New Tips And Triks For You

The most expensive item on the back-to-school shopping list for high school students is usually a backpack or scientific calculator. That all changes when they go to college.

In addition to textbooks and notebooks, incoming freshmen need bedding, storage containers and a whole host of other things to not only furnish a dorm room, but make it feel like home.

"It's important for first-time college students to spend some time decorating their dorm rooms because for the better part of the next four years, it's going to serve as their study area, entertainment area, bedroom and possibly even a dining area," says Carly Fauth, head of marketing for Money Crashers, a personal finance website.

Still, students should keep costs in mind, she says, and outfitting your home away from home can be expensive. While most dorms come with the basics - a bed, mattress, desk and chair, mirror and trash can - students need to supply the rest.

[Discover 10 ways to save on college costs.]

Mini fridges - a necessity in many college dorms rooms - start at close to $65 at big box stores such as Target and Walmart. A microwave to cook frozen meals or reheat leftovers from the dining hall will run students roughly $45. Sheets, pillows and a comforter can easily add up to another $75. And those are just the essentials.

All told, college students will spend an average of $836 on clothing, electronics and dorm furnishings, according to an annual survey by the National Retail Federation. This year, a larger chunk of that will be spent at home furnishing and decor stores, the report notes.

It is possible for students and parents to save on back-to-college dorm spending if they deploy some common-sense strategies and heed some savvy shopping advice, experts say. Below are five tips to help incoming freshmen outfit their living space on a shoestring budget.

1. Check with the university: Many colleges have restrictions on what students can and cannot bring to the residence hall. While some schools allow small electronics such as microwaves, toasters and coffee pots, others deem them fire hazards and bar them from students' rooms.

Some colleges also allow students to rent common dorm appliances or check out items such as irons and ironing boards, which may be more affordable than purchasing your own.

University rules also dictate whether or not student can hang pictures on walls or affix items to their school-issued bed. Students who break the rules could be charged damage fees at the end of the semester.

Obtaining a list of the school's dorm decorating do's and don'ts can eliminate these headaches, experts say.

2. Team up with your roommate: Chances are you and your soon-to-be dormmates have similar shopping lists. Avoid doubling up - and wasting money - by touching base before hand to figure out what you each can bring.

If you are living with your best friend from high school, the two of you can hash out who will bring the area rug and who will handle the gaming console. If your new roommate is a randomly assigned stranger, dorm furnishings are a good reason to break the ice via email or Facebook.

[Learn how to get off to a good start with your roommate.]

3. Tap friends and family: There is no shame in bringing hand-me-downs to college, so students should talk to aunts, uncles, cousins - even neighbors - about items they need for their dorm room. The odds are good that one of them has a minifridge they have been trying to give away since their own child went to college, says Bonnie Joy Dewkett, a professional organizer.