As you send your children off to the college, you need to be ready for a lot of things, and that includes their college housing fees. Unless they’re studying within your area, you should look for the best student housing available that could fit your budget. Apart from worrying about their college tuition, your children’s housing expense is another factor to think of. It’s an expense you cannot skip and need to pay for while they’re away from home. But not every family has the capacity to rent the best housing for their child, as this could be very costly.
So, to help you to reduce your child’s college housing expenses, below are some ideas.
Look for Off-Campus Options.
During your child’s college years, staying inside the school’s campus would be beneficial, as they no longer have to worry about traveling to school and being late for class. This could also lessen your worry, knowing they’re inside a safe environment and comfortable as they move around. However, with all these benefits of on-campus housing, there could be added costs, which can be a burden on your pockets.
So to save on college housing expenses, consider looking for off-campus options that offer lower prices. However, not everything might be convenient as your child would need to travel to school and back. But you can always look for travel options that would allow them to commute with ease. Consider going for rentals such as these apartments in West University Place if your child is going to study in one of the colleges there.
But since the housing is off-campus, assess if the environment is safe for your child. Surely, you don’t want to bring your child to a dangerous neighborhood. Aside from not having peace of mind when it comes to your child’s safety, it might even cost you more if they ever encounter a problem while walking in the streets. So search smart and look for the best option for your child that’d allow you to save more money at the same time.
Consider Various Housing Options.
While proximity is your priority when it comes to looking for college housing for your child, you can consider widening your search and exploring various housing options available within the city. You can look for accommodations from sources online, like Myamericanave.com and similar websites, and compare all options to allow you to find the best deal.
As you check out various housing options, try to list their price, their distance from the school, the facilities they offer, and the quality of their building. Of course, it’s important to also check the security of the place. While more affordable housing would allow your pockets to save more, you’d also want to ensure its environment is safe for your child.
Check Housing Packages and Inclusions.
Aside from the cost of rent, also ask for the housing inclusions and the packages they offer that could help you save money along the way. For example, look for student housing that provides free meals for the entire weekday. This way also, your child won’t have to worry about where and what to eat. However, if the accommodation is far from your child’s school, traveling back and forth might be more expensive than getting free meals. But if the housing allows their tenants to pack their lunches with them, it might be a workable option.
On the other hand, some housing might offer additional amenities your child won’t need but are included in the cost. If that’s the case, consider looking for an alternative so you could minimize your housing expenses. Ideally, look for housing with an air conditioning system to ensure comfort for your child during their stay. Other than this, everything else could be workable for your child, like a shared bathroom and kitchen.
Consider On-Campus Job Offers.
Ask your child if they’re willing to consider having a service job within the campus that could help reduce their housing cost. This would also enable them to do something else during their spare time.
Some universities offer service jobs to their students and, in turn, allow discounted rates for their rooms. Your child could help in food preparation, clean-up, and other tasks within the campus. However, you need to be quick and take action as soon as possible as the slots could get easily packed, especially since plenty of families are also looking for similar offers.
Look for Roommates.
One way you can save money with student housing is by looking for a roommate for your child to share the rent. With a roommate, you could reduce the housing costs by up to 50%, which is already a huge discount. Then you can use the extra money for your child’s allowance as well as other important expenses.
In many apartments that allow room sharing, the property owner would normally give you a form to fill out, asking you what kind of roommate you’re looking for. This is a good way to ensure your child will be comfortable with their roommate. It will also help avoid any conflicts when it comes to dealing with noise, cleanliness, etc., especially if they happen to be polar opposites.
Consider a School Close to Home.
If you can’t afford to pay for your child’s student housing, no matter how much savings you get, consider asking your child if it’s okay to enroll in a school near your home, so you won’t have to pay for housing, which could cost thousands of dollars yearly. This way, all you have to worry about is their travel costs.
But since you’re asking your child to live at home, ensure you provide them all their needs, including their privacy and freedom. Also, allow them to study outside your home, if they need to, and permit them to hang out with friends during their free time. If they wish to study at home, provide them a peaceful space where they can’t be disturbed and interrupted, especially during big exams.
