one he wanted" on sale online at RockyMountainTrail dotcom $49 w/shipping

 

 

Surge Protector  $12.70 at Best Buy
Extension Cord  $1.77 at Lowe's
Command Hooks  2 packs bought at Rite-Aid this week, price $5.03 for both packs.  Inherited poster sticky stuff from Daughter's college time.
Flashlight  had at home-with new batteries *not pictured*
Batteries  had at home from Rite-Aid pillaging 3 years ago
Duct Tape  had at home
Chip Clips  had at home.....why buy something, use repurposed Clothespins!

Sheet Sets  2 sets inherited from #1 Son's college time in a dorm and 1 set bought at Ollie's on clearance  $11.25(400 thread count)
Comforter  bought at Big Lots $18.02 after shopping around for 3 months for perfect color, solid black (rolls eyes)but not too expensive
Towels, Hand Towel and Washcloths  from Ollie's on sale $21.56
Toilet brush  on sale at Ollie's  $2.06
Wastebasket  had at home, sending plastic grocery bags at home to line it
Clothes Hangers  had at home
Laundry Bag  at Big Lots $2.96

Extra Pillowcases   free--had percale fabric so I sewed him some and saved that money!
Free Pillowcases  ;-)

Scissors from Big Lots $1.90
Notebooks  found at Walmart in Ohio for .17¢ea.X 5=.90¢
Dry-Erase Board   found at Walmart for $8.44*
Day Planner  found at Walmart for $6.33*
Large Pack of college-ruled Paper  found at Walmart for $2.65*
***The 3 items listed above I used a free gift card to pay for them so no out of pocket.***
Pens/Pencils/Sharpeners/Envelopes/Etc.  had at home from Rite-Aid pillaging

Cooling Mat  bought on sale at Best Buy  $15.89
Ream of Printer Paper   had at home from almost free Staples paper deal 5 years ago

Nail Clippers  had at home from Rite-Aid pillaging last year
Toiletries(asstd.)  ditto
Hand Sanitizer  ditto

Bathroom Cleaning Supplies  had at home already
Facial tissue had at home already

Dish Towel  had spare at home
Potholder  bought at Big Lots $2.65
Plate, Bowl, Mug   inherited all put microwave safe plate from Daughter's college stay.  Plate on clearance from Big Lots $1.59 (not giving him one of my "good" plates for this!)
Eating Utensils  inherited from Daughter
Can Opener   big Lots $4.24
Mini-Colander  Big Lots $3.18
Dish Soap  had at home
Water Bottle  had at home
Travel Coffee Mug  had at home

Coffeemaker  bought online at KMart for $6 less than in store, picked up at store....$16.80
*I used SYW Reward Points and part of a gift card I got for a prescription transfer so no CASH OOP! woohoo
Coffee Filters  had at home
Coffee bought at Grocery Outlet--5 lbs for $8.  awesome

 

Assorted snacks and easy food stuffs   had at home in stockpile, except for the case of Monster I picked up in Iowa($28) and the case of bottle water ($2.33 but used +Up Rewards to pay so no OOP).

And here is everything off that list that I spent money on......


Printer--$74.19
Backpack--$49.00
Cooling Mat--$15.89
Surge Protector--$12.70
Extension Cord--$1.77
Sheet Set-Ollie's--$11.25
Comforter- Big Lots--$18.02
Towels, Hand Towel and Washcloths--$21.56
Command Hooks--$5.03
Toilet brush--$2.06
Potholder--$2.65
Plate--$1.59
Can Opener--$4.24
Mini-Colander--$3.18
Coffee--$8.00
Scissors--$1.90
Notebooks--.90¢
Monster drinks case--$28

Grand Total of $261.93 with tax.


If you had to College shop this year, how did you do?

Sluggy

 

T Minus 9 Days Until #2 Teen Hits The College Campus

We are just over 1 week before we transport Daughter and all her "stuff" to college for her first semester of school.

Blogging buddy SonyaAnn sent her daughter off to college for the first time last August.  She has a very comprehensive College/Dorm List on her blog HERE that she used to get her daughter's supplies ready for the "Big Move".

My daughter keeps finding more and more things she feels are VITAL to take so she can survive 3 months at school.  I keep reminding her that she has to fit everything into a room the size of the one she has now, but along with a roommate and all her crap too!  I have a feeling we will be hauling some of what she insists she has to take back home on Move-In Day.

I've spent the last few days getting my daughter ready for her first Big Move In to her dorm.  It's not as much so that we don't forget something......it's more to keep her from boxing everything she owns and taking it with her.lol

Here's my version of "The List of Stuff".  Everything in black we still need.  Everything in green we had already or got for free.  Everything we had to buy is in red.

Pens/pencils
Highlighters
Black Marker
Erasers
Paper Clips
Paper
Stamps
Envelopes
Stationary
Scissors
Tape
Notebooks
Stapler
Staples 
Pencil Sharpener 
Laptop(this was her high school graduation gift)
Backpack/Computer Bag
Comforter(I bought this in June on clearance) $17
Sheet Set $13
Sheet Set
Blanket
Pillows
Dorm Fridge $70
Alarm Clock
Coffeemaker(Used a free gift card for this, so paid $3OOP)
Towels  $6
Shower Caddy  $3
Assorted Toiletries
Assorted OTC Meds
Prescription Meds
Desk Lamp
Light bulbs
Trash Can
Ethernet Cable
Cell Phone
Cell Phone Charger
Earphones
Batteries
Flashlight
Flash Drive
TV
TV Cable-on her dime, not mine
Dry Erase Board
Mirror 
Trunk
Rug
Clothes
Shoes and Boots
Coat
Facial Tissue
Women's paper products
Beauty products
Sunscreen
Sunglasses
Laundry Soap
Laundry Bag
Hangers
Stain Remover
Hair products
Hair brush
Hair ties
Hair Dryer
Sewing Kit
Tool Kit
Lanyard(for room key, student ID-will buy this in the bookstore at school)
Purse
Wallet
Medical Card
Driver's License
Money
Debit Card(for her account) 


We've got about 8 more things to buy before we get to campus.  Any assorted school supplies(stationary type stuff we don't bring)she can get at the bookstore.  We might hold off on the rug since she isn't sure about her housing at this point.  They put her with a roommate but when she contacted the roommate 2 weeks ago, RM told her that she is NOT going to be rooming with Daughter.  Seems instead of putting D with another freshman, they paired her up with an upper classwoman who now says she is being moved elsewhere.  School policy is if your roommate assignment doesn't happen then they will "consolidate" you into another room needing a body(she's in a double, not a single room).  So she won't get to keep a double room to herself and she has no clue what room and with whom she will be 'consolidated".
What a way to run a school!

So the fridge will not be removed from the box in case it needs to be returned, if it turns out to be redundant.   And no rug until we get there.  I can run to the local Kmart or something if it's needed.


I am hoping to finish up buying what little is left today, if I can stand being in a car with D today.
I tell ya, she is leaving not a moment too soon!
I have one little tiny nerve left and she is climbing all over it......

I will tell you that when we sent off #1 son 2 years ago, it didn't seem to be this much stuff or as big of a "Production".  I spent less on getting him sent off.
I guess it's the "girl factor".lol

Are you sending off a kid to college this year?   How are you handling the acquiring of needs/wants?

I've spent $116 give or take a couple of bucks on her List of Things(not counting the laptop which was her graduation gift).  I'm estimating another $150 to get what is left.  I wanted to keep this at or under $250.  

Do you have a budget for your teen's college stuff?  Are you staying close to it?  How do you feel about buying/gathering all the things they say they need to go away to school?




Sluggy