06.15.26
What to Consider When Picking a Phone Plan: Your Complete Buying Guide
by Valeria Dulava
Published: June 25, 2026
Best Back to School Supplies for College
Getting your back to school list ready for college is complicated, so we made it easy with a short list of the very best back to college essentials you should stock up on.
Written by Valeria Dulava
Back-to-school shopping gets even more costly when you make the leap to college. In fact, shoppers planned to spend more than $1,300 on back-to-college expenses entering the 2026-27 school year.
To make things easier (it’s what we do), we put together a short list of the best back to college essentials.
College essentials: Laptop
A laptop, although a large expense, is most certainly an essential one. A lot of the class material will only be available online, and much coursework happens on your computer. Your eyes will thank you for working off a larger screen rather than your phone’s 6 inch screen.
But not every laptop has to come with a four-figure price tag. In fact, there are some really good picks that come in under $1,000. Not only that, many manufacturers and retailers offer a student discount (requires proof of enrollment, such as a student email address).
Best laptops under $1,000
1) Apple MacBook Neo 13"
Price: $599
Why we picked it: Apple's entry into the lower-cost laptop market counts as big news. The Neo got widely favorable reviews as an entry-level workhorse well suited to college coursework. It's nice and light, too, so you won't be exhausted from dragging it around campus. Note, however, that if your coursework is heavy on intensive tasks like coding or design work, you might need more processing power than the Neo provides.
TextNow Tip: Pair your new MacBook with a new iPhone as part of your back-to-school shopping.
Price: $949
Why We Picked It: MacBook Airs are great for students, as they are extremely light and compact, and the new M5 chip allows for faster processing (so you won’t be met with the spinning circle that loves to test your patience). What’s even better is that they’re currently on sale at BestBuy, so you can score one while remaining within your budget.
TextNow Tip:: Save yourself some money and opt in for an Open Box laptop from BestBuy. You can pick the condition (fair, good, or excellent) and save hundreds.
Best laptop for programming
Price: $749.99
Why We Picked It: If your major involves some more heavy-duty laptop use, we recommend that you find one with 16GB of RAM or more, plus a powerful processor. Which is exactly what this Asus laptop offers. Plus, the current Best Buy Tech Fest pricing makes it highly competitive.
College essentials: Backpack
Speaking of carrying things around campus. Just because you graduated high school doesn’t mean you don’t need a backpack. And while you probably can still reuse your old school bag, you’re going to want something that can protect your new laptop, plus still offer all day comfort as you get in your steps on campus. This is our pick.
Best laptop backpack
Price: $109.99-$129.99
Why we picked it: The Siena Pro series offers several sizes of backpack, depending on how much stuff you want to tote and the size of your laptop. They're stylish, offered in a variety of colors, and have a USB charging port slot for quick access to your power bank when you need it.
College essentials: Portable charger
We can't talk about charging ports without mentioning portable power banks, as finding an outlet on campus to plug in your charger for your laptop or your phone can – and should – be a sport. Save yourself the hassle and invest in a portable charger.
Best overall portable phone charger
1) Nimble CHAMP
Price: $59.95
Why we picked it: It’s compact, light, but powerful enough to charge up to two devices at once. It also actively tries to reduce its environmental impact (already high by the nature of sourcing battery components) by using recycled plastic where it can, so you can feel a little bit better about your purchase.
Best portable phone charger for wireless charging
2) Mophie Universal Wireless Charge Pad
Price: $24.99
Why we picked it: This is a sleek wireless charger that will support most phones (with Qi charging) and offers 15W rapid charging. The sale price is a great discount from its typical $39.95 price.
TextNow Tip: If you are only looking to charge an iPhone (iPhone 12 and up), opt in for a Magsafe charger like this Anker one, that can magnetically click in to the back of your phone to wirelessly charge it, allowing you to freely use your phone in the meantime.
Best portable charger for laptops
Price: $119.99
Why we picked it: Laptop chargers will need more battery power than phone ones, which is usually reflected in the price. This Anker one is a great pick that won't break the bank, especially with the current sale price cutting nearly $30 off. It features a powerful enough battery to charge your laptop quickly, plus takes up less room in your bag than a textbook.
If there’s one thing that this list illuminates is that college is expensive. From tuition to accessories to textbooks, it can add up pretty quickly. Consider cutting your expenses where you can by shopping for cheaper phone plans or finding phone deals. But most of all: Be prepared, invest in the best essentials, and have fun.
