The cost of ... decorating a dorm room
By Amy C. Fleitas • Bankrate.com

You have your acceptance letter, loans, scholarships and a burning desire to leave high school life forever. Think you're ready to dash off to college as soon as you can pry yourself away from your parents' weepy cry of "Our baby's all grown up?" Not so fast, freshman. You have a dorm room to plan. It will be your home for at least the next year, so you want to do it right.

Hope you've been saving ...
In 2005 the average back-to-school shopper spent $3,184 on school supplies, according to the survey by Myvesta, a nonprofit agency that counsels people in financial crisis. You want to spend less, so pay attention or you'll pay too much. Prepare for the late-nighters, all-nighters and where-was-I-last-nighters. Here's the cost of doing up your room.

Get organized
Let's start with study essentials -- you are here to learn, right?

A desk lamp costs between $10 and $40. If you can't pull yourself away from your books when it's way past bedtime, a clip-on book light costs between $9 and $16 and won't disturb your roommate. If you want a floor lamp, the price is right, $17 - $35. But if you buy a halogen lamp, you might be blowing your money. Many dorms don't allow them, so check before buying. The bills are coming to you now, so you better keep them straight. A small desktop file holder complete with files is about $15.

Food for the mind
Coffee may keep you coherent, but Starbuck's can sock it to your wallet. Invest in a four-cup coffee pot ($20-$30).

All that hard work will make you hungry. The cafeteria isn't open all night, and let's face it, Emeril isn't making the lasagna. Eating at the All Night Burger may be cheap, but you'll gain the freshman 15 in less than a week.

Prepare for some dorm-room cooking with the proper equipment. A $10 hot pot can make soup, fondue and scrambled eggs. Or you can go a little more upscale by investing in an Aroma 3-in-1 appliance (mini toaster oven, griddle and 4-cup coffeemaker) for $29.

If you really want to get creative, take a look at "The Healthy College Cookbook: Quick, Cheap, Easy" by Alexandra Nimetz, Jason Stanley and Emeline Starr. You can find it for $13.45 at Barnes & Noble.

"But where will I store these eggs I plan to scramble in my hot pot?" you may wonder. Talk with your roommate. You may want to split the price of a mini-fridge ($70 - $140). Some dorms rent small refrigerators, so check with your school before buying. Inevitably, though, you will want to call out for pizza. You can get a phone for $15.