So, I was popping around Consumer Reports over the weekend and found a great article about back to school. If you've got a kid that's heading off to college, there's some stuff that you're gonna need to buy for the dorms like towels, sheets, a microwave, and a coffeemaker so they aren't laying down five dollars at Starbucks on the daily. Now, there's also some things you may think you need but really don't. Let's you and I focus on those and save you some money!

1.  An Iron.
They'll probably never use it. If they do need to iron something, they can borrow one from someone else.  So you're better off buying some wrinkle-release spray or a steamer if they have room for one.

2.  Expensive bedding.
They'll just end up ruining it by the end of the year, so go cheap.  And things like decorative pillows might sound good, but they take up space.  Which is valuable when you're in a tiny dorm room.

3.  An alarm clock.
It might seem essential, but they'll just use the alarm on their phone.

4.  A mini-fridge.
Don't buy one unless you're sure they'll use it. Otherwise, you'll waste a hundred bucks, and it'll take up an entire corner in the room.

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