Instead of wasting time driving from store to store to compare prices or wasting hours on the phone waiting for the next available sales representative, saving money is just a quick click away. Tasks that used to take hours to accomplish now happen in just minutes if you surf the Internet. Many sites allow you to compare prices from different retailers to find the best product for your money. College students are strapped for cash and time, which is why they tend to make more online purchases than the average consumer. Retailers realize that college students are equipped with credit cards and have grown up using the Internet, so there are plenty of websites out there with deals catering to students on a budget. You can find student prices on anything from books to airfare. Students can search the web for discounted merchandise or for sites to sell unwanted items. Good places to start searching include Google and eBay, but the following sites are directly aimed at students looking to save money.

-Travel Student Universewww.studentuniverse.comAbout.com chose Student Universe as the best site for student airfares. Student Universe claims that students fly cheaper and they live up to that statement. All airfare prices are significantly lower than other travel sites and usually include all fees and taxes. College students must register on the site with a school e-mail address to qualify for the student tickets. The company is registered with the Better Business Bureau and provides services such as hotel or hostel accommodations and insurance to go along with your airfare. Afraid of flying? Student Universe also has great student deals on rail travel. Similar Sites: www.studentcity.com www.statravel.com

-Books, Supplies, DVDseCampus.comwww.eCampus.com”Books & Stuff. Cheap!” ECampus.com provides discounts on new and used student books. You can search using the title, author, key word, and ISBN to ensure it’s the right textbook for class. ECampus.com will even buy used textbooks from you. All you have to do is enter the ISBN of the books that you wish to sell and they will make an offer. Once they receive your books they will send you a check that includes your shipping costs. The site also has a limited selection of discounted DVDs, office, and medical supplies. ECampus.com is currently advertising free shipping on orders over $49.Similar Sites:http://college.textbookhub.com/www.planetstudents.com

-VariousThe Student Discount Cardwww.studentadvantage.comStudent Advantage offers a discount card costing $20 for one year and $10 for each additional year. The card claims to save up to 50 percent off at more than 20,000 locations across the country on items such as books, clothing, food, and entertainment. It boasts discounts at popular student stores and websites, as well as deals on shipping. You can receive 15 percent off at the Armani Exchange, up to 40 percent tickets at Loews Movie Theater, up to 50 percent off retail prices on select Microsoft software, and 15 percent on rail fares through Amtrak, just to name a few. Although there is an initial fee for this card, it provides a large array of money-saving locations and the card will eventually pay for itself and save you cash.Similar Sites:www.isecard.comwww.coolsavings.com

E-Commerce is becoming an increasingly important part of college life. “I do all of my banking and most of my shopping online, just because it’s so easy to multitask while doing homework or talking on AIM,” says sophomore Tracy Ferra. “If I go to the mall, it wastes time that I could use for studying or work.” As more purchases are made online as opposed to retail locations, more Internet deals are becoming available to entice potential buyers. E-commerce cuts out a lot of the costs retail locations incur such as rent and sales associate salaries, so items can be sold at lower prices. The deals are out there; it’s up to you to find them.