|
|
|
Hello,
Today we have tips for college students. Hope you enjoy them.
Thanks for reading,
Susan
Enter The Photo Contest:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_photocontest.ldml
Enter The Tip Contest:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_contest.ldml
Frugal solutions to everyday problems: Submit a request...
http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_request.ldml
This newsletter contains:
Tips:
Today's Sponsors
"The award-winning, free Web browser is better than ever. Browse the Web with confidence - Firefox protects you from viruses, spyware and pop-ups. Enjoy improvements to performance, ease of use and privacy. It's easy to import your favorites and settings and get started. Download Firefox now and get the most out of the Web." You can download Firefox with or without the Google Toolbar, both versions are free.
More Information:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf65884370.tip.html
New Contest
Submit Your Tips and Photos!
Tip Contest!
To enter, visit: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_contest.ldml
Photo Contest!
To enter, visit: http://www.thriftyfun.com/post_photocontest.ldml
Contests are now weekly. We'll pick 2 tip winners and 1 photo winner at the end of each week.
Tips
Fill Out The FAFSA Every Year (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
Every year that you plan to attend school, you will want to fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Almost any scholarship you apply for will require you to complete the FAFSA in order to receive it. The FAFSA is used to determine the amount of money your family is expected to pay for your schooling and is then used in turn by the school of your choosing to determine how much financial aid you qualify for. So if you want to be eligible for grants, scholarships, or loans, fill out the FAFSA. It is free and easy to do. Just visit www.fafsa.ed.gov. Be aware of similar sites, such as fafsa.org which can appear to be the actual government site. Sites like this charge users a fee to submit the FAFSA.
By Brandi M. Seals
Post Feedback: Click Here
Check Out Your Professor's Rating
When planning your schedule for the coming year, first pick the classes you need to take, and then check to see who teaches them. With that information in hand, visit www.ratemyprofessor.com. This site lets students search by school for ratings submitted by past students of any professor. The profs are rated on a scale of 1 to 4 for overall quality, easiness, helpfulness, clarity and hotness. Be sure to read through the individual comments because they list what course the student had with the professor. Don't be too alarmed by bad ratings or too reassured by excellent ratings. If the course is tough, the ratings are usually bad regardless of the professor. The opposite is generally true for easy courses. Just try to get an overall feel for the professor and the class from the comments.
By Brandi M. Seals
Post Feedback: Click Here
Bring the Kitchen Bare Necessities to College
Don't buy a bunch of stuff for your new dorm or apartment. It probably won't fit in the tight quarters and you may not even have a kitchen in your room. You will want to start with one medium sized sauce pan, one serving spoon, one bowl, one plate, a stack of paper plates and plastic silverware. Your cooking style and storage space will dictate what other items you will need to add to your collection. Find low-cost items at your local surplus store or dollar store.
By Brand M. Seals
Post Feedback: Click Here
Buttered Noodles (College Recipe)
If you're broke and money is too tight to buy food, I have a great recipe for you. Take some dry pasta, preferably egg noodles, but whatever you have on hand should work fine. Cook your serving until it is al dente, drain pasta and return to pan. Stir in approximately a tablespoon of butter or margarine. Use more or less to suit your tastes. This is buttered noodles. Serve in a bowl and salt to taste. Enjoy a low cost meal prepared in minutes.
By Brandi M. Seals
Post Feedback: Click Here
Hopefully you have found yourself at a school that offers free laundry facilities. If so, do laundry all the time and be proud that you are saving hundreds of dollars annually in washing and drying costs. If you live off campus, bus the laundry in and do it for free.
If you end up at a school that charges for laundry, check the local laundromats to compare prices and go with the cheapest option. Or, befriend someone with their own washer and dryer and do all of your laundry there. If all else fails, try to never do laundry at school. Save it up, for months at a time (washing only those things that absolutely must be clean) and take everything else home to wash.
Be aware that at many schools that charge for laundry, there is a coveted free laundry day - generally coinciding with a day where parents are invited to come to campus. Get in line early on free laundry day. Once you lay claim to a washer, do not give it up until all of your loads are done. Same with the dryer, otherwise you'll be at the end of the line again. I once did 20 loads of laundry for free on one of these days, just remember to always be present when the washer or dryer goes off or you will lose it to the crowd.
By Brandi M. Seals
Post Feedback: Click Here
Don't Shop During the 1st Week of College
Save yourself from a day in hell. Move in with the items you will need. Do not plan to head to your local mall to pick up sheets, towels, etc. when you move in and by all means avoid the grocery store. Plan to eat everything on campus for a week, or bring groceries from home. There will be a run on these stores like you wouldn't believe during the first few days when students move in. Avoid spending three hours getting groceries and standing in line by either shopping at around midnight during that first week or waiting for the craze to pass.
By Brandi M. Seals
Post Feedback: Click Here
Avoid the Standard Meal Plan at College
Unless you are an athlete that must eat copious amounts of food to maintain weight, muscle, and stamina, the standard meal plan is not advisable.
Most schools will offer a variety of meal plans involving set number of meals and money. Those with a high number of meals (say 15) and low money (say $100) are not advisable for most people. If possible I would recommend a card with only money and no meals. The money can be spent towards meals, but can also be used at other on-campus dining venues.
Meals typically only come from dining halls. Thus, those with high meals per week can only eat at select locations, from food that is often the same every day. If you like variety or are a picky eater this type of meal plan is not for you. It is also a poor use of money for light eaters.
By Brandi M. Seals
Post Feedback: Click Here
Get Local Scholarships for College
Look to local sources when applying for scholarships. You are much more likely to get a scholarship from the school's PTA than you are to get the scholarships given by giants like Coca-Cola and Calgon. It's all a numbers game. National scholarship searches will have hundreds more applicants than local organizations. So increase your odds of getting some dough for school by going local. Many local scholarships in rural areas typically have less than five applicants. Check with your guidance counselor to see what is available
By Brandi M. Seals
Post Feedback: Click Here
You will hear from lots of people that the best way to study is in a quiet comfortable location free of distractions. While that works for many people, it doesn't work for everyone. I had a roommate that couldn't stand any sort of distraction when studying. I on the other hand cannot stand the quiet. My mind drifts off, I get sleepy. I like to listen to music or watch TV when I study. So forget the advice about studying. Do whatever it is that helps you learn and stay motivated. Just be sure to actually study.
By Brandi M. Seals
Post Feedback: Click Here
For Parents: Don't Try to Solve All Your Kid's Problems
As tempting as it might be to step in if your child has a problem at school, don't. Let him or her handle it if there are roommate problems, questions regarding financial aid, or any other problem. Your child is now in college. He or she is expected to act like an adult. Having mommy and daddy step in and solve problems is not an adult decision. Let your children vent to you about problems, even offer solutions, but do not proceed to solve them.
If you call and ask about your child's financial aid status, grades, etc. you will be told that only your child may inquire about these matters. So as hard as it may be, allow your kids to do what is right. Let them learn how to handle themselves. Let them become adults. It is all too easy to continue leaning on mom and dad.
By Brandi M. Seals
Post Feedback: Click Here
Seek Out Jobs that Pay Your College Tuition
If you need a job to help pay for school, why not look for one that will also pay part of your tuition? National companies that supplement wages with tuition money include UPS, FedEx, and Home Depot. Do a little research before you apply for a job and see if they have tuition assistance. If it's a local company you are interested in, see if they will assist with tuition if your classes or major will better your abilities at the job. For example a local accounting firm is much more likely to consider tuition assistance for an employing actively earning a degree in accounting as opposed to someone pursuing a degree in theater.
By Brandi M. Seals
Post Feedback: Click Here
Tips for Studying a Foreign Language
If you will be majoring or minoring in a foreign language you may find it beneficial to check your essays in a version of Microsoft Word that is capable of editing in the chosen language. These programs help find errors in number and gender agreement that can be easily overlooked. Also, try using babelfish.altavista.com for translating single words, phrases or short sentences. It is the most accurate free translator that I have been able to find. Be aware though that you should only use Babel Fish as a starting point because it can be wrong or use words that are not the best choice.
By Brandi M. Seals
Post Feedback: Click Here
Get a Job with Perks (College Life)
When seeking a job, look for one where you get something more than just pay. Is the job super easy like watching the front desk in your dorm? If so, congratulations, you now have time to study at work. Do you love to shop at a particular store in the mall? Get a job there and reap the benefits of the employee discount. Can't afford enough food to feed you? Get a job at Burger King, McDonald's or another food venue and enjoy the discounted or free meals. Don't just settle for any old job, find one that rewards you with added benefits.
By Brandi M. Seals
Post Feedback: Click Here
Easy Ways to Get a Little Cash at College
Collect pop cans and return them for deposit. The following states currently offer this type of program: Michigan, Maine, Vermont, California, Oregon, Iowa, New York, Delaware, Massachusetts, and Connecticut. If your state doesn't offer a deposit, try recycling them. Many recycling centers will pay per set number of pounds for returned cans. Don't have cans lying around? Collect them off the street or better yet, throw a party. Recycle all the empties left behind.
By Brandi M. Seals
Post Feedback: Click Here
Food to Have on Hand at College
College students notoriously have horrible diets either because of poor eating habits or because of budget concerns. Here's a list of foods that I always tried to keep in stock because they were fairly low costing and weren't too bad for the diet either.
By Brandi M. Seals
Post Feedback: Click Here
If you're looking for ways to save money at school, why not become a resident assistant? RAs are generally given free room and board in exchange for planning programs for other residents on their floor, helping solve any problems, and just being someone their residents can talk to. So if you are outgoing, enjoy helping others out, and don't mind doing rounds during the middle of the night a couple of days each month, look into becoming a resident assistant. Also, if you career goal is to work for a university, being an RA is a good first step and would look great on a resume.
By Brandi M. Seals
Post Feedback: Click Here
Today's Sponsors
Free Photo Organizer From Google
"Picasa is software that helps you instantly find, edit and share all the pictures on your PC. Every time you open Picasa, it automatically locates all your pictures (even ones you forgot you had) and sorts them into visual albums organized by date with folder names you will recognize. You can drag and drop to arrange your albums and make labels to create new groups. Picasa makes sure your pictures are always organized."
More Information:
http://www.thriftyfun.com/tf61219677.tip.html
More Stuff
Coupon Swap!
Swap coupons with other ThriftyFun.com users:
Seed Swap!
Swap seeds with other ThriftyFun.com users:
Tip Contest!
Submit a tip and enter our contest.
Submit a Request
Frugal solutions to everyday problems.
Search ThriftyFun!
Use Google technology to search ThriftyFun.
Like ThriftyFun on Facebook
