It seems like the school year starts sooner every year. With tax holidays, sales flyers and special promotions to keep track of, it’s tough to make sure you’re saving money when filling up your shopping basket with back-to-school clothes, electronics and more. Be sure to check out the main Ben’s Bargains deal feed updated multiple times daily with the latest back-to-school deals for the new school year.

With nearly two decades of experience under our belt, we have seen countless back-to-school sales and promotions. In order to give you an accurate forecast on when you will be able to get the best deals on back-to-school shopping, we compiled historical data on all back-to-school sales and deals.

Specifically, we looked at the popularity of each deal within our community, the volume of deals within a product category and the average price of those deals. On a monthly basis, our data set included between 4,100 to 4,400 deals. That’s approximately 17,000 deals over the four-month period between July and October.

While we have provided a handy guide below to help figure out when to start shopping for  back-to-school products, here are a few of the highlights:

1. When shopping for back-to-school clothing and shoes, there’s no better month than August. Specifically, prices of apparel deals are about 18 percent lower than September and October. Shoes are discounted at an even larger margin, approximately 30 percent cheaper than waiting until September or October.

2. If you can wait until early October to purchase a new laptop for your student, you will end up saving nearly 10 percent over prices in July and August. Obviously, waiting until the Black Friday shopping period would offer even greater savings, but your student would be without a laptop until the end of November. Keep an eye on Amazon, Newegg, Dell, HP and Lenovo for the best deals.

3. Mid to late September is the best time to purchase mobile devices like smartphones, tablets and eReaders. Many manufacturers introduce new models prior to the fourth quarter, thus previous generation models are heavily discounted. Smartphones are a particularly good buy during September at Best Buy and Amazon, about 15 percent less than other back-to-school shopping months.

4. If you’re outfitting a dorm room or college apartment with home theater gear like televisions, headphones, media players or speakers, September is your best best. However, if you need furniture, kitchen appliances or tools for that first place away from home, it’s best to wait until October in order to save the most money. Of course, your college student will have to get by on cheap Craigslist couches and a handheld can opener until then.

Ben’s Bargains Back-to-School Shopping Guide

(Click to expand)

6 More Back-to-School Shopping Tips

1. Take an inventory of what you already have. There’s no reason to purchase a duplicate of something that you purchased last year, as long as it’s still useful. For example, with computers, look to upgrade your current hardware over purchasing an entirely new laptop or desktop computer. Simply adding an SSD hard drive or more RAM can significantly boost the performance of your computer without breaking the bank. Simple tutorials for both upgrades can be found on YouTube.

Regarding basic school supplies, set up a central location within the home to collect and store all supplies. This will help you see what you have and restock as the school year progresses. Watch for major back-to-school sales at Office Depot, OfficeMax and Staples during the first half of August.

2. Figure out what you shouldn’t buy. Put yourself in the shoes of your student. Do they really need a printer or can they print off their assignments in a computer lab? Do they really need a USB flash drive or can they simply use a service like Dropbox to share data between computers? Are the majority of school assignments going to be submitted digitally? If so, reduce the portion of your budget dedicated to office supplies.

3. Don’t pay sales tax if you don’t have to. Be sure to check out the list of 2018 sales tax holidays to see if your state participates. While mostly offered in Southern states, some states offer huge savings for families. For instance, South Carolina has no cap on back-to-school purchases that qualify for the no sales tax benefit.

4. Team up with other families for bulk purchases. Reach out to other families within your school’s community and talk about purchasing school supplies in bulk. Many times, warehouse clubs like Sam’s Club and Costco will offer great deals, but the quantity is too big for the traditional family. Joining forces with another family can cut down the cost even more and allow you to split up the supplies.

5. College students should investigate textbook rentals. Textbook rentals are extremely helpful in order to avoid insane textbook prices at the college bookstore. While the go-to retailer is Amazon for physical textbook rentals, be sure to check out the Google Play store if your student has an Android device and wants to rent a digital textbook. Chegg is also an option.

6. For big ticket items, set up a deal alert. If you are shopping for something expensive like a laptop, let us do the work for you with a deal alert and send you an email notification when something hits your price point. With the 17,000+ deals we publish during the back-to-school period, we can definitely help you save money this year. You can also take a quick look at the main Ben’s Bargains deal feed to see the best deals on any given day.

The Best Time to Find Amazing Back-To-School Deals

If you are shopping for a back-to-school laptop, be sure to check out our Laptop Deal Feed to find all the hottest deals. Also, read over these tips in order to help you understand what’s important to students and how you can help set up a student with a laptop that will last them through high school or college.

1. Size and Portability Are Vital

While you may find a great deal on a 15-inch or 17-inch laptop, lugging around a giant beast of a laptop from class to class is definitely not fun— especially when there are heavy textbooks stuffed into the backpack or laptop bag.

13- to 14-inch models seem to be the sweet spot for students, however let them test out an 11-inch model to see if they would trade screen size for even more portability.

Going with an ultrabook under 4 pounds is also preferable if your budget allows it. In addition to the slim size, ultrabooks often come with slim power supplies—ideal for carrying to the local coffee shop to get some schoolwork done.

2. You Need More Power!

Battery life is just as important as size and portability. At a minimum, the laptop you purchase for a student should provide 5 to 6 hours of battery life. While on the expensive end of the spectrum, the 13-inch MacBook Air ($999, Apple Store) provides 11 to 12 hours of battery life on a single charge!

For a student who’s going to be sitting in class taking notes for six to eight hours a day, it’s simply a necessity. Besides the MacBook Air, look for Windows 10 ultrabooks and laptops utilizing Intel’s Core M processor. The power consumption is lower than previous CPUs, ideal for moderate web browsing, editing simple documents and watching Netflix.

3. Chromebooks and Tablets Are Not Laptops

Both of these devices are still secondary devices, not primary. While significantly cheaper than most laptops, Chromebooks can be problematic within environments that don’t have access to the Internet since nearly all actions on a Chromebook require a constant connection to the Web.

You are also locked into using Google’s suite of word processing tools, completely opposite from the majority of high school and colleges, which are heavily dependent on Microsoft Office. The variety of software that can be installed on a Chromebook is also limited compared to a laptop.

While tablets are absolutely fantastic for checking email or consuming media, they are still extremely weak when it comes to productivity. Office software available for a laptop offers significantly more features and allows a student to work faster and more efficiently. If you are purchasing a tablet or a Chromebook for a student, it should be in conjunction with a laptop purchase, not replacing it.

4. Touchpad and Keyboard Quality Matter

One of the aspects most laptop buyers overlook is the overall quality and durability of the keyboard and touchpad. If your student is going to be writing an endless number of papers as well as tweets and Facebook status updates, a solid, responsive keyboard that lasts for years is important.

A problematic touchpad can also be troublesome to a student who’s attempting to write a 15-page term paper in one night. Check reviews to make sure the keyboard is not sluggish or cramped and that the touchpad can handle multitouch gestures effectively. Purchasing a wireless mouse is a solid secondary option, as well.

5. Know Which Specifications to Boost

One of my favorite upgrades in a laptop is the hard drive. Moving from a standard hard disk drive (HDD) to a solid state drive (SSD) will provide an amazing performance boost, specifically in the amount of time it takes Windows 10 to launch as well as launching intensive programs like Photoshop. Sitting down in class and booting up your laptop in a few seconds is perfect for taking notes. If your budget won’t allow it, make sure you get a laptop with a 7,200 rpm speed hard drive or one with a hybrid standard HDD / small SSD setup.

Regarding the graphics chip, the majority of laptops and ultrabooks offer an integrated GPU with the CPU. If your student wants to be a filmmaker or simply likes to play computer games, consider picking up a laptop with a dedicated graphics card. RAM isn’t incredibly important for most students; 4GB will be just fine. However, if they are running into situations where multitasking is slowing down their computer, it’s relatively simple to upgrade the RAM to 8GB to 16GB at a later date.

6. If You Go Windows 10, Consider a Touchscreen

While a touchscreen is inevitably going to increase the overall price of the laptop, Windows 10 was really made for a touchscreen interface. It becomes more efficient to launch and control software using a touchscreen over time. However, if you go with a Windows 10 laptop and skip the touchscreen, don’t worry. The Start menu is back, opposite from Windows 8.

7. Extend Your Laptop Warranty for Free with American Express or Discover

Generally, students aren’t known for taking excellent care of their belongings. That laptop is likely going to get dropped and tossed around a few times before leaving school. However, you don’t want to waste money on an extended warranty if you don’t have to.

If you purchase the laptop with an American Express or Discover credit card, the warranty will be extended for up to an additional year at no cost to you. Check out the terms on the AMEX site and the Discover site to see how it works. As an added bonus, AMEX will extend the manufacturer’s warranty on refurbished laptops, as well.

8 Look for Software After Your Student is in School

One of the great advantages to being a student are massive discounts on software when using a school email address. For instance, Microsoft offers a four-year subscription to Office 365 University which includes access to Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneNote and Skydrive cloud storage for $79.99. That’s just $20 a year. Alternatively, a regular consumer has to pay $100 a year for access to Office 365 Home Premium. Many other software creators also offer solid discounts on productivity software for students.

9. Secure Your Investment with Tracking Software

After you purchase your laptop, install Prey (free) on Windows laptops or Find MY… (free) on Apple laptops. I can’t tell you how many stories I’ve heard of laptops mysteriously going missing on campuses. It doesn’t matter who took it though. You will be able to protect that back-to-school laptop with tracking software.

Prey, for instance, provides the geo-location of the laptop using Wi-Fi hotspots to triangulate the position. It will also allow you to take pictures with the laptop camera, lock down personal information remotely and watch their movements on the Web. If they log into their Facebook account, you will know about it! Getting that laptop back from a thief will save you the trouble of going through the entire laptop buying process again.

9 Tips for Buying Back-to-School Laptops

Just wow: while many might say that the heyday of lunchboxes was some decades ago, there’s no doubt that the choices kids (and parents) have today tops all previous times.  The likely reason for this smorgasbord?  The Internet plus pop culture plus a willingness to buy the coolest darn thing that we can find.

So without further ado—and in no particular order—here are the choice lunchboxes for kids heading back-to-school this year:

The Avant Garde

Right off the bat, we have one of the classiest lunchboxes that helps to totally offset some more superhero-y selections.  The owner of this lunch box need never stop using it, and to compliment this lunch conveyance just grab a few cucumber sandwiches along with a copy of Breakfast at Tiffany’s.

Breakfast at Tiffany’s Lunchbox at Amazon

A Lunchbox Not that Far Away

Several excellent examples of how much better lunchboxes are now than they were then.  You know what’s better than vintage Star Wars? Feast your eyes on these:

Star Wars R2-D2 Tin Tote Lunchbox at Amazon

Star Wars The Empire Strikes Back Lunchbox at Amazon

Star Wars Episode IV Lunchbox at Amazon

Star Wars Boba Fett Lunch Helmet at Amazon

The Caped Cuisine

I will just say it now, forget Affleck.  If there is one absolute, it that Batman’s inherent coolness is enduring.  It survived the ’60s, the Cold War, the Schumacher—it will survive the Affleck.

Classic Batman Dual Compartment Lunch Kit at Amazon

Batman Dual Compartment Lunch Kit at Amazon

Large Tin Batman Lunchbox at Amazon

Hello Lunchy

Nothing sows harmony like the tranquil effects of Hello Kitty, and these designs take it to the next level.  If the U.N. used lunchboxes like these, the world would be a better place.

The Studious Chalkboard Hello Kitty Nerd Lunchbox at Amazon

Fade to Black Hello Kitty Children’s Lunchbox at Amazon

Lunch with My Friend Bill

In contrast to some of the more serene and inviting lunchboxes on this list, here is one with some edge.  Everyone needs heroes, but some of us need antiheroes with our ham sandwich.

Kill Bill Lunchbox at Amazon

The Sweet Sound of Lunch

Some are blessed with gift of music, but for those with talent and inclination, this how you turn up their lunches to 11.

Aquarius Fender Amp Lunchbox at Amazon

The Building Blocks of Tomorrow, Today

Seriously, it’s a giant LEGO lunchbox.  Of course, there may be some trade-off in practicality, but again: it’s a giant LEGO lunchbox.

The LEGO Lunch Box at Amazon

A College of Monsters

Kids love Disney and kids love Pixar, so let the dream-invading, Billy Crystal-powered Monster’s University Mike shepherd the child on their way.

Monsters University Mike Wazowski Metal Tin Box  at Amazon

Lunch in a Half Shell

This lunchbox is so ridiculously cool, as in taught-to-me-by-a-giant-rat-sensei cool, if I had had this one… I might still be in elementary school protecting its sheer unadulterated awesome from the other children.

Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Lunchbox at Amazon

15 Killer Lunchboxes for Kids Heading Back to School

Over the next few weeks, you won’t be able to turn on the television without seeing an advertisement for back-to-school sales.

For those of us without kids or have kids who have already graduated college, it can certainly be annoying to put up with the onslaught of ads each year.

Of course, the fact that you can swim around in your disposable income like Scrooge McDuck instead of spending a ton of money on multiple kids somewhat alleviates the annoyances of those commercials.

That being said, it’s time to shop smarter by taking advantage of back-to-school sales for yourself. Why pay more for electronics, athletic gear and office supplies in September or October when you can snag better prices right now?

With that in mind, here are five ways to do just that:

Preparing for Football Season

While retailers will roll out a rash of discounts on televisions and other home theater gear around Labor Day to coincide with the start of both college and professional football, you can get fairly equivalent discounts on the same models as kids are heading back to school.

For instance, Dell has been particularly aggressive as of late, basically including gift cards between $100 to $300 with the purchase of a new HDTV. In addition, those televisions will be priced to match or beat Amazon’s price on the model.

Of course, you can also find some great deals on tablets (mainly 7-inch & 8-inch models), ideal if you want the “second screen” experience when watching the games on Saturday and Sunday. If you are unfamiliar with the relatively new second screen feature, mobile applications produced by organizations like the NFL will offer additional stats about each player on your favorite team, how the current games are altering your fantasy league and push notifications about important plays while you are watching the game on your HDTV.

Check Ben’s for TV Deals

Hitting the Treadmill

If you are obsessive about running or are just getting back into the practice of regular exercise, this is a great month to purchase a new pair of sneakers. Retailers like Kohls, Nordstrom and REI have been slashing prices on shoes in order to attract back to school shoppers, as well as clear out summer apparel lines (which included shoes). You will also find great shoe deals at places like 6pm, eBay and Finish Line.

It’s also not limited to running shoes. You will find great deals on other types of sneakers as well as sandals throughout August. Some of these larger store sales will also cover athletic clothing like shorts and T-shirts, ideal if you need to replace a larger portion of your wardrobe.

If you like to listen to music while you exercise, be sure to check out the August back-to-school deals on headphones / earbuds as well. You won’t find a significant number of deals on portable music players, but it’s likely that you already have one built into your smartphone.

Check Ben’s for Shoe Deals

Kicking off a Freelance Career

With so many kids graduating college without jobs, turning to freelance work as a temporary option can be helpful to make money while job hunting. Freelancing covers a wide range of career options such as writing, marketing, web development, photography, social media management, graphic design and accounting.

Of course, you will need the right gear to operate successfully as a freelancer. The current back-to-school deals on Windows laptops and tablets as well as Chromebooks are a good place to start, especially if you need to replace an older computer that makes work more difficult due to slow speeds and outdated technology.

You will find killer deals on Dell, Lenovo, Acer, ASUS and HP models over the next few weeks. After the back-to-school sales are over, you won’t see the same level of discounts until November rolls around. Be sure to check out our feeds of laptop deals to see what’s available and suitable for your needs as a freelancer.

Check Ben’s for Laptop Deals

Restocking the Home Office / Craft Room

Assuming you aren’t actively swiping office supplies from work, there’s no better time than right now to resupply your own home office than right now. Back-to-school sales provide huge savings opportunities to stock up on computer paper, writing paper, notepads, pens, pencils, erasers and pretty much anything you would find in a typical home office. In regards to prices, your best bets for cheap office supplies will be Walmart and Target rather than the big office supply chains like Staples and OfficeMax.

Beyond the home office, this is also an ideal time to stock up on products that could be useful in a craft room. That would include items like tape, glue, scissors, markers and colored pencils, ideal for anyone in an artistic profession as well. In addition, if you use a chalkboard in your kitchen or entryway for communication with family, be sure to pick up some cheap chalk this month.

Check Ben’s for School Supply Deals

Early Christmas Shopping?

Even if you don’t have kids, this is a great opportunity to pick up gifts for kids that may be in your extended family or perhaps kids of your friends. While you won’t find great discounts on toys, items that encourage creativity, like crayons and markers, can be found at a huge discount compared to the Black Friday prices. This could also be ideal to have on hand if young children are visiting your home.

If you are active in charity during the year, this is also a great time to pick up children’s clothing as well as school supplies for needy kids. Many charity organizations will have drives for these items throughout the end of the year, so you can save money by stocking up on items right now to donate in the near future.

No Kids? 5 Ways You Can Take Advantage of Back-to-School Sales

As a kid, one of the best parts about going back to school each fall is getting to go to the store and pick out a shiny new backpack. Luckily, this is a tradition that doesn’t have to end when you “grow up.” Here are some of the best backpacks/bags to consider for students heading off to grade school and college this fall (in no particular order).

1. Timbuk2 Q Laptop Backpack ($59, Backcountry)

Pretty much anything from Timbuk2 is going to be good, but this backpack is especially cool because it has their “Swing Around Access” system which allows you to get at your stuff without taking your backpack off. You can get select colors (like the pictured gray/blue) for about half the retail price right now.

2. Chewbacca Messenger Bag ($90, ThinkGeek)

Here’s a good option for the Star Wars fans — fellow nerds will take notice and appreciate, but it’s subtle enough (well, when worn without the hairy wookie suit) that everyone else will just think it’s a nice, normal messenger bag.

3. Chrome Citizen Messenger Bag (Chrome, $120)

If you’re going to be doing any biking (to and from classes, to and from work, etc), a Chrome bag is definitely the way to go. They are spendy, but the amount of stuff you can fit in one of these is ridiculous. They are also still made in the US and have a lifetime warranty, which is pretty cool. This Manhattan Portage New York Messenger Bag is also a pretty good option if you are looking for a less expensive alternative ($70).

4. Powerbag Charging Backpacks ($50-$100, Amazon)

Powerbag backpacks and messenger bags have built-in USB charging stations so you can charge your smart phone or iPad between classes. Keep an eye out on Ben’s for these — we’ve featured them for as low as $24 in the past.

5. Nintendo Messenger Bag ($27, Amazon)

Geek out in this messenger bag designed to look like a retro Nintendo controller.

6. The Sharper Image Backpack Speaker System ($50, Amazon)

Here’s a backpack that lets you jam to your favorite tunes, either privately through a special shoulder strap/headphone jack, or publicly through a stereo speaker on the back. Set it up on the ground and add some nice background music for outdoor study groups, or wear it around campus blasting the latest Kanye album and annoy the crap out of everybody. Also, check out this crazy looking Boompack backpack (still in “development”).

7. The North Face Jester Daypack ($65, REI)

This bag’s greatest feature is that prominent North Face logo you see at the top; it will let everyone know you’re totally outdoorsy and super cool. In all seriousness, though, the North Face does make nice stuff, and this roomy pack will not only be good for lugging around your books, but also for overnight camping trips (either in the woods or on someone’s floor).

8. TMNT Shell Backpack ($35, eBay)

This totally tubular backpack comes with four turtle masks (which you’re probably thinking is really lame right now, but will think is the greatest thing ever one night at about 3AM after a bit of partying).

9. Herschel Supply Co Backpack ($20-$75, Nordstrom)

Herschel makes simple, well-made backpacks for those who prefer more of a classic, no-frills style. They aren’t going to have as many “features” as other brands, but they’re solid (and will certainly make you look nice and classy walking around campus). Nordstrom has a bunch of styles 40% to 50% off right now (the pictured Herschel Supply Co Pop Quiz Backpack is $35).

10. High Sierra Swerve Backpack ($42, Amazon)

If you google “most comfortable backpack,” you’ll see this one pop up all over the place. Reviewers also rave about how many pockets/organization compartments it has. It comes in tons of different colors/patterns, ranging from simple solids (pictured) to zebra stripes and rainbows.

10 Awesome Back-to-School Backpacks

At this point, you can stick a fork in the main back-to-school sales at the large big-box and office supply retailers. Labor Day generally marks the end of the school shopping season and retailers start preparing for the holiday shopping season (likely starting the day after Halloween if last year is any indication).

However, this doesn’t mean you necessarily missed out on all the back-to-school sales. In fact, there are a number of reasons why waiting until September and beyond is a superior strategy for shopping for back-to-school gear. Here are a few:

1.September is for Techies: According to our deal data over the last several years, there are a number of tech products that hit rock bottom prices in September, even nearing prices that your would find during November. These categories includes desktop computers, televisions, set-top media players, computer monitors, speakers and headphones.

In addition, mid to late September is the best time to purchase mobile devices like smartphones, tablets and eReaders. Many manufacturers introduce new models prior to the fourth quarter, thus previous generation models are heavily discounted. Smartphones are a particularly good buy during September at Best Buy and Amazon, about 15 percent less than any other back-to-school shopping month.

2.It’s not over until Everything is Gone: While the majority of the apparel and school supply sales are most aggressive in August, that doesn’t mean you can’t score awesome deals in early September. Big box retailers like Walmart and Target are already feeling the pressure of clearing out seasonal sections to make way for Halloween and Christmas items.

This means you will see aggressive clearance sales on the base items that kids will need for school. In addition to the the big retailers, you should check office supply stores that are attempting to clear out space for other items. This trend is especially true for backpacks as you are likely to see discounts of 50 percent off on brand name backpacks through the middle of September.

3.Dress for Summer 2015: As the fall 2014 line of clothing is currently dominating store space, summer clothing like shorts, t-shirts, bathing suits and sandals are hitting the clearance areas of the store. This trend will only get more aggressive through early to mid September.

This is an excellent time to stock up for next year. In addition, if you live in a traditionally warm climate like the Southwest or areas of the South, you can score excellent summer apparel deals online and wear those clothes throughout a larger portion of the year. Of course, if you are living in a cold climate, try to make last year’s fall clothing last six weeks longer to take advantage of clearance sales on Fall apparel as winter clothing is ushered into stores.

4.October is for (new) College Students: If you can convince your college student to wait until October to shop, this is the month for all the furniture, kitchen appliances and tools needed for that first place away from home. Granted, you will have to convince them to get by with Craigslist couches, a handheld can opener and a single screwdriver for a while. But it will pay off in the deals you can score before Black Friday sales hit.

In addition, late October is the time to start shopping for laptop deals. They will only get more aggressive as Black Friday approaches, but you will be able to score an excellent deal prior to late November. It’s also a good idea to have access to a laptop sooner in the semester as those huge term papers come due during November. Otherwise, it’s another few nights fighting for space in the college’s computer lab.

4 Reasons Why Procrastinating on Back-to-School Shopping Pays Off

Heading off to college this fall, or know someone who is? Here are a few simple and (mostly) inexpensive items that will help make that transition to dorm room living a little bit easier.

Urban Shelf Portable Shelf (Amazon)

To say most dorm rooms are crowded would be an understatement. This cheap little shelf attaches to just about anything (or nothing at all) to become your bedside table, hallway study desk or movie-time snack/beverage holder. It folds down flat when you’re not using it so it doesn’t take up precious storage space.

Bean Bag Chair (Big Joe Dorm Chair, Amazon)

The next best thing to a couch (which there probably won’t be room for). Any bean bag-type chair should do, but this Big Joe Dorm Chair looks really compact and even comes with a couple of handy storage pockets/drink holders.

Alarm Clock/Alarm Clock Apps

Getting up in the morning is never fun, especially if you’ve been up super late partying studying all night. There are many fun alarm clocks that work with your smart phone, like this Areaware Retro iPhone Alarm Dock ($15, Nordstrom). And for those who have an especially hard time getting out of bed, there’s the new Namo iPhone app, which won’t turn off until you’ve taken a preset number of steps (your roommate will love you for this one).

Cord Organizers (Quirky Cordies, Amazon)

With one desk and about a million different cords to keep track of (phone charger, printer cables, laptop power cord, USB cords, etc etc etc), a simple cord organizer might end up becoming one of your most prized possessions.

Flip Flops

Trust me: you are not going to want to step foot in any dorm shower without something on your feet. I suppose you could go with something like Crocs, but flip flops are way cheaper and a lot less dorky. Plan on bringing a few pairs so you can just throw them away as they get gross; you can get them at Old Navy for $2.50 (the Dollar Store probably even has some, too).

Compact Dish Set (REI Campware Table Set)

Honestly, it’s pretty pointless to get a full dish set for dorm life, especially if you plan on eating most meals in the dining center. But it is nice to have some cups and plates for midnight snacks and stuff. Your best bet is to go with a camping-type set as they will be compact and usually come in some sort of storage container.

Noise-Canceling Headphones

Living with a roommate (or multiple roommates) means very little private/quiet time. A good pair of noise-canceling headphones can help you focus on your studies while other stuff is going on in your room, or even stay asleep if you end up with a roomie (like the one I had freshman year) that likes to wake up at 6:30AM every morning and make protein shakes using the world’s loudest blender.

Bath Robe

Especially useful if you’ll be living in co-ed housing. If you have to buy a robe, might as well make it of the sweet Jedi variety.

French Press Coffee Maker (Bodum Chambord, Amazon)

A French press is cleaner, easier, and (in my opinion) makes better coffee than a regular coffee maker. It’s also a lot smaller and doesn’t require cords or a lot of counter space. They even make portable travel French presses that you can take right with you to class.

Multi-Arm Clothes Hangers

Dorm room closets are tiny. If you don’t want your clothes ending up in one big pile on the floor (or at least not right away), these 5-Tier hangers ($16) can save a lot of space and keep things somewhat organized.

Wireless Bluetooth Speaker

Even better than a small speaker dock, a wireless Bluetooth speaker is compact and portable so it’s perfect for listening to tunes up in your bed as well as impromptu dance parties out in the hall. Keep an eye on Ben’s for deals on these; we feature them all the time.

Piggy Bank/Quarters

There’s nothing worse than realizing you’re down to your last pair of clean underwear and you’re out of quarters for the laundry machines. Make sure you have a good stash at all times, and also make sure you keep them in something fun, like this Stealing Coin Cat Piggy Bank ($12 to $14, Amazon).

Laundry Hamper (Washing Machine Hamper, CB2)

Speaking of dirty laundry, you’ll need a place to put it, otherwise it will completely overtake your room.

Compact Breakfast Station (Maxi-Matic 3-in-1, Amazon)

If you have to bring one counter top appliance, this one comes with a toaster oven, coffee maker, and small frying griddle. For those mornings where you could really just use a home-cooked breakfast.

Non-Perishable Food That Cooks in its Own Container

ie: Easy Mac. Seriously, go ahead and pretend like you’ll use that breakfast cooker, but I promise you will eat more Easy Mac your first year of college than you could ever imagine. It’s just so, well, easy. And while I’m sure it’s filled with all sorts of bad additives and preservatives and whatever, it tastes so good. So stock up.

15 Must-Haves for Living in a Dorm Room

Welcome to “The Deal Dozen,” where we showcase the 12 best and most popular deals of the week on Ben’s Bargains. These are the best of the best, the cream of the crop, the deals you’d take into a foxhole with you.

A briefing on this week’s bargain highlights:

Now is definitely the time to capitalize on the Back to School sales. For several weeks running, we’ve seen fantastic apparel and footwear deals — this week featured offers on popular brands like Nike, The North Face and Adidas. There were also excellent laptop and tablet deals, including the best-selling Dell Inspiron 15 for $250.

The deals below won’t last long, so get clicking! Also stop by our Freebies page where we’re continually adding new free goodies. Your mission: to save some money!

(Click the image to view the deal on Ben’s.)

Up to 50% off in Clearance + Extra 20% off at Nike Store	LG 42LB5600 42″ 1080p 60Hz LED HDTV $280 at Newegg	San Diego Zoo Safari Park Admission + Africa Tram Safari $20 at Living Social
PlayStation 4 Console + Game + PS Plus Bundle $399 at Amazon	Adidas Duramo Men’s Running Shoes $30 at Academy Sports	WeatherTech All Vehicle Front & Rear Universal Mats $35 at Sears
Select Men’s AEO Shorts $10 at American Eagle	Up to 65% off North Face Footwear & Apparel at REI Outlet	Oster 6706 450W 10-Speed Blender $15 at Amazon
Microsoft Office Online w/ 15GB OneDrive Storage Free at Microsoft	40% off Sitewide + Extra 25% off at Banana Republic	Dell Inspiron 15 4th Gen Dual-Core 15.6″ Notebook $230 at Dell Business

Top Expired or Sold Out Deals

Don’t forget to set up deal alerts on Ben’s Bargains so you don’t miss out on any great savings!

Apple iPad mini 7.9″ Tablet Wi-Fi 16GB $199 at Target

Canon PowerShot SX150 IS 14MP Digital Camera (refurbished) $40 at Canon

Asus MeMO Pad 7″ 32GB Android 4.1 Tablet (refurbished) $33 at Newegg

The Deal Dozen: Week of August 22, 2014

As a learning tool, a personal tablet can be extremely useful for children of any age. In addition, buying a tablet for a teenager entering high school is useful for gaining an edge in preparation for college as well as fostering a sense of personal privacy by allowing them to get away from a family computer.

Each year, retailers attempt to get parents into stores to purchase new tablets for students with sales throughout August and early September. While you can find a constant feed of the best tablet deals on Ben’s Bargains, it’s also good to know what brands and models to keep an eye out for when shopping for students of all ages.

We have put together a list of five tablets that will be ideal to own at the start of the school year:

Ideal for Early Learning

LeapFrog LeapPad Ultra

• Includes parental settings to control app downloads
• The Web browser is safe and protects kids from adult content
• More than 1,000 apps ideal for kids between 4 to 9
• Retail cost around $150, Deals in the $125 range

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Great for Avid Readers

Amazon Kindle Fire HDX

• Kindle Freetime allows parents to limit time of specific activities
• Kindle Unlimited subscription service great for kids that love to read
• Available in 7-inch and 8.9-inch models
• Retail cost starts at $229, Deals in the $150 range

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Excellent for Writing Notes / Drawing

Samsung Galaxy Note 10.1

• Handwriting-to-text engine converts your written notes to digital type
• High resolution display (2560×1600) excellent for drawing
• Offers up to 9 hours of battery life
• Retail cost around $600, Deals in the $500 range

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Perfect for College-level Work

Microsoft Surface Pro 3

• Fantastic for using Microsoft Office for schoolwork
• With keypad, excellent for taking notes while in class
• Processor upgrades ideal for games during downtime
• Retail cost starts at $799, Upgrades available

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Fun after Finishing the Homework

Apple iPad Air / Mini

• Excellent for entertainment like movies, television or games
• Also ideal for checking up on email or surfing the Web
• Light weight of Air (1 lb) ideal for carrying around the house
• Air starts at $499, Mini with Retina at $399

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The Best Back-To-School Tablets for Students

It’s not exactly a secret that college textbooks are outrageously priced. When first entering college, sticker shock is almost a given. Students are price gouged significantly at the college bookstore for a new edition and provided a pittance when selling the books back at the end of the semester.

With college tuition costs already ballooning over $15,000 a year at public universities (double that for private), spending an additional $500 to $1000 on new books each semester isn’t an option. There are a number of tricks and tips you can follow in order to avoid the horrific prices on campus.

1. Plan Ahead (to avoid the bookstore)

If you have waited to the last minute and are already a couple classes into the semester, you don’t have much of a choice other than spending insane amounts of money at the bookstore. However, if you plan ahead, you will be able to hit a number of other options first. The college bookstore should be your last option, not the first.

However, there are some exceptions to this rule. On occasion, the professor will request that students pick up an additional packet of information at the bookstore that’s supplemental material to the textbook.This packet is often provided for free or at a nominal cost since it’s simply a small stack of paper.

2. Wait Until Class Starts (or email early)

Unless the professor has specifically rolled out the update to a previous edition of a textbook he or she wrote, you may be able to get away with buying last year’s edition. Quite often, the professor will provide this tip during the first class when going over the class syllabus. You can also try emailing the professor early to check.

Of course, you won’t be able to find the old edition at the college bookstore. You will have to turn to third parties and online courses to locate the older edition. However, be wary of online sites that are still selling the edition as new and charging an exorbitant price (since some schools will be using that edition of the textbook rather than upgrading).

3. Check the Campus Library

While probably a longshot to acquire a copy, most campus libraries will keep a few of editions of the text book on hand to loan out to students. If you can manage to score one of these copies, it will save you a ton of cash, even if it’s only for a limited time.

If the copy of the book is currently on loan to another student, hop on the waiting list and the library will contact you when it’s returned. You can also check the interlibrary loan system to see if other branches have a copy on hand. If that’s the case, your school library can get that copy for you.

4. Considering Renting

The popularity of online textbook rental companies has increased dramatically over the last five years. While your local bookstore could offer a similar rental structure, the price will likely be higher than a company like Chegg. If timing is an issue, Chegg also provides a e-book version of the textbook while you are waiting for the physical copy to arrive.

Rental fees can often be as low as  50 percent cheaper than the cost of a new textbook and students will be able to hang onto those books all semester. Of course, students won’t be able to sell the books back at the end of the semester to recoup some of the cost.

5. Search for Used Copies

If the professor is using an older version of the textbook, you will be able to find cheaper copies of the textbook through online sources such as Amazon and eBay. My favorite site for searching for used, rental and new textbooks is BookFinder. Just enter a ISBN number and Bookfinder will spit out tons of listings and prices for the book.

Be aware that used copies could have some issues, like torn pages or handwritten notes in the margin. However, the condition of the copy will likely be noted within the posting.

6. Split the Cost with a Friend

Ideal if you are taking the same class as a roommate, sharing the cost on a used, rental or new textbook will be extremely helpful. Of course, you will have to create a study schedule to determine when each party should have access to the book.

You should also check with your instructor to see if the textbook is needed during class. While most professors simply provide instruction through a presentation, some may require you to read along in the textbook or take quiz questions in the book. In addition, some professors will allow you to use the textbook during tests, hence sharing may not be a great option.

7. Check Facebook

Assuming you are networking within your own school of study, you are likely aware that those students will create a Facebook group for the entire four years of study. This can be extremely helpful in locating an older textbook that someone wants to sell at the end of their semester.

There’s also the potential for a straight trade, basically swapping books with someone that’s taking a class that you just took. Beyond using the Facebook group to ask about a copy of a textbook, you can also check the campus classifieds to see if anyone has posted about selling a used copy of the book.

8. Go Electronic

Assuming you are comfortable with using an e-reader or tablet, e-textbooks can be a fraction of the price of a regular textbook. The downside is that the formatting may be off in comparison to the regular textbook and page numbers indicated by your professor may not match up.

Of course, you will need to invest in the hardware upfront. The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is a popular choice for students. Be sure to check with the instructor to see if e-readers are acceptable for class as well.

9. Shop Around on the Sellback

If you were forced to purchase a new edition of the textbook or simply had to purchase at the last minute, make the college bookstore the last place you visit when selling the textbook back. For instance, Amazon is a popular option when selling a book back, since the retailer offers a bonus when redeeming as an Amazon gift card.

While eBay is an option if you want to sell it yourself, be sure to check the sellback prices at Chegg and Valorebooks. The latter covers shipping when you sell the book back. Also, be sure to preserve the condition of the textbook if you plan to sell it back at the end of the semester. This means no notes in the margins and use a book cover to protect the front cover.

9 Ways to Save Money on College Textbooks