Online Classes

For those of you who did not know: I'm still a student. I was working on my Master's in English when I left Colorado for Kansas, where my husband had gotten a job. I still have to finish my thesis, and to do that, I have to continue being enrolled in classes. Since I am no longer in commuting distance to Colorado, I'm taking an online class.

I wish I had done online classes when I was a full time student, even when I was living in the dorms. I have been loving the online way of learning.

So why mention this in a frugality blog? I've been thinking of how much less expensive the online classes have been for me, and how much less expensive they would have been if I had taken one or two each semester instead of an on campus class. They cost the same per credit hour, but look at all the stuff I don't have to do!

1. I don't have to drive anywhere to attend the class, saving on gas and wear and tear on the car.

2. I don't leave my home, so I'm not tempted to stop off and get coffee, or have lunch at Qdoba (how I miss thee!)

3. Everything is electronic. I send in my papers via e-mail. Therefore, I'm using less ink and paper. One less thing to pay for.

4. If I had children, I would not have to pay a babysitter or deal with caregiving hassles during the time I would need to be on campus.

5. In my case- The housing in Wichita is much less expensive than the housing in Fort Collins, so by living here and taking the online class, I'm saving money! Of course, they are not counting me as an out of state student yet, so your savings may vary. It is an interesting thought though- living in a cheap-o place and taking online classes to save money. There are whole online degrees.

These are just a few things that make online a little cheaper than traditional. Of course, there are many other factors to consider when deciding what type of education is most beneficial.

Here's a frugal tip for all you Masters/Ph.D students out there- don't let your thesis/dissertation panic you so much that you freak out, have a near nervous breakdown, and shut down so you have to take an extra semester to finish it. Not that I did that or anything.