How to tame college costs

School just started and for parents of college-age children that means it’s time to open up the wallet.

In addition to tuition, there are ‘lab fees, recreation fees, computer fees, materials fees, and then a bus pass! “We did not realize nearly every class would have fees associated with it,” says Judy McNary, a financial adviser in Broomfield, Colorado, who has three children attending the University of Colorado. “When one of my children adds a class,” McNary says, “it seems like there is some sort of fee that gets added as well to the tuition.”

With all the added costs associated with the academic side of college, it can pay greatly to look for ways to cut back in different areas of college life.

Here are five areas where you can cut costs:

Room and board

One of the largest expenses of the college experience, basic living costs can even surpass tuition. While some schools require students to live on campus for at least their freshman year, and financial-aid packages could help alleviate some of the cost of room and board, it is still worth it to run the numbers and see if living off campus could be a better deal for at least part of a student’s time at college.

“If you can live off campus, you can save so much money because you can have more roommates and can save a lot of money on food,” says Zac Bissonnette, a senior at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Those looking to save money living on campus should consider being a resident adviser, or RA, after freshman year. In many cases, the school will cover the full cost of on-campus room and board for RAs. “People don’t even think about it, but it’s a great deal,” says Lynn O’Shaughnessy, a blogger.

Books

Textbooks are the next big drain on your wallet. One way to save money is to look into purchasing a used copy of an older edition of the textbook. “If the school’s using the eighth edition but you can get the sixth or seventh edition for $10, that can be a big savings,” says O’Shaughnessy. Be sure to check with your professor before going this route, just in case there’s a good reason that you need the newest edition, says Bissonnette.

“Sometimes the professor will say no to an old edition if it’s a class that’s dependent on the textbook,” he says. But it’s still worth asking. Another option is to rent your textbooks. Websites like Chegg.com or BookRenter.com allow users to rent textbooks, typically for 65 percent to 85 percent off the price of a new book.

Technology:

A computer is essential to the college experience, but one piece of technology you can save on is a printer. There are some good deals available for printers during the back-to-school retail season, but there may be ways for you to print free of charge, allowing you to forgo not only the cost of the printer itself, but also the cost of ink and paper - two things that can really add up by the end of the school year.

You may find free printing somewhere on campus, possibly at the library, student union or in certain classrooms.

Transportation

“Leave the car at home,” says O’Shaughnessy. The school might have a discount on public transportation, and in some cases, you might already be paying for the transportation, so use it.

McNary, the Colorado financial adviser, says that while she was surprised that she was required to pay the fee for her three kids to have a bus pass every year, it has not been a bad thing. “It’s been good for them to use the bus,” she says.

Health Insurance

Another area where you can potentially save some money is with health insurance.

Parents should check their policies to be sure they understand potential out-of-pocket costs, especially if their child is going to school out of state and will not have access to in-network physicians, says Holland.

Compare these costs with the college’s health plan to see which option is least expensive and provides the best coverage.