Tips and Tricks for Off Campus Living (and Saving Money too!)
From personal experience, living in the dorms isn’t always the most pleasant experience, and many students choose to move out of the dorms after their freshman year. There are a lot of benefits to getting an apartment, including more privacy and your own room and kitchen, among other things. In addition, apartment living can give you more independence and freedom, since you can have friends over and do what you want without having to deal with the often overzealous campus security officers.
To that end, I’ve put together a short list of resources and tips if you are thinking about living off campus that will definitely help you save money and live more comfortably during your new adventure.
Finding an apartment. Thankfully, many schools have an office set up expressly for the purpose of linking students up to find apartments or as sort of a roommate matchmaking service. At Suffolk University, my alma mater, it was called the Off Campus Housing Office (OCHO)… your school probably has a similar name, and if you look on their website it should be relatively easy to find. In addition, there are a ton of websites online devoted to matching people together for roommate situations and apartment searching, including Rent.com and Roommates.com. Craigslist.org can be a great resource for apartment searching too, though I advise a cautious attitude when looking at apartments to make sure everything is working properly and to always bring a buddy – they often will notice things that you may not at first, and the buddy system is always smart when going somewhere you aren’t familiar with.
One point I’d like to make in favor of apartments is you often can save a lot of money by living in one. In 2009, the average cost of Room & Board at a private 4-year university came to $9,363 nationally. If you have one or two roommates and are somewhat frugal, you can save close to 30% on that cost (and potentially more) depending on where you live. Note: This is not applicable to all schools, since the city is usually more expensive, and for a suburban or rural school, a dorm may end up just being a better option and much more convenient for the average student.
Renter’s insurance. Renter’s insurance is the best friend of any student and apartment dweller, because it is inexpensive and protects all your valuables. Although the price varies from state to state, it usually costs around $200 a year to insure up to $20,000 worth of clothing, electronics etc. in case of burglary, fire, and other mishaps and/or forces of nature. One thing I recommend checking on is if your insurance package covers flood, because if the sprinklers go off in a fire suppression system, they WILL ruin your electronics and most dorms and landlords make sure they aren’t legally obligated to replace that type of stuff.
Gift cards instead of cash. This may sound kind of weird at first, but there’s a really good reason why gift cards (especially for supermarkets, etc.) are way better than cash: you can’t blow a grocery gift card on clothes or something else. During my time at school, I found that the more you have paper money, the more it burns a hole in your pocket and you’re tempted to spend it on something you don’t necessarily need. A gift card just ensures that you are using it for the intended purpose.
A backup credit card. Yes, student credit cards are very controversial. I’ve seen countless comments on these blogs that make excellent points why they can be a bad idea in the wrong hands, but here’s my argument for why you should have one: if you get into trouble, it can be a lifesaver.
My personal example for why a credit card is important comes from my sophomore year at school, when I was working part time to pay for my food costs (I was living off campus) and utilities. Basically, I had been laid off my job because of downsizing efforts, and I went through a three month period of being underemployed before I eventually found a replacement job. Without a credit card to finance basic needs like food, it would not have been a pretty situation.
This is just something to think about… because in our current economy, you always need to have a backup plan. A student credit card can be a blessing and a curse, but in my experience, it was a valuable tool that tided me over during a hard time and I am very thankful that I had it in the first place.
ScholarshipPoints code: OFFCAMPUSLIFE
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Gives insight to how to plan for the future
thanks!
this was very helpful information. i am definately going to consider it.
Very helpful. I hope to find an apartment after my freshman year, if possible.
very helpful
i love living off campus and i have saved in the long run than living on campus!
Live with the parents now, but I would love to get out on my own and get an apt.
i love living whit my brother but i will like to get my own apartment
This blog is very helpful information for off campus living. I would also add that learning the businesses in the community would a plus as well.
thank you for the information on gift cards…now know what to ask for. I pay about 18% of what my room and board would be just by living in an apartment. And, it's just more personal and private living.
Absolutely. Plus, you usually can paint the walls and really make an apartment more "you" than a dorm room. Usually quieter too.
This article was very helpful. I always wanted to live off campus, and I feel like this gave me a heads up on what to expect.
so living off campus would benefit me in more ways than I thought so I may save up and lice off campus instead of on campus but have to think more on it.
This information will be helpful for me in future!
I will be living off campus (with my family) ,but it gives students that don't have that option.some good information and tips to help them.
It is always good to live off campus if you have the wherewithal to go for it
Very helpful, i really like this idea
AMAZING ARTICLE!!! Currently going through the problem of deciding where to live. This really opened my eyes about off-campus living. Thank you!!!
Interesting.
I would have never thought that a credit card
could become a savior. This has made me
think over of how credit cards can become helpful one day.
Thanks!
very informative:) i wont be living on campus or will
have to pay for rent. i guess its good to have family
in the same area where you plan on attending college:))
Great! Thanks
i have to live in a dorm because i'm moving 9 and a half hours away from my family, but hopefully i can make the best of everything
good stuff! i never would have thought of some of that on my own! like the gift card idea. very valuble ideas!
I WILL TAKE ALL OF YOUR ADVICE INTO CONSIDERATION; thank you verry very much.
i never think that living in dorm costs more than living in an apartment. I'll consider that option now
By living off-campus, does this deprive you of any social college experiences or do you think it the same as living on campus?
Hello Desirae,
I think it entirely depends on what type of school you are going to. Not every college truly has a "campus", so student life and the school's vibe is different every time. For instance, Suffolk University in Boston has a few dorms scattered around… but no main hub for students.
The best way to find out how your school works is really to ask a couple students. If you are taking a campus tour, ask a few people if they live on or off-campus and see how they feel about it.