Save on college costs

(Money Magazine) -- You've just sent an enormous check to your kid's college - the least he could do is minimize the ongoing burn. Set him on a cost-conscious track, and you might have enough left in the bank to pay the next tuition bill.

Help your kid choose a credit card before she gets to campus and is hit with tons of offers. Shop student cards that have limits under $1,000, rates under 19% and no fees.

More from Money Magazine

Are money funds safe now? Mom wants her valuable gift back The hassle-free holiday flying guide

Best Places to Live Current Issue Subscribe to Money

(or part of name)

OR

----------- state ------------ Alaska Alabama Arkansas Arizona American Samoa California Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Delaware Florida Federated States of Micronesia Georgia Guam Hawaii Iowa Idaho Illinois Indiana Kansas Kentucky Louisiana Massachusetts Maryland Maine Marshall Islands Michigan Minnesota Missouri Mississippi Montana North Carolina North Dakota Nebraska New Hampshire New Jersey New Mexico Nevada New York Northern Mariana Islands Ohio Oklahoma Ontario Oregon Pennsylvania Palau Island Puerto Rico Rhode Island South Carolina South Dakota Tennessee Texas Utah Virginia Vermont Virgin Islands Washington Wisconsin West Virginia Wyoming

Credit Card Rates

Find the best credit card for you among thousands of issuing banks. Select a card type from the pulldown menu and click on the arrow to begin. Select a card type Standard Gold Platinum

Best pick: Citi's mtvU (citi.com), which rewards timely payments and good grades.

Secured cards, which allow users to borrow up to the amount of a deposit, are also an option, says Curtis Arnold of CardRatings.com; these build in a safety net should your child fall behind.

Universities usually start students with a default meal plan, often costing $1,600-plus per semester. But most kids don't eat 21 square meals a week from the cafeteria.

Brown University students use only 80% of what they've paid for, confirms the school's director of dining services. Ask about flexible options, like a mix of meals and "dining dollars." And identify the window for switching plans.

The on- or near-campus bank is only worth the convenience if you can get an account sans service fees and minimum balances, says Greg McBride of Bankrate.com.

If not, an online-only bank might be better; ING Direct (ingdirect.com) has no fees or balance requirements and offers free withdrawals at 32,000 ATMs.

Freshmen spend an average of $900 on books. Pare that by having your kid shop online. Campus bookstores can't match the discounts or used-book selection.

The latest Organic Chemistry by L.G. Wade lists for $175, but aggregator Campusbooks.com found a new copy for $57 on TextbooksRus.com.