I'm a poor student. Help me save money!

[wtd]

So, you're going to university and need to save money. Here are a few tips.

1. Shop for refurbished desktops and notebooks.
   
   Apple offers refurbished computers that go for reduced prices online but have been restored to new condition and come with a full warranty. There is no reason not to buy one of these. Manufacturers like Dell and Lenovo offer similar opportunities on their business-oriented computers through their "outlet" stores online.
   
   A 2GHz aluminum MacBook with 2GB of RAM and 160GB hard drive currently goes for $1,049 refurbished. The least expensive new 13.3" MacBook Pro is a bit faster, and has Firewire, an SD slot and ambient light sensor, but nothing absolutely essential for a student on a budget goes for $1,399. That's $350 in your pocket.
   
   
2. Don't pay for Office.
   
   You can use OpenOffice.org for free, but if you absolutely need Microsoft Office, check for discounts through Microsoft itself or your university/college bookstore. You can often get a license from your school for a pittance. You shouldn't pay full price.
   
   
3. Buy a laser printer.
   
   Stores like to sell absurdly cheap inkjet printers for the back-to-school season. Unless you need to print lots of photos, you should probably pass on these and invest in a laser printer. If you need color, color laser printers can still be had for very low prices these days.
   

[endless]

i agree with openoffice.org, great piece of freeware.

being a cheap student, i have decided to go without a printer all together. is this a bad idea? i am a CS major and figure that being in res, i will have access to a printert. i do realize that once i move to an apartment i will need to buy one.

[DtY]

Don't pay for any software, pretty much any piece of commercial software has an open source "rip off" that is just as, if not more functional.

[Euphoracle]

wtd @ Sat Sep 05, 2009 6:32 pm wrote:

So, you're going to university and need to save money. Here are a few tips.
]Don't pay for Office.

You can use OpenOffice.org for free, but if you absolutely need Microsoft Office, check for discounts through Microsoft itself or your university/college bookstore. You can often get a license from your school for a pittance. You shouldn't pay full price.

http://www.microsoft.com/student/discounts/theultimatesteal-ca/default.aspx?wt.srch=1

[saltpro15]

I'd like to add : learn to love Red River cereal and those "Just Add Water" noodle bowls.

[cwarrior]

1. Do you really need a computer?

Most likely you don't as it will be more a distraction than a learning tool. So, just go to the school's library or to a computer lab.

2. Mod edit: wat.

3 Don't buy a printer!

Just use one of the plenty that the school has. I mean that why they are there.

4 Hungry?

Join clubs and attend workshops as they often conduct meeting in which participants get free meals.
Don't go to the extremes of shoplifting from a store that does not have barcode scanners, it is not nice!

5 Books?

There is many options for this one:
-Buy them used
-Get them from the library if they are available
-Mod edit: wat.
and for homework questions just get them from a friend.

6. Condoms?
You can usually get them for free at any sex clinic or even at the school just ask around

and finally the best advice would just become friends with people that have money.

Mod edit: Removed torrent references.

[Analysis Mode]

Don't go to school! Become a cashier at Wal-Mart (don't worry, I have nothing against cashiers at Wal-Mart)! Who knows, maybe you'll be store manager after 50 years?

[md]

cwarrior @ 2009-09-06, 11:30 pm wrote:

4 Hungry?

Join clubs and attend workshops as they often conduct meeting in which participants get free meals.
Don't go to the extremes of shoplifting from a store that does not have barcode scanners, it is not nice!

Don't go to clubs to get free food. You will be kicked out and ostrasized. If you're so poor you can't afford to eat then you are doing something seriously wrong. And items 1-3 show someone who may not be the best model... those with laptops who use them to study usually do better (IMNSHO).

[cwarrior]

Why are my torrent references deleted is not like I'm giving any links to any torrents?

[md]

cwarrior @ 2009-09-07, 1:01 am wrote:

Why are my torrent references deleted is not like I'm giving any links to any torrents?

Compsci.ca does not support copyright infringment (though many of us support copyright reform).

[x30Jx]

I can understand if you remove information about torrents to save money by getting free stuff that ought to be paid for, but do you black list ALL torrent info? Cause OOo is distributable through torrents, so is other freeware, and some music demos and stuff...

[rdrake]

x30Jx @ Tue Sep 08, 2009 3:21 pm wrote:

I can understand if you remove information about torrents to save money by getting free stuff that ought to be paid for, but do you black list ALL torrent info? Cause OOo is distributable through torrents, so is other freeware, and some music demos and stuff...

No, not all. You're welcome to start a thread with tutorials on how to use bittorrent, post links to various legit torrents, etc. Just don't post "download all of your textbooks for free."

So if you want, start a thread containing links to OOo/Linux/etc. torrents.

[cwarrior]

copyright infringment for the win!!!

[jernst]

...back to the topic of saving money....
(and a shameless promotion of the ACM)

If your school doesn't offer subscriptions to popular software (office, windows etc) consider joining a student chapter of the ACM or IEEE. It costs fairly little to join as a student (I think the prices range based on where you are)

With the student membership, you get access to an MSDNAA subscription which allows you to have access to many expensive software packages.

[apomb]

That is a good idea jernst. Although, even before I joined IEEE, my school gave every technology student access to msdnaa with tuition. I'm not sure how many other schools do this, but both schools ive gone to have.