Comments on: The Hidden Costs of Going Back to School http://almostfrugal.com/2008/10/06/the-hidden-costs-of-going-back-to-school/ Learning about frugality Wed, 25 Apr 2012 20:11:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Kellyhttp://almostfrugal.com/2008/10/06/the-hidden-costs-of-going-back-to-school/#comment-2146 Kelly Wed, 08 Oct 2008 07:28:55 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/?p=1392#comment-2146 @Amy, I already have my share of comfy sweatshirts for studying! My challenge is going to be finding nice clothes for job interviews after! @FruGal, Luckily we only need to own five textbooks, out of about 20. The rest can be borrowed from the library for the year. I've been on the search for used, but haven't been able to find any, so I think I'm going to have to bit the bullet and order off of Amazon. @Nicole, Things seem to be different here in regards to fees. I paid €200 at the beginning of the year (budgeted) and so far nothing else. Although I have to say that unis in Europe (or at least in France) have a very different set up than in the US- few sports teams, smaller facilities, no or little student housing etc. @Amy, I already have my share of comfy sweatshirts for studying! My challenge is going to be finding nice clothes for job interviews after!

@FruGal, Luckily we only need to own five textbooks, out of about 20. The rest can be borrowed from the library for the year. I've been on the search for used, but haven't been able to find any, so I think I'm going to have to bit the bullet and order off of Amazon.

@Nicole, Things seem to be different here in regards to fees. I paid €200 at the beginning of the year (budgeted) and so far nothing else. Although I have to say that unis in Europe (or at least in France) have a very different set up than in the US- few sports teams, smaller facilities, no or little student housing etc.

]]> By: Frugalizedhttp://almostfrugal.com/2008/10/06/the-hidden-costs-of-going-back-to-school/#comment-2141 Frugalized Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:01:18 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/?p=1392#comment-2141 Regarding coffee, making it yourself and bringing it with you is the way to go. I just wrote <a href="http://www.frugalized.net/2008/10/save-552-by-bringing-your-own-coffee-to-work/" title="Save Money By Making Your Own Coffee - Frugalized.net" rel="nofollow">an article on my blog about saving money by making your own coffee</a> and bringing it with you. The savings over the course of a year is pretty high. Regarding costs for going back to school, I second Nicole -- look out for additional student fees that tend to be hidden and not covered in tuition. That might be a US thing. I'm not sure if schools in France work the same way. Regarding coffee, making it yourself and bringing it with you is the way to go. I just wrote an article on my blog about saving money by making your own coffee and bringing it with you. The savings over the course of a year is pretty high.

Regarding costs for going back to school, I second Nicole — look out for additional student fees that tend to be hidden and not covered in tuition. That might be a US thing. I’m not sure if schools in France work the same way.

]]> By: Nicolehttp://almostfrugal.com/2008/10/06/the-hidden-costs-of-going-back-to-school/#comment-2139 Nicole Tue, 07 Oct 2008 23:11:22 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/?p=1392#comment-2139 I've always hated those bogus fees included in tuition: student activity fee, lab fee, etc. Do you have those in France too? I’ve always hated those bogus fees included in tuition: student activity fee, lab fee, etc. Do you have those in France too?

]]> By: FruGalhttp://almostfrugal.com/2008/10/06/the-hidden-costs-of-going-back-to-school/#comment-2132 FruGal Tue, 07 Oct 2008 15:34:04 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/?p=1392#comment-2132 God, I drank so much coffee at uni! I think I spent more time in the coffee house than I did in classes! Be sure to look for secondhand textbooks, too. I used to work in the bookshop of our university, and each year the textbook lists would come out with new editions, so most students would think they'd need to pay for the new one - but there's hardly any difference between different editions of the same text books. :) God, I drank so much coffee at uni! I think I spent more time in the coffee house than I did in classes! Be sure to look for secondhand textbooks, too. I used to work in the bookshop of our university, and each year the textbook lists would come out with new editions, so most students would think they’d need to pay for the new one – but there’s hardly any difference between different editions of the same text books. :)

]]> By: Amy @ My Daily Dollarshttp://almostfrugal.com/2008/10/06/the-hidden-costs-of-going-back-to-school/#comment-2130 Amy @ My Daily Dollars Tue, 07 Oct 2008 14:26:27 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/?p=1392#comment-2130 Yes, there do seem to be hidden costs to going to school (or work!). I think you've done a great job budgeting for them. Like Vintage Mommy said, awareness is half the battle. I'm impressed that you didn't list clothes. Work clothes are a big expense for me. I suppose it's easier as a student, but I'd think you'd want a few cozy sweaters or sweatshirts for studying. Yes, there do seem to be hidden costs to going to school (or work!). I think you’ve done a great job budgeting for them. Like Vintage Mommy said, awareness is half the battle.

I’m impressed that you didn’t list clothes. Work clothes are a big expense for me. I suppose it’s easier as a student, but I’d think you’d want a few cozy sweaters or sweatshirts for studying.

]]> By: Kellyhttp://almostfrugal.com/2008/10/06/the-hidden-costs-of-going-back-to-school/#comment-2121 Kelly Tue, 07 Oct 2008 09:14:38 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/?p=1392#comment-2121 I've bought my thermos (I found a great one at Ikea, hurrah) and I'm allowing myself one lunch at the student cafeteria per week (for €2.65). We'll be able to go without the printer for a while longer, because I've discovered a special room with computers and an old printer where, if you bring your own paper, you can print stuff for free. I’ve bought my thermos (I found a great one at Ikea, hurrah) and I’m allowing myself one lunch at the student cafeteria per week (for €2.65). We’ll be able to go without the printer for a while longer, because I’ve discovered a special room with computers and an old printer where, if you bring your own paper, you can print stuff for free.

]]> By: Frugal Trencheshttp://almostfrugal.com/2008/10/06/the-hidden-costs-of-going-back-to-school/#comment-2108 Frugal Trenches Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:25:54 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/?p=1392#comment-2108 What a good post, so very true. I think we so often forget those hidden costs! What a good post, so very true. I think we so often forget those hidden costs!

]]> By: Vintage Mommyhttp://almostfrugal.com/2008/10/06/the-hidden-costs-of-going-back-to-school/#comment-2105 Vintage Mommy Mon, 06 Oct 2008 19:00:58 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/?p=1392#comment-2105 I think anytime you're away from home for extended periods of time you end up spending more money, whether it's the occasional coffee treat, a quick lunch, a magazine you see on your travels . . . sounds like you're paying close attention; that's half the battle! I think anytime you're away from home for extended periods of time you end up spending more money, whether it's the occasional coffee treat, a quick lunch, a magazine you see on your travels . . . sounds like you're paying close attention; that's half the battle!

]]> By: Shevyhttp://almostfrugal.com/2008/10/06/the-hidden-costs-of-going-back-to-school/#comment-2106 Shevy Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:39:02 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/?p=1392#comment-2106 I think there are always hidden expenses when you start doing something new (or restart something you used to do). For my daughter, I figured I could afford her ballet lessons and I just gulped and bought her a leotard, tights and slippers all at once six months ago. But this session I had to buy her new tights because the other ones were with laundry that hadn't gotten done at our other house ($10.45) and now I'm going to have to buy her new slippers because ONE has disappeared! I know the baby had it one day but we've looked everywhere we can think of and can't find where she put it. Of course that makes it *my* fault, because I "should never have let the baby have it" even though it was my hubby who left them lying on my bed instead of hanging them up on the hook with the rest of her ballet stuff. We could bat the blame back and forth forever but I'm still going to be out of pocket about another $25. I wouldn't be nearly as upset if she'd outgrown them! At least you expect that to happen. For school, I'd say all kinds of office supplies in addition to highlighters. More pens or coloured ones, a ruler, paper, Postit notes for marking pages, binders, reinforcements, etc. Nothing that costs much, just little nibbles of expenses but they add up. When I did Residential Architectural Design I had to buy some templates or stencils (for drawing in things like toilets and door swings on floor plans) and vellum. I think there are always hidden expenses when you start doing something new (or restart something you used to do).

For my daughter, I figured I could afford her ballet lessons and I just gulped and bought her a leotard, tights and slippers all at once six months ago. But this session I had to buy her new tights because the other ones were with laundry that hadn’t gotten done at our other house ($10.45) and now I’m going to have to buy her new slippers because ONE has disappeared! I know the baby had it one day but we’ve looked everywhere we can think of and can’t find where she put it. Of course that makes it *my* fault, because I “should never have let the baby have it” even though it was my hubby who left them lying on my bed instead of hanging them up on the hook with the rest of her ballet stuff. We could bat the blame back and forth forever but I’m still going to be out of pocket about another $25. I wouldn’t be nearly as upset if she’d outgrown them! At least you expect that to happen.

For school, I’d say all kinds of office supplies in addition to highlighters. More pens or coloured ones, a ruler, paper, Postit notes for marking pages, binders, reinforcements, etc. Nothing that costs much, just little nibbles of expenses but they add up. When I did Residential Architectural Design I had to buy some templates or stencils (for drawing in things like toilets and door swings on floor plans) and vellum.

]]> By: neimanmarxisthttp://almostfrugal.com/2008/10/06/the-hidden-costs-of-going-back-to-school/#comment-2104 neimanmarxist Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:52:59 +0000 http://almostfrugal.com/?p=1392#comment-2104 we bring our lunch to school but coffee is something we both spend money on each and every day :( For a while I was bringing my own in a thermos but since i take mine with milk the acid in the coffee would curdle the milk by the time it was time to drink it. I might start taking it black so that i can bring it in my thermos from home- saving on cash and calories! we walk to school rather than paying the parking. it's 3 miles round trip, which is just a nice way to get exercise in the fall. but the winters here are frigid and that's when it becomes a bit of a sacrifice. we bring our lunch to school but coffee is something we both spend money on each and every day :( For a while I was bringing my own in a thermos but since i take mine with milk the acid in the coffee would curdle the milk by the time it was time to drink it. I might start taking it black so that i can bring it in my thermos from home- saving on cash and calories! we walk to school rather than paying the parking. it’s 3 miles round trip, which is just a nice way to get exercise in the fall. but the winters here are frigid and that’s when it becomes a bit of a sacrifice.

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