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Mixed race college students relaxing in dorm
Mixed race college students relaxing in dorm
Peathegee Inc—Getty Images/Blend Images RM

Decorating a dorm room can be expensive. But the savvy authors of the blog "Grown & Flown" have a few tips on how to make dorm decorating affordable. So, before you rush out with your list to the nearest big-box store, keep these three things in mind:

  1. Only buy what your student absolutely needs. And if you forget something, Amazon Student Prime offers free two-day shipping for the first six months.
  2. Shop around. You never have to pay full price if you scout the sales and use coupons.
  3. "Shop" at home first. You don't need to buy everything new. Stuff you already have around the house could work just as well.

Related: Save Big Bucks on College Dorm Shopping This Year