Cheap Shopping for Dorm Rooms

Everyone who is heading off to college for the first time knows the excitement of moving into a dorm (or apartment) room. Usually the process is filled with frantic wandering around different stores, searching for the best deals on dorm ware, towels, sheets, pillows, and compactable laundry hampers. Many mothers get thoroughly excited about the whole process, purchasing cute, matching or color coordinating items for their offspring-whether boys or girls. Random little items have to be purchased, such as trash baskets and laundry detergent as well as basic things such as shower flip flops to protect student's feet from the filth of dorm showers. For anyone who is running around this season looking for the best deals on dorm room gear, here is a list of places to check out for good deals.

1) Dollar Tree shops: With all items for a dollar, the Dollar Tree chain of dollar stores runs all across the nation offering customers with a wide range of items for only one dollar. I would suggest buying little plastic trash cans and storage containers (such as shower caddies) from these stores. The Dollar Tree also has cheap laundry bags; these bags work fine, but I have found that they have to be replaced fairly often as they tend to break easily.

2) 99 cent shops: Throughout all of Southern California, these places are a great alternative to the dollar tree for anyone who lives in this region. Out of all of the stores that I perused looking for clothing hangers, these stores seemed to offer the best deal with ten hangers for only ninety-nine cents. (The Dollar Tree offered eight hangers for one dollar and Walmart offered a similar price).

3) Walmart: As usual, Walmart tends to offer cheap prices on decent quality goods. For anyone buying a new bedspread or sheets, I would suggest browsing through Walmart's selections. I was able to find a comforter, sheets, pillow case and sham, and bed skirt set at Walmart for a mere thirty dollars. The sheet prices at these stores seemed to be lower than what most other stores could offer as well.

4) JC Penny's: Shockingly enough, stores like Penny's often offer good "back to school" deals. I was able to find good quality thick bath towels at Penny's for only four dollars. (While I was able to find cheaper towels at Walmart, the quality of these other towels was better for the price paid).

5) Bed, Bath, and Beyond: Although much of the merchandise is overpriced, many Bed, Bath, and Beyond stores offer decent "back to school" deals and even send out coupons to potential customers within the area of their stores. Often these coupons, combined with the back to school deals, will get you good prices on quality items.