The Money Coach
  • About
    • Meet Lynnette
    • Media Kit
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Submit an Article
  • Books
  • Categories
  • Coaching
  • Book Lynnette
  • Money Coach University™
No Result
View All Result
The Money Coach
  • About
    • Meet Lynnette
    • Media Kit
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
  • Submit an Article
No Result
View All Result
The Money Coach
No Result
View All Result

How To Save Money on College Room and Board

Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach by Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach
in Paying for College
Reading Time: 4 mins read
room and board
40
SHARES
671
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedIn

Room and board at colleges and universities nationwide is awfully expensive, in the range of 8,145 to $11,745 per year, according to data from the College Board.

So what’s a student to do to slash some of these costs – especially when you’re already struggling to pay for tuition and fees, books and supplies, as well as other college-related expenses?

Here are 3 do’s and don’ts to save money on college room and board, as highlighted in my book, College Secrets.

Forgo All-You-Can-Eat Meal Plans

Besides the cost of living in a dorm or campus apartment, you’ll also have to pay for food. No one can study effectively on an empty stomach, right?

Well, you definitely want to be well fed and nourished when you’re a college student. But you don’t have to go to two opposite extremes either: gorging yourself just because food is available or wasting money paying for food you’ll never eat.

Either problem can occur for students who have “all you can eat” meal plans.

You’ve heard of that expression: “the freshman 15,” right? It refers to the 15 pounds that students often gain during their first year of college.

Some weight gain could just be from hitting the books so much that students stop being as active as they were in high school, when mandatory physical education classes were the norm.

But some students may see weight creep because they’re eating a lot of junk food, or they’re simply eating too much.

All-you-can-eat or “unlimited” meal plans may encourage constant snacking and over-indulgence. Why stop at three meals a day and snacks, when you can go on some campuses for a 24-hour pizza run, and it’s “free” as part of your meal plan?

Do you get my point?

Health issues aside, many students find that once they get into the rhythm of college life, they simply don’t eat three meals and multiple snacks each day.

Some are just fine to eat a late breakfast and an early dinner. Others meter out meals based on their sleeping schedule and class load.

Whatever the case, know that many schools offer mid-range eating plans — such as 14 to 20 meals per week. For a lot of students, this is just fine in an average 7-day period.

For those who actually find themselves hungry later, they can always bump up their meal plans. But it’s best to start off conservatively, save money, and see what the student’s eating habits truly entail.College Secrets by Lynnette Khalfani-Cox

Don’t Forget to Strive for Housing Scholarships

 Another way to slash your housing expenses is to strive for housing scholarships.

The way you do this, quite simply, is by being the very best student you can possibly be.

Earning a housing scholarship usually requires excellence, and many colleges and universities award free housing on a very competitive basis.

Take Morehead State University, in Morehead, KY, for instance. The university grants about 100 full tuition and university housing scholarships each year via its Presidential Scholarship Program.

The awards go primarily to National Merit Scholars, Semi-Finalists and Finalists, valedictorians, as well as high-performing students with top grades and stellar standardized test scores.

Any school you’re considering that offers merit aid may also provide housing scholarships. They award these sought-after funds to the very best students who apply.

To find such a housing scholarship, do some online research for the college or university you’re interested in or are already attending.

Many schools use similar names to describe their top academic awards, including those with full tuition and housing allowances.

Among these awards are: “Presidential Scholarships” “University Scholarships” “Chancellor’s Scholarships” “Regents Scholarships” “Dean’s Scholarships” and “Founders Scholarships.”

If you nab a full ride scholarship — one that covers tuition, fees, room and board — all your worries about those upfront college expenses will likely melt away.

Consider Becoming a Resident Advisor

Resident advisers are students who live and work in dormitories and other campus-based housing complexes.

An “R.A.,” as they’re called, works by helping other students deal with a number of issues. An R.A. could be called upon to help settle a roommate dispute, to open a locked door for a student who forgot his room key, or to arrange events in the common spaces of the dorm.

Most R.A.s are juniors and seniors in college, though some are sophomores or even graduate students. Freshmen don’t serve as R.A.s for obvious reasons — they’re newbies who are just getting to know a campus.

But after you’ve been around a school for a year or longer, it’s worth considering becoming an R.A.

Not only will you get to know most students in your housing unit — or at least on your floor — you’ll also get to save money on housing expenses. That’s because an R.A. typically receives either free room and board, or a housing allowance to partially cover room charges.

At least one of these three strategies is bound to work for you when it comes to cutting room and board expenses at your college or university. In fact, if you use multiple strategies in combination, you’ll save even more cash year after year.

Download a free excerpt of College Secrets.

Tags: room and board
Previous Post

5 Tips to Save Money When Selling Your Home

Next Post

Save Money With Free Open-Source Textbooks

Related Posts

desola-lanre-ologun-IgUR1iX0mqM-unsplash

40 Scholarships for African American Students

by AskTheMoneyCoach

Getting a college education is often a crucial way to break the cycle of poverty and create opportunities for personal and professional growth. Unfortunately, systemic inequality and historical barriers have made it difficult for some communities to access higher education, including African Americans. However, there are organizations and institutions dedicated...

Mini graduation mortar board cap on money -- education cost or scholarship concept

How to Apply for a Pell Grant and Get Money for College

by AskTheMoneyCoach

Are you worried about how you're going to pay for college? A Pell Grant can be a great way to get money for school, and it doesn't have to be paid back. In this article, we'll show you how to apply for a Pell Grant and maximize your eligibility to...

Happy Asian Young Businesswoman or University Student reading documents reports papers, entrepreneur working on line typing laptop at office computer room,smile writing notes in paperwork at desk busy

How to Find a Reputable College Essay Writing Service

by Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach

In today's fast-paced academic environment, college students are increasingly turning to professional essay-writing services to help them complete their coursework. With so many options available, finding a reputable company that will provide high-quality work at an affordable price can be challenging.  In this article, we share tips on how to...

Cropped image of school student writing essay in notebook

Pros and Cons of Using College Essay Writing Services

by AskTheMoneyCoach

College essay writing services are companies that assist students in completing their written academic assignments. These companies employ a team of professional writers with experience writing various types of academic papers, such as essays, research papers, and dissertations. In addition, they provide students with customized writing services according to their...

Modern apartment buildings on a sunny day with a blue sky. Facade of a modern apartment building. New apartment building

Five Tips for Renting Good Value Apartments Near Colleges

by AskTheMoneyCoach

If you or your child attends a college or university – or will be going off to college soon – you’ll face a big decision about where to spend those years on campus.  Specifically, does the student prefer to live in campus housing, like dorms, or do they want the...

Scholarship graduation cap on money with magnifying glass money for college

Where to Find Money for College

by AskTheMoneyCoach

College is a time of growth, learning, and discovery. But it can also be expensive. Fortunately, many resources are available to help students find money for college. In this article, we'll explore ten companies and resources that can help students finance their education. Federal Student Aid - Federal Student Aid...

Portrait of young African-American graphic designer looking and smiling at camera while sitting at desk in office

10 Ways High School Students Can Earn Money

by AskTheMoneyCoach

As a high school student, you may be looking for ways to make money to pay for your expenses or save up for the future. Fortunately, plenty of opportunities are available to earn extra cash. Here are ten ways for high school students to make money. Babysitting: Babysitting is an...

Load More

Popular Posts

  • Car repair

    What to Do If You Can’t Afford a Car Repair Bill

    1526 shares
    Share 610 Tweet 382
  • What to Do if Your Spouse Stole Money From You

    1308 shares
    Share 523 Tweet 327
  • What to Do If You Can’t Afford to Leave Your Spouse

    1273 shares
    Share 509 Tweet 318
  • Here’s Why I Pay My Kids For Good Grades (And Maybe You Should Too)

    1129 shares
    Share 451 Tweet 282
  • What Do All Those Strange Codes In My Credit Report Mean?

    899 shares
    Share 360 Tweet 225
  • Which Credit Report is More Important: Equifax, Experian or TransUnion?

    866 shares
    Share 346 Tweet 217
  • Do This Now If Your Wages Were Not Reported

    853 shares
    Share 341 Tweet 213

Categories

  • Bankruptcy
  • Budgeting
  • Building Wealth
  • Careers
  • Couples and Money
  • Coupons and Deals
  • Covid-19
  • Covid-19 Video
  • Credit Cards
  • Credit Reports
  • Credit Scores
  • Crypto
  • Debt
  • Entrepreneurship
  • Family Finances
  • Featured
  • Identity Theft
  • Insurance
  • Investing
  • Loans
  • Paying for College
  • Personal Finance
  • Press Releases
  • Real Estate
  • Retirement
  • Saving Money
  • Scams
  • Student Loans
  • Taxes
  • Uncategorized

All information on this blog is for educational purposes only. Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach, is not a certified financial planner, registered investment adviser, or attorney. If you need specialty financial, investment or legal advice, please consult the appropriate professional. Advertising Disclosure: This site may accept advertising, affiliate payments or other forms of compensation from companies mentioned in articles. This compensation may impact how and where products and companies appear on this site. AskTheMoneyCoach™ and Lynnette Khalfani-Cox, The Money Coach® are trademarks of TheMoneyCoach.net, LLC.

©2009-2023 TheMoneyCoach.net, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

RSS / Sitemap /Submit an Article / Privacy Policy / LynnetteKhalfaniCox.com

No Result
View All Result
  • Books
  • Categories
  • Contact Lynnette
  • Get Coaching
  • Book Lynnette
  • Money Coach University™
  • Home
  • Subscribe to Newsletter
  • Submit an Article

©2009-2023 TheMoneyCoach.net, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist