CONSUMERconnection
An education in
education costs
Ask David
Horowitz
COLLEGE AND CONTINUING education are
something many strive for. Getting a degree can help
give you an advantage in the job market. However, in
these uncertain financial times it is important to consider all the ways you can cut costs in regard to college, whether it is the skyrocketing tuition or the extra
expenses that going to college entails.
Here are some tips for students (and their parents) on saving money on higher education.
Tuition
Paying for a college education can be overwhelming. Plus, saving money for college is becoming
increasingly challenging, as the cost of living and
inflation continue to outpace average incomes. By
making a few key choices early, however, you can
shave thousands of dollars, or even tens of thousands
of dollars, off your tuition bill.
If you don’t qualify for a scholarship, grant or
other funding to help pay for your college education,
these simple tactics could help you save big bucks.
AP coursework. AP, or advanced placement,
classes are college-level courses offered to high school
students; they provide an opportunity to earn college
credits by passing an exam at the end of the course. By
taking these courses in high school, you will not need
to pay for these credits in college.
Joint enrollment in college and high school.
Joint enrollment, which involves attending college
courses while completing high school, is another way
to save some money on college tuition. Typically, local
community colleges are a bit less expensive than state
or private colleges. Also, joint enrollment allows you
to earn college credits without the living expenses of
being away at college. Check with your school counselor to see if joint enrollment is allowed during
senior year of high school.
Public university and in-state tuition. Choosing
a public in-state college or university can save tens of
thousands of dollars.
College expenses
Once you are attending college, the costs of
school may be more than you expected. Here are
some helpful tips to cut down on the odds and ends a
student needs in college:
Textbooks. Don’t buy textbooks from the campus bookstore. They are almost always overpriced.
Instead, buy your textbooks used whenever possible
(check CampusBooks.com), and sell them back at the
end of the quarter/semester.
More in archives
On Costco.com, enter
“Connection.” At Online Edition,
search “David Horowitz.”
Transportation and travel. Gas is expensive
and continues to rise. As a student, in most cases you
can get a discounted bus pass. Consider purchasing
a bicycle. If you must take a car, check GasBuddy.
com to find the cheapest gas stations in your area. If
you decide to travel during your college years, check
out StudentUniverse.com for the smartest ways to
get around.
Rent. If possible, and this is common in dorms,
share a room. Once out of the dorms, fight yearly rent
increases by living off-campus in shared housing.
Utilities and phone. Use free Internet phone
software such as Skype to call home. Or, use the
Internet at school, and skip getting it at home.
Shopping. There are likely to be many
discounts for college students in the
town where you are going to school.
Try websites such as Groupon.com
and RetailMeNot.com to find coupons.
Food and entertainment. Check for
student discounts at museums, zoos,
Even if they are not listed, most
places offer significant student
discounts if you simply present
your student ID.
Four or more years of
continuing education will add
up to a significant amount of
money if you are not careful.
Understand all of these
expenses when calculating
college finances, and make
smart financial decisions in
every facet of your college life
so that you are not saddled with
debt upon graduation. C
(Note: Costco Cash cards give
parents the ability to provide students with money for food, gas or
school and dormitory necessities,
while limiting their spending.
Cards can be purchased at Costco
locations or at Costco.com.—Ed.)
RECENTLY, I purchased some
designer handbags on an
online site [not Costco.com].
The bags cost me more than
$3,000, and they never arrived.
I’ve called the manager and
was unable to obtain a refund,
as they claim the items were
sent out. Now they won’t even
return my calls. What can I do?
Rebecca
Calabasas, CA
FIRST, LOCATE the shipping
number provided for you at the
time of your purchase. Contact
the post of;ce or the shipping
company to ;nd out if it was
ever shipped. See if you can
get proof that the item was
never delivered.
Second, contact
your credit-card
company and
verify that the
cost of the bags
was charged to
your account
Finally, if
nobody from
the company
is returning your
calls, search on the
Internet for the public
relations company or
marketing department
in charge of marketing
and promoting the
company’s business.
Inform them of your
problem, and you should
be able to get a success-
ful resolution. C
© 2011 FIGH T BACK! INC. ALL RIGH TS RESERVED.
AMY CAN TRELL
David Horowitz is a leading consumer advocate. Visit his blog at
www.fightback.com. He is a frequent guest on radio and television
stations. Consult your local listings for dates and times.
Just log on to
www.fightback.com and “Ask David.” For a fee, he will personally
respond to your problem if you follow the instructions printed on his website.
(Costco members receive a rebate off the normal fee.) Questions and answers of the
greatest interest to Costco members will be used in this column (with the permission
of the contributor) and will be posted on
www.fightback.com.
