Back to uni on a budget: Stationery edition

This afternoon I wandered into my local Typo store and scored the below pictured A5 diary for 50% off the original price. Having my 2015 diary all sorted for just $8.50, I was pretty ecstatic (check out your local store to see if they have the same deal - 50% off all diaries and planners *selected styles). The result - a light bulb moment for my first blog post!

The lead-up to the uni semester can be tough on the average student's bank account. From course fees to stationery to the dreaded textbooks, it really can add up. Maybe you've spent a little too much on going out (*cough cough* froyo) over the summer, gone a bit crazy over the post-Christmas sales or splurged too much on holiday. Have no fear, you will survive the semester. Just read on.

Here are a few simple tips for cutting the costs of school supplies:

1. Ask yourself: Do I really need this?
Because at least half of the time you don't. I can't count the number of times I've forked over cash for gimmicky pens and pretty notebooks. Not only that, check beforehand that you don't already own some of the items on your to-buy list. Remember, it all adds up.

2. Keep an eye out for sales
Back to school sales start ridiculously early. I've seen back to school promotions from as early as Christmas Eve - as though the holiday period isn't hectic enough already! The immediate post-Christmas period (not just Boxing Day) might be a good day to pick up some goodies if you're looking for items from specialty stationery stores or department stores. Have your favourite stores on email alert and Instagram so you can keep track of relevant promotions. Now, this sale-oriented strategy means that you'll probably end up going shopping multiple times to pick up the various supplies, so use your own judgement to decide if numerous trips are worth it.

3. Split with a buddy
It may be worthwhile (and definitely fun!) to go shopping for school supplies with a sibling or a friend. That way you can split the value-sized packetss of highlighters, pens (who really needs 30) and such - the multi-packs, though ridiculously oversized usually make for better value.

4. O-week freebies
Chances are you'll be able to score a bunch of actually-useful freebies if you turn up to your uni's orientation week. Goodie bags almost always contain pens and you can even get highlighters, diaries and USB thumb drives in some. Get in on the action on the first few days of O-week and you might be able to knock off half of your shopping list!

5. Make use of on-campus resources
The university I attended had a stationery re-use centre where academics could drop off leftover binders and other miscellaneous stationery. The centre also received stationery donations from retailers that were trying to get rid of excess stock. This place was a great source for free stationery, so definitely find out if your campus has a similar option and take advantage of it. Supplies dwindle at certain times of the year, but drop by once in a while and you're sure to find something you can use!

Stay tuned for the next post in this series - Textbook edition!