Back to school shopping list: what to buy and when

Do not buy everything before term. Buy in three stages: the things you cannot live without, the things you find you need in week one, and the extras that can wait until week four. Your budget lasts longer and you buy fewer things you never use.

Most of us shop in a rush in the last week of the holidays. We fill a basket, spend the whole budget, and then discover we still need a charger. A staged list stops that.

Stage one: before term starts

These are items you need on day one, or that are hard to replace quickly.

• Bedding that fits your mattress. Check the size first. See do you need extra long twin sheets.
• A bag that fits a laptop. See how to choose a backpack for college.
• A walking shoe, if yours are worn out.
• A charger and a long cable.
• Any item your school or college makes you own. Uniforms, lab coat, books on the official list.
• Your medicines and important papers. Keep them in one folder or pouch.

Ruling: if you would be stuck without it on day one, buy it now. Otherwise it goes on the next list.

Stage two: week one

Now you know the room, the roommate and the timetable. Buy only fixes.

• A desk lamp, if the room light is poor
• Hooks, a small organiser or a shower caddy, once you have measured
• A planner, once you see your timetable
• Notebooks for the courses you actually have
• Laundry bag and a plan for your wash day, see the laundry routine guide

Keep a running note on your phone called "missing". Add one line each time you find a gap. At the end of the week, buy the three that came up twice.

Stage three: week four

Everything else waits until you have lived there for a month.

• Mini fridge, see mini fridge vs no mini fridge
• Rug, wall art, extra lights
• A second pair of shoes
• Gadgets for the desk

By week four you know what you actually use, and you will not be buying in a rush.

A worked example with round numbers

Say your term budget is AED 1,000. These are example numbers only.

The reserve covers the surprise. The term budget plan shows another way to split a total.

Where the list changes

• Living at home: skip stage one bedding and storage. Spend on study gear.
• Sharing a room: wait on shared items until you have spoken. See the week-one roommate talk.
• Moving far away: weigh the luggage. Heavy items are cheaper to buy there than to carry.

Common mistakes

• Buying decor before the lamp.
• Buying a laptop bag after the laptop arrives, because the first bag does not fit.
• Buying three of a thing "to be safe".
• Spending the whole budget before you arrive.

How to keep the list honest

A list only works if you update it. Keep one note on your phone with three headings: now, week one, week four. When a new idea comes up, add it under the stage where it belongs, not under "now".

Before you buy anything in stage two or three, ask three questions.

1. What problem does this fix? Name it in one line.
2. Do I already own something that does the job?
3. Can I borrow it from my roommate, a friend or the library?

If you cannot answer the first question, it is a want, and wants can wait a week. This is the same idea as the 30-wear test, only for dorm gear.

For parents and guardians

If someone else is paying, show them the three stages and the reserve. Most parents prefer to pay once for a clear list than to get a stream of requests. The parent's guide to a back-to-school budget has a short plan for that talk. Keep receipts for anything you may need to return, and check the return window when you buy.

A note on timing

Shops are busiest in the last week before term, and stock of popular items such as bedding and lamps can run low. If you can, buy the stage one items two or three weeks early, and keep the receipts. That leaves time to swap a wrong size. Stage two and three can be bought in small trips, which also spreads the cost across the month and helps you stay inside the reserve.

Skip this term

• A full set of matching storage, before measuring.
• Gear for hobbies you have not started.
• Clothes beyond the capsule of 7, see the campus wardrobe guide.