Hey there! It's Talk About Money Tuesday, my favorite day of the week!🤑

Dorm decor sales are in full swing and it looks like the papasan chair is still undefeated. Year after year, it's marketed as a must-have item to make a college dorm room feel crowded like a home away from home.

I'm willing to bet a soon-to-be college freshman is buying one right now, with plans to make their tiny dorm room look more like a boutique hotel.

That kind of glow up — fueled by coordinated bedding, custom wall art, designer storage bins, LED lighting, and every other dorm "essential" — has transformed dorm shopping into a multi-billion dollar business. It's easy to feel like your student needs everything on the dorm shopping list just to fit in.

Newsflash: They don't.

In fact, college move-in season is an opportunity for young adults to practice meaningful financial moves, like distinguishing between wants and needs, prioritizing purchases, and sticking to a budget.

As parents and mentors, we can help shift the conversation from, "What should we buy" to "How do we make smart choices with the money we have?"

The ability to make thoughtful financial decisions is something students will carry with them long after their papasan chair is packed away for the summer.

Money Stat

$20,000

This is how much some parents have paid interior designers to pull off a social media-worthy dorm room makeover for their college student.

What does that kind of money buy? Some over-the-top dorm rooms, showcased in a People​ magazine article, feature lots of pastels (especially pink), glass coffee tables squeezed between twin XL beds, neon name signs, plush ottomans, and other designer touches.

National spending figures for dorm decor haven't been released for 2026 yet. But last year's average spending of $191.39 per family, per the National Retail Federation, suggests that most parents are taking a more practical approach to move-in day.

Get in the Zone

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Money skill: How to find lower-cost alternatives

Why it matters: Your college-bound student might have their eye on brand-name under-bed storage system, but a set of plastic bins from a discount store — at a fraction of the price — could also do the job.

One of the best money habits young consumers can develop is asking, "Is there a less expensive option that works just as well?" Choosing a budget-friendly option that does the same job leaves more money for other things.

Try this: Compare two or three versions of the same item with your student and discuss what features actually matter. This trains your teen to focus on what they'll actually use instead of getting distracted by marketing or aesthetics.

Look for gently used or refurbished items when appropriate. You'll be surprised at how many microwaves, mini fridges, lamps and other items are re-sold in really good condition — including at move-out sales like this one.​

Challenge your teen to shave 20% off your dorm room shopping list by finding comparable alternatives. Shopping then becomes a problem-solving exercise instead of an emotional decision, and it reveals how small trade-offs across multiple items can add up to real savings.

Smart Money Quiz

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Of the following, which category of dorm spending is the highest-priority among students?

A. Bedding and comfort items (comforter, pillows, mattress topper)

B. Storage and organization products (bins, under-bed storage, shelves)

C. Small appliances (mini fridge, microwave, coffee maker)

D. Room decor and lightning (posters, rugs, lamps, LED lights)

(The answer is at the end of this newsletter.)

Money Talks

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Once you've challenged your student to find ways to save on dorm room furnishings, follow up with a key question: "What would you want to do with the money we didn't spend?"​
Their answer might be that they'd use it to buy food and snacks on campus or for weekend outings with friends. Or they may decide the savings would be better spent on technology upgrades, such as a better laptop or noise-canceling headphones, instead of dorm decor they might barely notice later.

Either way, this question shifts the conversation from what they have to give up to what they stand to gain. What often happens next is shopping trips become about allocating a limited pool of money, instead of creating the "perfect dorm room."

Loose Change

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🗑️ Here's an eye-opening look at the waste created during college move-out season.

🥹 A mother and daughter had the same dorm room 33 years apart. Check out the classic milk crate storage system the mom had back in the day.

💼 While some students focus on decorating their dorm room, others use the space to launch a new business.

Thanks for reading! If you want to read some of my past newsletters, click here. And if this newsletter was forwarded to you, please subscribe ​here​.

'Til next time,

Audrey
​Founder &
Certified Financial Education Instructor​
The FinLit Zone

ANSWER​
​A. Bedding and comfort items. Because students prioritize both sleep quality and personalizing their living space, sheets, comforters, throw pillows, and stuffed animals are consistently rank at or near the top of all categories of college-related spending.

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