3. Textbooks
Yes I know, most books come in Kindle form, so I don’t have to carry around heavy theory texts. But there is something SO satisfying about being able to flip through the pages and find the moving passage I highlighted when I need a quote for a paper.
It’s something that you just can’t get pushing a button on the Kindle. And I know textbooks are often the most expensive part of going back to college, but if you are smart about it, you can save money even here.
I needed 8 different works of Shakespeare for an upcoming class, and had I ordered them from the school, I would have spent almost $90. Instead, I used the ISBN provided, did a little hunting on Amazon, and was able to get ALL 8 of those texts AND two other books I needed for a whopping $73…including shipping!
Amazon and Barnes & Nobel both carry textbooks and often at discounted prices compared to what you’d pay at your school bookstore. And unless you are determined to have all new textbooks, buying used textbooks through Amazon can save you a lot!
Just look at the condition ratings in the used book section of Amazon and you can find like-new texts for less than half the cost of a new book.
4. Highlighters/Post-its
I can never have enough highlighters.
I take meticulous notes and highlight the things that teachers emphasize might be on the test. Like highlighters, I could own stock in post-its.
They are stuck around the apartment with to-do lists, grocery items I need to remember and love notes from the husband telling me he’s proud of my ability to study and cook dinner at one time. …Though I shouldn’t cook when doing chemistry homework again. Ooops!
5. Snacks
Have you sat through a 2 hour class during your normal lunchtime? Having a few snacks on hand makes it a little easier to make it through until I can run home and heat up one of the pre-prepped meals I have in my fridge.
And if you’re running from work to school to kid events to command functions, you might not have time to have a real sit-down meal.
Having pre-bagged snacks on hand will help you stay out of the drive thru and junk food cycle that gets so easy when life gets busy.
