Shopping Economics 101

Surviving the holidays at LSU

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By Ryan Noel

With the holiday season fast approaching, it's only normal for everyone to start crunching numbers. Travel and shopping budgets are filling computer screens across the country as the constraints of the current economy are felt. Students, teachers and professionals alike are all trying to make their holiday endeavors successful, often without the financial security of previous holiday seasons.

One of the first, and possibly biggest, economic obstacles is the travel involved. While many students are from Baton Rouge and the surrounding area, just as many students are from out-of-city and out-of-state.

With the two biggest travel holidays of the year, Thanksgiving and Christmas, on the horizon, it only makes sense to start planning your travel arrangements. Taking the time this week to get travel arrangements in order could help save a fair amount of money, even if it's merely $20 saved on gas or $100 or more saved on plane flights.

Patrick Evans, STA Travel marketing communications coordinator, the world's largest student and youth travel agency, said that booking smart is often the key to saving on plane flights.

"If you are unaware of your exam schedule or it might change, booking through STA Travel helps," said Evans. "STA Travel Student Exclusive airfare comes with a change fee of just $50, compared to the $250 you would pay with most airlines. If your exam schedule changes and interferes with your flights, you would save $200 when you change your flight."

For those who are looking to save big on flights, the Internet is a student's best friend.

Southwest.com is constantly offering discounts, but Southwest isn't the only airline to have deals as Delta, Continental, United and others all offer discounts and special deals leading into the holidays. Students can compare flights online at sites like travelocity.com, cheaptickets.com, expedia.com and priceline.com, among others. Also, many airlines offer student discounts on airfare through their Web sites with an official student ID.

A bit of diligence and perseverance could save you more than half the price of a normal plane ticket.

Sure, saving money on road trips is going to ease the pressure on your bank account, but it doesn't give you any money that you didn't already have. So what does it take to get some extra cash these days?

The obvious answer is to sell those textbooks back at the end of the fall semester. Textbooks are worth some nice money, so there's no reason not to start there. Students can easily sell their books back at the LSU Bookstore, the Chimes Textbook Exchange and the Co-op or through various Internet sites. However, textbooks aren't the only sellable item that can be sold for quick cash. Check around the house, dorm or apartment for other lightly used items - novels or nonfiction books always have a market, as do old video games and electronics and even lightly used clothes.

Also, instead of trying your patience and resolve with eBay and Craigslist - both good options in their own right - stop by Amazon.com and see if it is selling similar or identical items - they most likely are. Amazon.com gives you the option to sell anything at any price, and the site is 100 percent secure.

Leslie Chauvin, a 22-year-old senior photography student from Norco, often sells unused or lightly used art and photo supplies to make a little extra spending money for the holidays.

"Being a photography major means having tons of art and photo supplies around the house," said Chauvin. "But there are often times where I have an excess of those supplies at the end of the semester. I can usually get a little bit of cash by selling my stuff to other photo students or through Craigslist."

While selling your random assortment of extra items won't generate an exorbitant amount of cash, every little bit helps.

You have now worked hard to save your money and make some extra on the side, but now it's time to buy. Everyone has to buy gifts, whether it's for family members, significant others or close friends. After all that hard work to save up extra cash, a little more work will stretch those dollars.

As usual, the Internet is often the first stop for great deals. Popular "Deal of the Day" Web sites such as Woot.com and SlickDeals.net have become a surefire way to save on expensive purchases like electronics and appliances. Amazon.com also offers their "Amazon Marketplace," where people across the country can sell new and used products at reduced prices. A quick glance at each site makes you realize just how much you overspend by visiting some of the retail stores in the area. With some patience and a tiny bit of luck, you could save a good deal of money by doing your holiday shopping through the Internet.

If you're looking for good deals on clothes though, taking to the streets of Baton Rouge might be more suitable to you than surfing the Internet highway. A growing trend across the country is to buy "consigned" clothes, which typically means "gently used," but the clothes are sold to the shop rather than donated, like at a thrift store.

Danielle Champagne, a 21-year-old junior art major from Laplace, shops consigned clothing stores and recommends them for holiday gift givers.

"Shopping at the consignment stores, like The Purple Cow over off Jones Creek, is one of the only ways I can find my particular size," said Champagne. "It is also a fantastic way to find good designer brands for much cheaper than you would get them at the mall."

The economy is unrelenting right now, and everyone is hurting. Shopping for friends and relatives can be a tough venture for just about everyone, but it doesn't have to bleed your bank account dry. With some determination, attentiveness and creating a little bit of your own luck, you can have a wallet-friendly holiday that makes everyone happy.

Take the time to save a little and make a little, but most importantly, enjoy the holidays!

Originally Published: Issue 824 - November 18, 2009

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