Heading off to college usually involves a lengthy — and expensive — shopping list. To stick to your budget, you’ll need to be smart about what you’re investing your money in. Here are a few items to keep in mind.
Sturdy Backpack
You’ll be lugging plenty of study materials around campus for at least four years, so do your future self — and your back — a favor and invest in a sturdy backpack to haul it all around. Look for a design that is as sturdy as it is sleek so that it can easily transition as a work bag for your internship or first job. Key features to look for are a special padded laptop section, hidden compartments for valuables, as well as plenty of other storage compartments to keep the rest of your essentials organized and accessible.
Shower Curtain & Other Bathroom Linens
It’s worth splurging on a quality shower curtain to keep your bathroom looking clean and elevate the style of your space for a more adult look. Be sure to protect your shower curtain from mold and mildew by using a mildew-resistant liner. This can prevent mildew from growing, which can also save you time cleaning your bathroom.
Instead of buying the cheapest towels you can find in bulk, spring for towels that cost a little more. High-quality bath towels, hand towels and washcloths will often wash and wear better, lasting longer and saving you money in the long run. Skip the colorful options in favor of solid white towels that can easily be bleached to look like new if they stain or start to discolor.
Reusable Water Bottle
Maintaining optimal hydration offers a host of health benefits, from aiding digestion and helping you feel more energized to improving the look of your skin and promoting overall immunity. And if you are living it up in the typical college fashion and going out drinking with your friends often, hydration is even more important to ward off those dreaded hangovers.
Splurge on a double-walled stainless steel water bottle from Hydroflask, Swell or Klean Kanteen. While plastic water bottles, even the reusable kind, can leach chemicals into your water, stainless steel water bottles are safer and more eco-friendly. The sturdy construction also means this style of water bottle is more durable and can stand up to the drop and tumbles that can occur as you tote it around on campus daily. Double-walled, vacuum-insulated construction is key for temperature stability, keeping your water cold for hours in any environment.
Wireless Key Finder
You’ve got a lot going on and all of that juggling can make it easy to lose track of the simplest little things, like your keys. Save yourself the headache of furiously tearing your place apart looking for your keys by investing in a wireless key finder. This ingenious little device attaches to your keyring and uses a Bluetooth signal to pair with your phone. When you cannot locate your keys, simply deploy the find feature from the device app on your phone and it will begin playing a designated finder tune to help guide you toward your keys.
By splurging on the above items, you can enjoy years of use and spend less sweating the small stuff and more time focusing on your studies.