16 Cheap Alternatives To Things You Need For College
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This post is all about things you need for college.
Hey guys, I know shopping for college can be really exciting but also super expensive! It can seem like every store you walk into has overpriced items or the good stuff is sold out and it’s so hard to find what you need. But have no fear you can def find what you need.
Trust me, I’ve been there, done that. Shopping for college dorm essentials was hella stressful at first. I did not wanna buy overpriced items that I would end up breaking anyway. And then have no money leftover for essential things like food. But guys, there is good stuff out there.
That’s why I made this post to go through 16 of the cheapest alternatives to expensive college accessories/essentials to make it easy for you to find exactly what you need at AFFORDABLE prices! I hope you find all of these helpful and more!
This post shows you cheap options for college things you need.
THINGS YOU NEED FOR COLLEGE
1. Comfy Bed Pillows
Yes, these are so essential! Sure we have basic bed pillows on our bed. But once you experience comfy throw pillows, you will never go back! These are absolutely perfect for when you just wanna lay on your bed and chill, but you’re not trying to actually go to sleep. (Though you can def sleep on these too.)
Can’t say enough good things about these except at that most stores, they are way overpriced. You don’t have to spend a fortune just to have cute comfy pillows that will make all your friends wanna come to your room. You can find quality cheap ones at sites like Amazon.
2. Custom Dorm Curtains/Shades/Blinds
You may not have even thought of this. Trust me, I didn’t at first. But now that you are, I’m sure you can agree this is something you wanna look into. I mean, think about it. You go through all that trouble to customize your dorm room. Making it nice and petty and unique. And then you look up and you still have those same dirty default curtains from the school making your whole room look… gross.
No, you probably won’t be able to take them down if you live in a school dorm. But you CAN put custom dorm curtains over on top of them to cover them up and add some style back. Plus they even have ones that will comply blackout your room making it easier to fall asleep.
3. Throw Blanket
Alright, come on Bed Bath Beyond, why do you have to make your stuff so expensive? Lol. But no really, throw blankets are some of the best items you will want in your dorm. They go right together with the comfy pillows I was taking about when you’re chilling. And make it so easy to snuggle up and relax.
They come in all different textures and sizes. Maybe you want a thick fluffy one that makes your hand feel like silk when you run it across. They have that! Maybe you want a dark faux fur one that covers every inch of your body. They have that too! Whatever you need, you can def find it at a much more affordable price.
4. Bed Comforter
You may be wondering why this is on here. But if you’ve been to Bed Bath and Beyond and other retailers, then you know just how expensive these can be. And it’s not like you can go without having a comforter and just sheets on your bed. I don’t know about you but I need to be comfy when I go to bed.
Instead of wasting have your budget on a simple comforter (that maybe isn’t even the right size cause it was sold out), why not save yourself the long line at Bed Bath and Beyond and get a nice cheap one. You can actually find so many decent quality ones on Amazon, and when you compare the prices, it’s not even close.
5. Laundry Bag
I can’t tell you how important it is to have a laundry bag that actually works for you in college. And this won’t look the same for everyone. If your laundry room is miles down the hall or another floor, maybe you’ll want a bag with straps that you can carry. If you happen to be right near the laundry room, it might actually be better for you to have a sturdy hamper that stays up right on its own.
Whatever it is, you can def find it way cheaper online vs going out in person and competing with the millions of other people last minute shopping. Also you have a lot more options with creative designs to choose from too.
6. Umbrella
Again, this might be something that’s so obvious that you completely forget that you even need one. Pretty much anywhere you live, it will rain at some point. And even worse, it will snow. When you’re trudging back and forth to class, you will def want some protection so it doesn’t look like someone did the Ice Bucket challenge on you.
What’s weird is that an item this basic can often be really expensive depending on where you go. It’s kinda crazy. But trust me, non overpriced versions that still get the job done DO exist. But don’t forget, you also want quality too. You don’t want an umbrella that refuses to open for 5 minutes as you walk out into a downpour. You don’t want an umbrella that starts getting holes in it after a few storms.
7. Portable Printer
If you’re in college, then you know how much of a struggle it is always printing stuff out for class. Maybe an essay, a report, a reading that you’ll be going over in lecture. Sure you can always go to the library. But if you’ve actually been in college, then you know how iffy that is.
For some weird reason, the library (at my school at least) is always busy. There’s always some random class there hogging up all the computers and the printing stations. Maybe this doesn’t seem like an issue at first if you barely go in there.
But when you’re last minute scrambling to print something out for a class that starts in 5 minutes (I know, I’m such a procrastinator lol), that’s when you’ll wish you had your own. And guys, they’re not even expensive. You can get cheap mini ones that you can simply place on your desk and whenever you need something, boom. You can print it out in less than 5 minutes. No stress. No hassle. It is SO worth it.
8. Tissue Boxes
You may be confused as to why this is on here. Tissues are cheap right? Well.. no. Not when you have to buy them in store where they usually don’t even offer the big value packs. And you end up spending way more having to pay multiple trips. And then throw in the fact that it’s hard to find tissues in general at this point due to COVID… yeah no.
It is so much better and cheaper to buy in bulk online. Personally, texture matters to me, so I love Kleenex. But honestly, whatever brand you like, as long as you can buy it in bulk, you will be set. And guys trust me, you may not be wiping your nose every 5 minutes at this very minute but let me tell you, you will notice REAL hard when you are. Don’t put yourself in that position lol.
9. Portable Vacuum Cleaner
If you’ve ever spent at least a little time in a dorm room and went over to a visit a friends, you will know how dirty the floor can get. I mean, think about it. Imagine eating chips at your desk and stuff falls to the floor. Combing your hair and then hairballs accumulating everywhere. Accidentally spilling a drink.. or two. Dirt from your dirty shoes. Do I need to go on? You get the point.
You def need a vacuum cleaner to make sure your room doesn’t turn into a landfill. Yes, many dorms offer a communal huge standard-size vacuum but this so inconvenient when you think about splitting it between everyone else on your floor or building. Yeah no.
It is so much better to have your own little portable one at the top of your closet whenever you need to do a quick clean. They’re super affordable, very convenient, and like I said, you can get them for SO cheap.
10. Bean Bag Chair
I’ve covered this in a different post but I have to say, you need to get this lol! Everyone knows how fun and comfy bean bag chairs are. And there will be plenty of times you just wanna fall over and chill on the floor. But as well know, the floor in college dorms is dirty and gross and who knows how many ppl walked on it. Sure you can sit at a desk chair.. or on your bed.. but thats not the same. Bean bag chairs are the perfect mix of fun and comfort. At some places, they can be way overpriced tho. Thats why you need to know where to look to find them at the right price.
11. Mini Fridge
This one is a no brainer. When you’re living in a dorm, you will def need something to store your perishable food in so it doesn’t get spoiled. Some dorms have communal fridges in the kitchen area etc. But a lot of times these are not only super far away. (Which omg so inconvenient) But they’re also used by everyone else and dangerous to get your food stolen. You have no idea who’s touching your food and I don’t know about you, but I have trust issues lol.
Mini fridges solve all these problems and thankfully they do not have to cost that much money. You can def find them at affordable prices in all different colors.
12. Television
For some reason, when we think of tv, we still think expensive. Probably cause it’s so big. But believe it or not, prices have dramatically come down over the years. More tvs are available. Less people are watching tv in general. So demand and price has come down.
But you probably will still want to have a tv. You don’t even have to watch average cable on it. You can get Netflix, Prime, whatever it is you’d be watching for streaming on there too. And that bigger screen will be much better than simply watching on your laptop. Especially when you have roommates or friends over and you wanna have a movie night. (Just trust me on this.)
Also, they have them in all different sizes too. So you don’t have to get a super huge giant one that won’t even fit in your dorm. The best part though is like I said, you can find them for SO cheap these days.
13. Bomb Suitcase For Traveling
This is so overlooked, but you don’t realize how much traveling you have to do in college. I mean think about it. Back and forth visits to home from campus. Vacation expeditions. Extended stays at a friend’s place. Completely moving all your stuff in and out every year. It’s a LOT.
If we’re gonna be doing all that, it’s crucial to have a suitcase that not only holds up well but looks good as well. I can’t tell you how annoying it is dragging around a suitcase that has holes in it. Or one that’s so old and crusty it looks like it’s from the 19th century. NOT the move.
When you travel, you wanna travel in style. But guys, this doesn’t mean super unbelievably expensive. You can totally find decently priced luggage that will not break down after a few trips. (The struggle lol).
14. Desk Fan or Standing Fan
This is probably something else I should mention could be needed ASAP. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like burning to death. A lot of times we don’t have control over which dorm building we get placed in. And a lot of them are so old that they don’t even have built in AC.
Not only is this uncomfortable but it’s incredibly difficult to even function. I’m one of those people who needs a cool room to sleep. I also find it difficult to study if my skin is literally burning off. Luckily, fans are a gift sent from god to save us lol!
You have 3 main options. Window fan. Standing fan. Or desk fan. They’re all great options and if you’re like me, you’ll get all 3 lol. But if you have to choose one, I’d suggest a standing fan because they can spin and turn, circulating air in your room while also blowing wind right in your face. The perfect combo.
15. Ironing Board
I kinda doubt that you even thought about this as something you would need. It’s not the kinda thing you immediately think of when considering college dorm items. So many people overlook it (including me). But guys, when you’re interviewing for internships or part-time jobs or have to dress up fancy for a presentation.. you will need this. The quickest way to botch a first impression is walking into something formal like that with wrinkled clothes.
And these days portable ironing boards are so affordable and convenient. They can fold up all the way and fit at the top of closet for just when you need them and don’t look ugly.
16. Backpack
Wow, the fact that this is even on here is kinda sad. Why are backpacks so overpriced lol? This is literally the most essential item for a student and you need it to carry all your stuff. Unfortunately, not only are a lot of them overpriced but they’re also made with poor quality so there’s always breaking and ripping and then you have to buy a whole new one anyway! It’s so ridiculous.
And if you’re like me, then you def don’t wanna compromise style either. So you want something that looks good, doesn’t rip easily, and also isn’t super expensive. Is that too much to ask? Lol no. I got you.
