Free Stuff for College Students
Where to Find Dorm Room and Student Apartment Essentials for Nothing
Jul 13, 2009
As the price of college becomes increasingly high, students find themselves struggling to pay for the essentials they need for their dorm rooms and apartments. Fortunately, it's not that difficult to find cheap stuff for college students at garage sales, back to school sales, and similar venues.
But what about free stuff for college students? Here are some tips on how to score perfectly good furniture, decorations, and other student essentials for nothing.
The Craigslist Free Listings Page
Craigslist is a great place to find inexpensive used merchandise, but it's also a place to find things for free. Every local Craiglist page has a page devoted to free stuff, where bargain hunters can find everything from free furniture to free dishes to free clothing.
Of course, the quality of this stuff varies, but it's a mistake to assume that it's all junk. Sometimes people list perfectly good stuff for free because it's too much of a hassle to sell it. Often, sellers give up on trying to sell an item and offer it on the free page with hopes of getting rid of it.
When searching the Craigslist free listings, look early and often, as there's plenty of competition for free stuff. For larger items, get ahold of an appropriately sized vehicle so stuff can be picked up right away.
Local "Recycling" Websites
In many areas, websites have been designed exclusively for the purpose of giving away unwanted stuff for free. In part, these websites are designed to help reduce waste in the community by giving people an alternative to dumping unwanted items. As with Craigslist, check these websites early and often, and be prepared with a large enough vehicle to haul stuff away.
Mom and Dad's Closets (and Other Closets)
The parents' closets are great places to find towels, bedding, assorted dishes and appliances, and all kinds of free stuff. However, be sure to try other people's closets as well. A student in need of a particular item might just be able to find one for free by asking around.
Free Samples and Free Coupon Websites
The web is filled with websites that advertise free samples and coupons, and often specifically target college students. Although some of these sites are perfectly legitimate, keep in mind that things are often not as 'free" as they claim. Read the fine print carefully and find out exactly what information needs to be divulged or actions performed to get the free stuff.
Dumpster Diving
Of course, one of the oldest ways to find free stuff is to look on corners and in dumpsters tor rejected items. Like any other items, dumpster dive treasures should be investigated carefully. However, it's quite possible to find perfectly good items this way, as many people resort to dumping stuff instead of going through the hassle of selling it or giving it to charity.
One of the best places for college students to dumpster dive? College campuses, at the end of a semester.
Finding Free Stuff for College Students
Free items that are in decent shape aren't always easy to come by, but with a little work and patience, students can find some real gems out there for their dorm rooms and apartments. By using the web, as well as more traditional methods like dumpster diving and raiding Mom and Dad's closets, students can get ahold of the things they need and save some serious money.
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