Welcome to Tufts! You're now a member of the elite club of New England schools that winces every time the tuition bill arrives sporting a big five-digit number. That's right, paying for college — especially during Orientation when airfare, parents' hotel rooms and U-Hauls come into play — can be a strain on your (or your parents') checkbook. And while there's not much you can do about some of the bigger costs, here are some tips for avoiding unnecessary spending. It's easier than you might think to pinch pennies as you navigate your first few weeks on the Hill on a college student's budget.
Food
Head to Shaw's or Whole Foods for the finer delicacies not available on campus, but if you're just looking for the basics, consider the ultimate perk of freshman year: trick-turning.
Despite the slightly scandalous name (no, we don't advocate you pacing Boston Ave. in high heels looking for lonely strangers), trick-turning is a handy maneuver for keeping your mini-fridge well-stocked. It is, in short, a loophole of the unlimited meal plan which allows diners to visit both a dining hall — Dewick-MacPhie or Carmichael — and Hodgdon Good-to-Go in the same period. Hodgdon Good-to-Go, in addition to hot-food options, carries basic groceries. Thanks to a glitch in the system, Dining Services can only set the registers to detect whether you've already used your meal in one of the orders, so if you do so in the right sequence, you can visit both a cafeteria and Hodgdon in the same meal period. We're not guaranteeing that the party will last forever, but try it out and relish in the joy of stockpiled Gatorade and granola bars.
At the same time, try to avoid local convenience stores and the Tufts bookstore when you're looking for a snack. If you live uphill and can't muster the energy for a trip to Hodgdon, plan ahead and scoop up leftovers from one of the dining halls into some Tupperware. Just be subtle about it, eh?
If your palate is slightly more advanced, Chabad House's standing Friday night dinner and other various on-campus cultural events offer free (and often delicious) alternatives to stir-fry night in Carmichael. Keep an eye on TuftsLife.com and look out for flyers around campus for opportunities to grab a cheap bite.
Textbooks
You don't have to look far to find people groaning about the almost unbearably inflated prices of textbooks these days. One would think that something made of paper, ink and cardboard couldn't possibly get more expensive, but somehow the jaws of sticker-shocked students drop lower and lower each year as the prices of textbooks continue to soar.
While the boy scout motto "be prepared" applies to your academic career in most areas, don't necessarily rush off to buy your books on campus as soon as you pick out your classes. Most professors won't expect you to have them on the first day of class, so take a minute to review some options that won't empty your wallet. If there is a copy of a book available in the Tisch or Ginn Libraries, consult it there or check it out. If someone else beats you to that particular punch, most of the books you need are available on Amazon.com or at Half.com, used, and often for a fraction of the retail price. For instance, a Chemistry 1 textbook goes for $245.00 at the bookstore, but a preliminary search on Amazon reveals several used copies (from highly rated sellers, mind you) starting at around $175. Just wait for your bargains to ship and you'll be glad you skipped the lines. Alternatively, scour TuftsLife's Book Swap page for fellow students desperate to hand off copies of their books from last semester.
In addition, free e-reader downloads, like the ones that can be found at ManyBooks.net, can be harder to navigate but will give you access to everything from the writings of George Bernard Shaw to Paul Farmer.
Trends
Students looking to fill their closets with the latest styles that grace the runways should take a look in their own backyards before racing off to Newbury Street. The Garment District by the Kendall T stop offers the irresistible deal of about $1 per pound — that's right, pound — of clothing you can carry. Even if it isn't exactly littered with designer fashions, it's the place to go if you're willing to dig a little and get creative with the old needle and thread. Or, come October, spend your spare change there on the components of a killer Halloween costume. Also check out Davis Square's own Goodwill and Buffalo Exchange or the sale rack at the Urban Outfitters in Harvard Square for great deals as well.
Cheap ways to clothe yourself can even be found right here on campus—Tufts' Eco-Reps program has been known to host clothing swaps, and depending on how close you are with your roommate (and how differently the Freshman 15 affects each of you), consider sharing each others' clothes. Tread carefully with that last tip, though; as with all else in college, consent is key.
Entertainment and Arts
The kinds of discounts on entertainment you'll get as students in the city won't roll around again until you're considering retirement, so take advantage of the opportunity while you can. The list of unbelievable deals is endless — music fans can start with the Boston Symphony Orchestra's College Card: For an initial $25, students can attend select performances at no additional cost. Music to our ears.
The Museum of Fine Arts, Boston grants free admission to students with a Tufts ID, the Boston Ballet and other theaters across the city sell rush student tickets for $25 or less, and there's always the whole wide world of discounted online ticket sales to explore.
Finally, don't forget that immeasurable talent and stellar performances can be found steps from your dorm room. It would be a mistake to neglect the multiple theatrical, music and dance performances to be found on campus almost every weekend. If movies are more your thing, Tufts Film Series screens popular movies every weekend in Barnum Hall. We could go on and on. Go out and see something cool before you realize you qualify for senior discounts.
RomyOltuski, Jon Cheng and Vicky Rathsmill contributed reporting to this article.
Editor's Note: This article contains information adapted from a similar feature in a previous Matriculation issue.
