Counters
I guess I'm getting old (and perhaps have a little more money than my student days), but I find purchasing a set of counters, the best idea.
I've purchased about 200 + counters from Dragon Scale Counters (dragonscalecounters.com). They print thier counters on credit card plastic, they are nicely done, fit exactly the size on my battleboard the appropriate monster should take up, I can write on them w/ erasable pens, they are very light and compact, and all 200 counters take up less room than my copy of sword and fist.
And most importantly, I don't have to do any work...they come precut. I still have a couple books of the old cardboard counters that you have to cut out of the books, and then slice them so the two pieces can be fit together. With work and gaming, I just never had the time.