10 Back-to-School Buys That Are a Waste of Money

"When I first moved in, my father and I debated whether or not I would need a printer. We ended up purchasing a printer but when the ink ran out I was too broke to buy another cartridge. The printer ended up sitting on my desk unplugged for the next four years. There where computers and printers all over campus and it was no big deal to swing by the library before class to print out my assignments," says Jacqueline Jones, a 2011 graduate of Ohio University.

Some schools even give students a certain number of pages per semester that they can print for no charge.

6. Mini-refrigerators

For students heading to college and living in dorms, it's best to check with the school ahead of time to see if the dormitory provides mini-refrigerators. There's no point in spending close to $100 only to find out that there's already one in the dorm.

Also, some dorm rooms have kitchen areas with shared refrigerators, yet another reason why investing in a mini-refrigerator can be a waste of money.

7. Speakers

When living in the dorms, headphones or earphones are the best option, instead of stereos or portable iPod/iPhone speakers.

Some dorms have "quiet hours," where playing loud music is prohibited, making it a safer bet to purchase headphones, rather than fancy speakers.

8. Window treatments

Whether you're living in a dorm or even an apartment off campus, check to see if the dorm or your landlord will provide the window treatments.

Additionally, you may not even need blinds or curtains on the walls, especially if you come to find out your room gets little to no sunlight!

9. Desk lights

Desk lights are a common back-to-college item and while on the inexpensive side, buying a desk light might be a waste of money. Especially since some dorm desks come with a built-in desk light.

Again, check with the school prior to making this purchase!

10. Textbooks

Before you buy textbooks, wait until after you've actually attended a few class sessions to see if you even need the books.

"Many classes I had recommended I buy certain textbooks, but I ended up not using all of the books listed in the course syllabus," says 2010 Cal Lutheran University graduate Heather Taylor, social media manager of MyCorporation.com.