There are some cheap panel materials available at Home Depot/Lowes that work great as cheap whiteboards. In our first year of grad school, we spent <$30 on a 3'

There are some cheap panel materials available at Home Depot/Lowes that work great as cheap whiteboards. In our first year of grad school, we spent <$30 on a 3'x4' or larger sheet, screwed it to the wall in our apartment, and got to work.