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How To Get Free Basic Healthcare and Make Money

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Get Free Basic Healthcare</div>
 
Student health center offer a variety of basic healthcare services for free ('free' here meaning that these fees are included in tuition). The typical freebies that can be had include condoms, band aids, common immunizations, and over the counter meds like Tylenol. More complicated care involving, say, x-rays or splints will require payment. Chances are, you won't even be asked to show any student ID, though if you are just start complaining about it being in your dorm that's, like, really, far away... 
 
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<a href="http://howtomakemoneywe.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Free Money</a> and Healthcare </div>
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(yet again) [doing research studies]</div>
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Um...wtf? 
An absurdly easy way to make some cash or score some free healthcare is to whore yourself out as a volunteer for various research studies. The studies are typically conducted by academic institutions, private corporations (usually pharmaceuticals), as well as various other think-tank organizations.  
 
The researchers will typically be testing something, such as a new drug, the effects of heavy metal on brainwaves, group interaction under duress, and so forth, and will need research participants (human guinea pigs) to test their theories/products on. In order to lure in test subjects you'll be offered a reward (also known as a dangling carrot) consisting of either free medical treatment (if you're doing a clinical study) or/and monetary compensation.  
 
This brief section, written in FAQ form, will answer some general questions about where to find studies, how much you can expect to get paid, and other jazz. (And yes, since corporate and educational interests are so interrelated in this day and age (along with their mutually vested political interests as well), I feel that it's therefore within the proper bounds of a guide about scamming universities to mention corporate sources for research studies;)). 
 
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What kinds of studies are there?</div>
 
All kinds! A f**king rainbow of opportunity abounds. The studies range from the mundane drug tests and advertisement efficacy testing to the more fun studies like the effects of psychotropic substances and memory games, to the outright bizarre ones along the lines of going on a broccoli sprout diet or watching nature shows while hooked up to an EEG. 
 
A common misconception that may all too often arise from reading existing human guinea pig guides (like Jim Hogshire's horribly incomplete Sell Yourself to Science) is that the only studies that are out there are drug or other medical studies. There are, however, plenty of non-intrusive social science studies run by psychologists or business research firms which typically pay less than the medical studies, but don't involve any uncomfortable physical examinations. 
 
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How much do I get paid for this shit?</div>
 
Compensation varies from study to study. <a href="http://howtomakemoneywe.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Some don't pay any money</a>, but instead offer the 'benefit' of complementary medical treatment. For instance, if you go into a migraine study you may be given a free month's supply of new experimental migraine medication, but no money. Other studies may pay anything from $5-$50 an hour for a few hours, or you may get around $2000 for a month-long live-in study. Once you find a study, if the compensation isn't immediately listed, contact the study coordinator and ask what the compensation will be. 
 
Typically, the longer and more intrusive the study is, the more you'll get paid. That is to say, an hour long advertising study that requires you to rate your mood after looking at some ads may only give you $10, while a five hour study that involves an attachment of something like a catheter (<a href="http://www.malecare.org/" rel="nofollow">http://www.malecare.org</a>) may offer you compensation that's more along the lines of $200. If you're uncomfortable with needles, probes, blood samples, and other general aspects of medical examination, you'll probably want to stay away from all medical studies and focus on the business and psychological studies, which tend to pay less per study but are also generally more pleasant. 
 
Remember that the cheaper studies are often easier to get into as they have less stringent requirements and an often larger desired sample size, so don't scoff at a $10 study as not being worth your time. $10 should be enough to feed you for a week or more, and the little studies tend to add up to nice sums over time. 
 
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So If I don't like needles and anal probes and all that wicked jazz, does that mean I'm stuck doing the cheapo studies?</div>
 
Not necessarily. However, there is the little matter of burning your bridges. For all studies you will have to sign a consent form, which informs you of the risks you'll be taking and general legal yadda yadda to cover the sponsor's ass. If you do read the fine print though, you'll find that all of these forms also say that you are under no obligation to complete the study, and will receive full (or at times partial) payment for your participation regardless of completion. This means that if, say, you've signed up for a medical study that also requires a blood test at the end, you could, in theory, participate into the study up until the blood draw and then state that you're not comfortable with going any further. You will be compensated for your time, and excused from the study, money in hand. Your partial participation, however, cannot be counted in the study itself and thus resources will have been wasted on you. 
 
Unofficially, what this leads to is known as blacklisting or shitlisting. When participating in studies you'll often have to identify yourself by the last four digits of your social security number (which can, of course, be entirely made up), though you will most likely be remembered by your face (identification is nearly never asked for), as the same people tend to run all of the studies at a particular research center.  
 
What this means is that, after bailing midway through an earlier study, if you show up for another one, don't be surprised if you're cordially told that "when we contacted you we didn't realize that we had already met our required quota, so we're afraid your services aren't necessary at this point in time...". In other words: you'll make <a href="http://howtomakemoneywe.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">more money</a> in the long run by sticking to studies you're comfortable with completing all the way. 
 
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Who can participate in these things?</div>
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All studies have their own unique requirements. Some will only accept smokers or pregnant 78 year old hermaphrodite albinos. Each study will have the participatory qualifications which you should look over. If you lie chances are that the proctors will be able to detect that something isn't quite right and will quick you out of the study with partial or no compensation, after which you'll get shitlisted and won't be invited to any more studies in that circle. If you don't get spotted and you're doing some sort of medical study you also run the risk of having the medications react with you in negative ways.  
 
While most studies will also likely have minimum age restrictions set at about 18 or 21 years, there are some studies which focus on juveniles (with parental consent). However, no one really checks for proof of birth date, so as long as you look old enough everything should be honky dory. 
 
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OK, where do I find these studies already?</div>
 
As most of the studies are conducted by academics, look up the phone numbers or emails for the psychology/neurology/sociology/business/medicine departments at the local universities and call them up/email them saying that you are interested in any present or future research study volunteer opportunities. Some departments will have special mailing lists you can sign up for to receive news of any upcoming studies. 
 
While on the subject of universities, walk around a few local campuses and look at the flyers posted around the thereabouts. Oftentimes you'll see a few 'research subjects wanted!' flyers hanging around. If you want to decrease the selection pool and therefore improve your own chances of being selected, go ahead and either tear off the flyers, or rip off most of the available phone stubs if there are any. 
 
You should also look through the classifieds section of the local papers (including the free community papers), as there are study notifications sometimes places in the 'help wanted' sections. 
 
The Guinea Pigs Get Paid website (which, unfortunately, only focuses on medical studies) has a comprehensive international directory of various medical trial centers: <a href="http://www.gpgp.net/directory.php" rel="nofollow">www.gpgp.net/directory.php</a> 
 
The Multidisciplinary Association for Psychedelic Studies has a list of on-going psychedelics studies: <a href="http://www.maps.org/volunteer.html" rel="nofollow">www.maps.org/volunteer.html</a> (most of which are without compensation, though some lucrative offers do pop up if you scrutinize the list with care). 
 
Google also has a list of links to sites which pertain to various clinical trials (Google also has a listing of 'preclinical' studies, though those essentially mean animal testing, and as such are of no interest to us superior Homo sapiens) 
 
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What's the etiquette for establishing contact with the study coordinators?</div>
 
Essentially, there's nothing to it. Simply email or call up the particular department and state that you'd like to be added to any available lists which will keep you abreast of the latest studies that are going on. 
 
When contacting a particular study coordinator, once again, simply express your interest in the study and request additional information. Keep in mind that spaces may be limited, so contact the coordinator right away (don't delay!).  
 
If you're asked to fill out a pre-trial questionnaire, or asked a few questions over the phone, it's usually best to answer truthfully with regards to any medical studies (lying about things like allergies can have the obvious adverse consequences) while fibbing on all other non-clinical questions (like 'is English your first language' if the study calls for only 'native English speakers') is usually perfectly fine. If asked about background habits like drinking (and the study is on alcohol consumption), you want to make yourself sound a bit above average, but not so outlandish so as to be an outlier on their precious data graphs. 
 
After the study is completed, feel free to send a thank you email. This will elevate you above the other masses in the subject pool and will help insure placement in future studies (yes, the studies are technically supposed to be random, but human bias, like a deadly nerve gas, always has a tendency to leak in, hopefully to your benefit). 
 
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How should I act during the study?</div>
 
You aren't being graded on your responses (unless this is a multiple-part study and you must qualify to proceed to the next stage), so generally you'll want to answer truthfully. That is, unless you want to have a little fun. If you want to f**k with the researcher's a bit (who are likely f**king with you, as the true intention of the study isn't often revealed until the post-study debriefing session), give insane answers to any of the free response questions. For instance, if you're looking at a series of pictures for various products and are asked to write down your mood, write down 'happy' for all of the products, except, say, when you get to a tube of toothpaste write down 'very angry'. If doing some sort of medical study, break down into tears and laughter sporadically, and so on... Though keep in mind that you don't want to overact so much as to be shitlisted, so restrict your monkey wrenching to a subtle level. 
 
If you're filling out bullshit survey answers, keep in mind that there may be one or more control questions to which certain answers would be impossible (such as questions asking if you've ever done a nonexistent drug), which are designed to weed out your malarkey. 
 
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What about selling blood, sperm, plasma etc...?</div>
 
The number of hoops you usually have to jump through to qualify for blood and sperm donation, coupled with the low payments and time restrictions (e.g., can only donate three times a month, etc), make most of these bodily fluid ventures highly unprofitable when compared to all of the aforementioned research study opportunities. Nonetheless, if you are interested in this sort of thing, check out Jim Hogshire's Sell Yourself to Science. 
 
Also, if you have the magical power to ovulate, and don't mind a bit of surgery, you can fetch around a couple thousand dollars per egg. There is a whole so-called subgenre devoted to egg donation, though as this is outside the scope of research studies, you're on your own to research the matter as you please... <a href="http://howtomakemoneywe.blogspot.com/">howtomakemoneywe.blogspot.com</a></div>

How To Get Free Basic Healthcare and Make Money

Get Free Basic Healthcare Student health center offer a variety of basic healthcare services for free ('free' here meaning that ...

9/05/2015

How to Get Free Furniture, Hardware, and other Crapola

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Free Furniture, Hardware, and other Crapola</div>
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Dumpster Diving. Find out when the last exams are over in the summer and all the students begin to move out. Visit the dumpsters daily that week to find heaps of discarded furniture, hardware, and other junk.  
 
Don't forget to check out the dumpsters in nearby apartments at the same time as well. (If you're interested in more info about dumpster diving, check out John Hoffman's classic The Art and Science of Dumpster Diving (as well as his sequel, Dumpster Diving. 
 
Freecycling. The Freecycling Network is a series of groups around the world consisting of folks who exchange shit that they no longer need for themselves. Members post requests or offers via online messaging boards (e.g., 'Free Couch – Come Get it!') and whoever's first to reply and express interest can come pick up the unwanted item for free. Many students are now setting up their own college-specific freecycle networks (or their differently-named equivalents, as 'freecycle' is apparently now considered a trademark or some such douchebaggery). To find out if there's a freecycle group at your local college, check out <a href="http://www.freecycle.org/" rel="nofollow">www.freecycle.org</a>. If there's not, print out a few flyers (see the free printing/copying sections below), setup a message board (like a free, albeit ad-laden, Yahoo Group), and start one the fuck up (though give it a different name to avoid any legal trouble).</div>

How to Get Free Furniture, Hardware, and other Crapola

Free Furniture, Hardware, and other Crapola Dumpster Diving . Find out when the last exams are over in the summer and all the studen...

9/04/2015

How to Get Free Schwag Tricks and Tips

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Free swag (t-shirts, hats, stickers, keychains, coupons, product samples, and other crapola) can be easily procured by writing to various companies and offering to be your local college brand whore ('product representative') for their merchandise.  
 
 
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Find a product that you have some remote interest in, then find their contact information (written on the product, or better yet, on their website), and write them a cock-slurping email about how you masturbate to their product on an hourly basis ("Gee willikers, I drink ZoomZoom energy drink like all-the-time!"), and, seeing as how you attend X university with Y amount of students, you think that it'd be a perfect opportunity for you to help promote their product.  
 
Mention that you'd therefore be all too happy to help propagate their brand by proudly sporting any t-shirts or other wearables they send you, as well as hand out samples to students. Write emails to a few companies so that you'll get more schwag, and in case some don't take you up on your generous offer.  
 
If you're sent a batch of samples to hand out, hand out a couple and snap some photos of the kids "enjoying" them to send back to headquarters, and then ask for a new batch to hand out some more. And don't fret, the address you give them to send the goodies to doesn't actually have to be on campus ;).</div>

How to Get Free Schwag Tricks and Tips

Free swag (t-shirts, hats, stickers, keychains, coupons, product samples, and other crapola) can be easily procured by writing to various ...

9/04/2015

How to Get Free Food Tricks For Student

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Let's start off by finding some shit to eat. If you can't find free food on a college campus then you really must not be keeping your eyes open. </div>
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Unfortunately, all too many schools are now forcing students into mandatory meal plans, which you can nonetheless try to weasel out of by taking one of three usual routes: a) dietary/medical restrictions (will require detailed diet plans/notes from a dietician/doctor), b) religio-cultural beliefs (will require letters from your religious/cultural 'leader'), or c) personal convictions (will require you writing a substantial letter explaining your beliefs, as well as providing supporting letters or testaments to your credibility/'the strengths of your convictions' by family members or/and former teachers).  
 
The goal of taking the third route is to point out how the food served on campus, and thus the college meal plan, is contradictory to your beliefs (perhaps something along the lines of you only supporting organic, fair trade food produced by unionized workers...). Contact whoever's responsible for your meal plans for further college-specific information. Anyway, here are a few tips on scoring some free grub, college style. 
 
Clubs. Look around any flyer boards for announcements of any upcoming club meetings. Towards the start of the semester chances are your local college will also have a club or student organization fair of sorts to get the new students interested in signing up for various clubs. Many of the clubs will have email lists on their tables, and will be all too thrilled to add your name to their spam list. Sign up for as many as possible! Each time a club meeting or activity is announced you'll then get email. More often than not, to entice more attendance, you'll also see the key words "free food." Show up, mingle, and get some free eatin'. Colleges have hundreds of different clubs, so don't worry, you'll hardly have to keep sticking to the same ones. 
 
Special Events. As long as you're looking at flyers, look for some announcing any upcoming events or speakers. Key phrases to look for include "reception to follow," "lunch to be provided," "refreshments served," and so on. Browsing to the college's website, check the online calendar for a complete list of upcoming events. There are many happenings each day, so chances are you'll stumble onto at least one that will be serving free food. Similarly, free booze can be procured by looking around for any upcoming party flyers, or the stereotypical 'wine and cheese' events (yeah, they really do have those). 
 
Deliveries. Doubtlessly you've often seen food delivery cars darting around campus from the local eateries. You've also probably noticed that many times the vehicles are left empty, as the deliver dude waits to gain entry into a dorm or is busy sprinting up the steps to the fourth floor of wherever. Simply open the car door, grab some yet-to-be-delivered goodies and take off. Can't find a delivery car around anywhere when you've got the munchies? Then up the ante a bit by trying the age old con (Abbie popularized this one in Steal This Book, available online at <a href="http://www.tenant.net/Community/steal/steal.html" rel="nofollow">http://www.tenant.net/Community/steal/steal.html</a>) of taking the liberty of calling up an order and giving a particularly inconvenient location (say, the top floor of the dorm furthest from the parking lot, or/and the address of that one kid whom you don't particularly hold in high esteem), and then raid the (hopefully unlocked) car while your dummy order is being delivered. 
 
Cafeterias. Ah, college cafeterias. Who doesn't love these delightful delicatessens serving delectable delicacies, good not only for their free food, but for free silver and dinnerware? There are essentially two types of cafeterias (pay as you enter and pay as you leave), and your techniques should, as always, be custom-tailored to suit your particular environment. 
 
Pay as you enter: If you're charged before you're allowed entry into the cafeteria, the obvious solution is to find an alternate entry point. The thing is that after eating most folks have to be able to leave, and the exits are usually left unguarded. They may, at best, be locked to anyone trying to open them from the outside, in which case you can just wait for someone to come out. If you're ever questioned, simply utter something along the lines of "I forgot my backpack," and keep walking without pause. Remember that pausing acknowledges and therefore perpetuates the illusory authority of whoever's telling you to stop in the first place... 
 
Pay as you leave. Much like you enter through the exit in pay as you enter eateries, with the pay as you leave ones you can just turn right around after getting your food and leave through the entrance. Hold an old receipt in your hand that you found lying around or in the trash as a credibility prop, and if questioned, a simple "I already paid" retort should suffice, as you once again keep walking without slowing down. You can also try to find alternate exits, such as walking through the dining hall's kitchen (don't worry about the workers in there, they (usually) don't bite) into another part of the university. Look around and explore. 
 
For both scenarios it may behoove you to find out the exact hours that the cafeteria is open, and show up in the midst of the rush hour, so as to be able to blend in with the crowd. 
 
Culinary schools. OK, not exactly free, but pretty f**king cheap. Culinary schools often offer full restaurant-quality (read: fancy as f**k), three course meals to the public for something like less than ten dollars a meal. If your local college doesn't have a culinary or cooking department, look up a specialty culinary school near you at <a href="http://www.cookingschools.com/" rel="nofollow">http://www.cookingschools.com</a>, or any other similar directory you can find through your favourite search engine. Then just call them up and ask if they offer meals to the public, what times, the cost, and so on. 
 
Gardens and Co-ops. Many colleges have student-run fruit and vegetable gardens, typically being vaguely associated with the school's environmental science program or whatnot. Look around the college's website (or just keep your eyes open on campus) to see if your local college indeed has one, and then pay it a little after hours visit to get your fill of some fresh pickings. Some colleges also run food collectives or co-ops that sell organic foods, and will let you buy shit at a discount if you start volunteering for them. Though if you're interested in genuinely free co-op food, something that's not strictly college-related (and so I won't go into it in any depth), that you could check out nonetheless, is your local Food Not Bombs collective Get some cool stuff here <a href="http://www.foodnotbombs.net/" rel="nofollow">www.foodnotbombs.net</a> 
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How to Get Free Food Tricks For Student

Let's start off by finding some shit to eat. If you can't find free food on a college campus then you really must not be keeping y...

9/04/2015

How to Be Smart with Finance at Tax time

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How to Be Smart with Finance at Tax time</div>
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It's never smart to pay more taxes than you're legally required to, but to avoid doing so you need to know a little bit about the provisions of the tax laws that affect you. If you're a student or the parent of a student, there are special tax benefits you may be able to take advantage of to reduce your tax burden and put some money back in your pocket.</div>
 
 
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<li>If you're unmarried and your parents (or someone else) claim you as a dependent, you have to file a tax return if you have earned income (wages, tips, taxable scholarship and fellowship grants) of more than $4,750, unearned income (interest, dividends, capital gains) of more than $750, or if your gross income is more than $750 and exceeds your earned income by more than $250. If you worked at all during the year and had taxes withheld, file a tax return even if your income was less than $4,750. You should get back everything you paid in. Depending on how much you worked, it could be a nice chunk of change, but even if it's only a few bucks, it's yours.</li>
<li>If you find income tax returns intimidating, contact your school's business department and ask about tax assistance from accounting students, or call your local IRS office for free assistance. Call early, because the closer you get to the April 15 filing deadline, the longer it will take to get help.</li>
<li>You may be able to deduct up to $2,500 in interest expense you paid on student loans used for tuition, as long as the federal government didn't subsidize the loans. Subsidized loans are those that the federal government pays the interest on while you're in school. Be sure to use form 1040 or 1040A to qualify for the interest deduction (not form 1040EZ).</li>
<li>Check with your parents to see if they plan to claim you as a dependent on their tax return. They're entitled to do so if they pay at least half of your expenses; however, if they claim you and you also claim yourself, you'll be hearing from the IRS. Save yourself the grief by communicating with your parents about this.</li>
<li>Besides the issue of whether your parents claim you on their tax return or you claim yourself, there are other tax issues to coordinate with your parents. Because they're in a higher tax bracket, they'll benefit more from the deductions and credits that may be available to you. If that's the case, taking those yourself would be shortsighted. Why save hundreds of dollars when you could save thousands?</li>
<li>If your parents claim you as a dependent on their tax return, they receive any tax credit or deduction you may be eligible for; if nobody claims you on their return, you can take the credit or deduction yourself. Make a deal with your parents to let them take the credit but slip you some of the savings in cash.</li>
<li>If you're covered as a dependent on your parents' health insurance policy, you could be risking your eligibility if you claim yourself on your income tax return. You can't be your parents' dependent for insurance purposes and be independent for tax purposes.</li>
<li>Uncle Sam has provided three education tax credits or deductions: the Hope Scholarship, the Lifetime Learning Credit, and the Higher Education Expenses Deduction. Either you or your parents can take one of them, so read up about them so you make the choice that will save you or your parents the most money.</li>
<li>If you're eligible for the Hope Scholarship Credit, you can take a credit of up to $1,500 against your income taxes (or your parents' income taxes) for the first two years of postsecondary education (college or vocational school). You'd have to pay for at least $2,000 of qualifying education expenses with money from an account other than a Coverdell, 529 savings plan, or prepaid tuition plan, and your income (or your parents' income) must be below the threshold. See the IRS website for details.</li>
<li>If you're eligible for the Lifetime Learning Credit, you can write off 20 percent of your tuition and fees (up to $2,000) for undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree courses. To claim the full Lifetime Learning Credit on your income tax return, you'd have to pay for at least $10,000 of qualifying education expenses with money from an account other than a Coverdell, 529 savings plan, or prepaid tuition plan. Your income (or your parents' income) must be below the threshold. People of all ages can qualify for this credit.</li>
<li>You or your parents can claim either the Hope Scholarship Credit or the Lifetime Learning Credit, but not both. If necessary, consult a tax expert to find out which one will benefit you or your parents most.</li>
<li>In 2004 and 2005, if your adjusted gross income is under $65,000 (for singles) and $130,000 (for married filing jointly), you can claim your actual tuition and fees up to $4,000 under the Higher Education Expenses Deduction as long as you're enrolled in an accredited public, private, or proprietary institution above the high school level. If your income is higher than these limits, but less than $80,000 (for singles) and $160,000 (for married filing jointly), you can deduct up to $2,000.</li>
<li>To claim the Higher Education Expenses Deduction, include the total you paid for tuition and other eligible costs, up to $3,000 (in 2004) on the bottom of page 1 of your form 1040 Income Tax Return. The deduction will actually depend on your tax bracket, so your parents would probably net more of a benefit than you would, if they can claim you as a dependent.</li>
<li>If you qualify for an education tax credit or deduction, make sure you choose the one that will put the most cash back in your pocket. A tax deduction reduces the income your taxes are calculated on, but a tax credit reduces your actual tax. To help you determine your eligibility for these tax deductions and credits so you can chose the one that saves you the most money, see IRS Publication 970: Tax Benefits for Higher Education.</li>
<li>If you're still your parent's dependent for tax purposes, you're probably a legal resident of your home state, not your school's state. Make sure you know your legal residency, because that's where you'll have to file your state income tax return. If you file in the wrong state, you may end up owing taxes and having to go through the hassle of correcting and refiling tax returns.</li>
<li>Keep track of where your tuition money comes from, for tax purposes. If you take a deduction or credit on your tax return for education expenses, you can't count expenses that were paid for with money from a 529 account or Coverdell education savings account, because these accounts are already tax-free. If your tuition expenses exceed the amount paid from these accounts, you can claim the excess.</li>
<li>Know what tax benefits are available to you for education expenses. Order Publication 4: Student's Guide, Publication 508: Educational Expenses 508, and Publication 520: Scholarships and Fellowships free from the IRS and educate yourself about how to take advantage of education-related tax breaks.</li>
<li>If you're legally independent from your parents (meaning you cannot be claimed as their dependent) and earn less than the income limit, you may qualify for the Earned Income Credit, a tax credit you can receive in your income tax refund or in your paycheck on a weekto-week basis. Check IRS Publication 596 to see if you're eligible.</li>
<li>Don't overpay your taxes by claiming grants and loans as income unnecessarily. If a grant paid for room and board, it's taxable and you'll have to claim it as income on your tax return, but other grants and loans are generally not taxable. Read the fine print, and consult a tax expert if necessary.</li>
<li>If you're in a work-study program that provides a break on tuition costs, or if you work in exchange for other financial aid instead of a paycheck, the benefit to you is considered income. You'll have to claim it as income and pay taxes on it when you file your tax return. If you receive a paycheck, the income will be reported on your W-2 and taxes will be withheld as you go, so you won't have to make any adjustments on your tax return.</li>
<li>Take advantage of free electronic income tax return filing services. The IRS website has a list of providers and a description of who qualifies. Most students qualify for free use of the online software and the filing fee.</li>
<li>Don't fall for income tax refund loans, which allow you to receive an immediate short-term loan in the amount of your income tax refund, for a hefty fee. These loans typically speed up your refund by only two weeks. You can achieve the same result yourself just by filing electronically and having your refund deposited directly into your bank account.</li>
</ol>
</div>

How to Be Smart with Finance at Tax time

How to Be Smart with Finance at Tax time It's never smart to pay more taxes than you're legally required to, but to avoi...

9/03/2015

How to Get the Most Bang from Your Bank

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How to Get the Most Bang from Your Bank Tips for College Students</div>
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<li>Most banks offer four types of accounts: checking, savings, money market, and certificates of deposit. A checking account is a must for college students. A savings account is a good idea if you receive student loan money or financial aid money in a lump and will be using it over the course of the semester, or even if you just want to tuck away a little money for emergencies. Make your money work a little harder for you by choosing an account that will pay interest.</li>
<li>With a checking account, you can get an Automated Teller Machine (ATM) card, which gives you instant access to your cash. Choose a bank that gives you unlimited free ATM access without any fees.</li>
<li>Some banks offer a special kind of ATM card, called a debit card, which you use to make purchases instead of using cash or a check. Using debit cards saves the expense of having checks printed and can help you control your spending. They're convenient, there are no fees, they give you instant access to your money, and they limit your spending to what you actually have in your account. This is a good thing.</li>
<li>Guard your debit card carefully, and don't leave it lying around. Some debit cards require only a signature instead of a PIN number when making a purchase. If you have this kind of card and it gets into the wrong hands, someone could forge your signature and steal your money.</li>
<li>Some banks offer free checking to students, so ask around before setting up an account. Call or visit several banks, ask about their student checking accounts, and get a list of fees, interest rates, and branch locations so you can make the choice that best suits your needs.</li>
<li>When choosing a bank, ask about fees. Some banks charge a flat monthly fee for checking accounts, some charge a fee only if your account drops below a certain minimum balance, and others charge a fee for each check you write or each deposit you make. Choose the best account based on your personal situation and how you intend to use the account. For example, if you write lots of checks, you'll want an account that has a flat fee; if you write very few, it may be cheaper to pay for each check.</li>
<li>Some checking accounts pay interest, but usually require a higher minimum balance. If you're going to have low balances at certain times of the month, it might be cheaper to pay a flat fee in order to have an account with a lower minimum balance.</li>
<li>As soon as you arrive on campus, decide on a bank and set up an account so you'll have access to your money without having to pay transfer fees from home.</li>
<li>If you're unsure how to balance your checkbook each month, record ATM transactions, or write checks, ask the bank staff to show you how. A good understanding of these activities can prevent you from making costly mistakes.</li>
<li>If you use an ATM card to access your bank account, plan ahead so you can avoid incurring ATM fees at out-of-network ATMs. Why pay money to access your own funds?</li>
<li>Don't use the ATM to check your balance or review recent transactions unless you're sure your bank doesn't charge a fee for this service. Most banks provide other methods for you to check this information, either online or through an automated telephone system.</li>
<li>If you don't have enough money in your bank account to cover a check you've written, the check will bounce (be returned by the bank for insufficient funds) and your bank will charge you a fee of $25 to $35. If you wrote the check out to a business, they'll add their fee to the bank's, for a total of up to $100 or more. To prevent this, balance your checkbook, record all your ATM withdrawals and debit card transactions, record any automatic deductions, and double-check your math in your check register.</li>
<li>Sign up for overdraft protection; then resolve not to use it except to cover you when you make an error in your checkbook. You'll be protected from bouncing checks when you do make a mistake, so you'll avoid fees for insufficient funds, which usually start at $25 per check.</li>
<li>Balance your checkbook every month. Banks do make errors. More likely, though, you'll make an error in your checkbook or forget to deduct an ATM withdrawal. Balancing your checkbook can help prevent any nasty surprises and overdrawn accounts resulting in yet more fees.</li>
<li>When balancing your checkbook, be sure to add any interest you earned to your checkbook register balance and deduct any fees so your checkbook register is always up to date. Even being off a dollar can result in bounced checks.</li>
<li>You've heard the dumb blond joke: "I can't be overdrawn on my bank account. I still have checks left!" Just because you have checks doesn't mean you have money in your account, so keep your checkbook register up to date and know how much you have in your account before writing a check, using your debit card, or making a withdrawal.</li>
<li>When writing a check, fill in all of the blank spaces and draw a line through the blank unused portion. Write the check amount as a number in the box provided, and spell it out on the long line below. These precautions will help prevent your check amounts from being altered.</li>
<li>Always sign your checks as you write them. Never sign a blank check. If you make a mistake, write "VOID" in large letters across the check or shred it so nobody else will be able to use it. Note the voided check in your checkbook register and write a new one to replace the one you voided.</li>
<li>Don't use an easy-to-guess personal identification number (PIN) for your ATM, like your birthday or part of your phone number or social security number. If you lose your card, it will be very easy for someone to drain your bank account if they can easily guess your PIN.</li>
<li>Never give your bank account number or other information printed on your checks to anyone over the phone. They can use the information to fraudulently remove money from your account by submitting what's known as an electronic (paperless) check.</li>
<li>Question your bank's fees. They may seem like small potatoes, but they're big business for banks. If your bank charges a fee for a certain service, make sure it's something you really need, even if it's only a few dollars a month.</li>
<li>If your bank charges you to talk to a live teller, change banks. Originally, ATMs were supposed to save banks money by letting you do simple banking without using a live teller; then banks started charging fees to use the ATM. Now some banks are charging a fee if you use a live teller. Never pay a fee to access your own money.</li>
<li>Online banking makes it easy to keep your checkbook register up-to-date because you can quickly scan the recent activity in your account and spot any ATM withdrawals or debit card purchases you forgot to record. Don't rely solely on your online balance, though, because checks you've written may not have cleared yet, so your balance is rarely what shows up online.</li>
<li>Don't pay bank fees for check printing. Your bank will give you a small supply of starter checks. Order additional checks from a discount check printer for a fraction of the cost. Try Checks Unlimited (www.checksunlimited.com) at 1-800-204-2244, Checks in the Mail (www.checksinthemail.com) at 1-800-733-4443, or CheckWorks (www.checkworks.com) at 1-800-9714223.</li>
<li>Avoid using nonbank ATMs whenever possible. Scammers sometimes install scanning devices in ATMs that track your PIN and account numbers. The scammers then remove all the money from your account.</li>
<li>Never write your PIN number in a conspicuous place or give the number out to anyone. It's like giving them a license to steal from you.</li>
<li>Make sure you know whether your bankcard is a debit card or a credit card. They're used interchangeably, but when you use your debit card, the money comes out of your checking account right away. If you're not aware of this, you could overdraw your account and incur a bank fee.</li>
<li>Debit cards are a great way to control your spending without carrying a lot of cash around with you, because you can only spend what you have in your checking account. This prevents the build-up of credit card debt and interest expense.</li>
<li>Just because your bank account balance shows you have enough money available to cover checks you've written or are about to write doesn't mean you won't bounce a check. Ask your bank how long they hold deposited checks before the funds are actually available to you, and then plan accordingly when writing checks or using your debit card. This will help you avoid bounced checks or overdraft fees.</li>
<li>If you bounce a check, and you've never done it before, call your bank and ask them to waive the fee. Many banks will do this for your first offense. A quick phone call is worth the potential $25 to $39 savings.</li>
<li>If you've used your credit card responsibly for at least a year, call your credit card company and ask them to lower the interest rate. Many will do so.</li>
<li>If your bank merges with or is bought by another bank, call and ask about any changes in fees and policies. You'll probably receive notices stuffed in the envelope with your bank statement, but you could easily throw these away without being aware that the bank merger could be costing you money in additional fees or higher interest rates.</li>
<li>Be sure to transfer money from your savings account to your checking account before using your debit card. If your accounts are linked, your bank may charge a fee to make this transfer for you when your checking balance is too low to cover the debit charges.</li>
<li>Keep your money in the bank, not in your pocket. It's too easy to spend impulsively when you have easy access to cash.</li>
<li>Stay away from check-cashing stores. Their fees take a bite out of your budget.</li>
<li>Take advantage of the magic of compounding. Money saved in an interest-bearing account will grow more quickly because you earn interest on both the principal and the previously earned interest. The more frequently the compounding is performed, the more money you'll end up with. Over time the difference can be significant, so don't hide your cash under your mattress or in the cookie jar.</li>
<li>Keep close tabs on the whereabouts of your ATM card and report a lost or stolen card to your bank immediately. If you report the card missing before it's used without your permission, you'll be protected against unauthorized withdrawals.</li>
<li>Before setting up a bank account in your college town, find out if there's an on campus credit union. You may get better deals on interest rates and loans, pay lower fees, and earn higher interest on deposits.</li>
<li>Bounced checks not only result in costly fees, they can show up in your credit report and may make it difficult for you to open a checking account in the future. Banks don't like customers with a history of bouncing checks.</li>
<li>By federal law, your liability for unauthorized use of your bankcard is limited to $50 if you report your card's loss within two business days, and $500 if you report the card's loss within more than two but less than 60 days. If you discover your card is missing, don't hesitate to report it.</li>
<li>"Free" checking often comes with a hidden price. The money you leave in your account to meet the minimum balance requirements for free checking could be earning interest in an interest-bearing account. If your minimum balance requirement for free checking is more than a five hundred dollars, check around for a better deal.</li>
<li>If you use a debit card, it's easy to lose track of the exact balance in your checking account unless you record the debits in your checkbook register immediately. Dipping below the minimum balance in your checking account, even for a day, can result in bank fees.</li>
<li>Don't write checks unless you have money in your checking account to fully cover them. The days of getting "float" on your money (the gap between the time you mail your payments and the time they clear your bank account) are gone, and e-checks are here to stay. Merchants send an electronic copy of your check to the bank instead of mailing it, so your checks clear much more quickly.</li>
<li>When choosing a bank, look for one that doesn't charge a fee to use any ATM or that reimburses you for fees charged by an ATM owned by another bank. This is a convenient perk because you won't have a limited number of ATMs that you can access free.</li>
<li>When choosing a bank, also compare the minimum balance requirements (if your balance falls below the minimum for even one day, you'll be charged a fee), availability and location of ATMs, hours of operation and convenient locations, availability of online banking, whether the bank pays interest on the balance in your checking account, and whether the bank is FDIC-insured.</li>
<li>If you bounce a check, be sure to record the vendor's bounced check fee and your bank's fee in your check register. Otherwise, you could get into a vicious circle of bouncing more checks and incurring additional fees.</li>
<li>Avoid using ATMs not in your bank's network. You could incur what's known as double-dipping fees, where you're charged a fee by a bank that's not in your network and a surcharge by your own bank on top of that. This can cost you as much as $4 just to withdraw a little cash from your account.</li>
<li>A little advance planning can help you avoid ATM fees. Use a debit or check card when you make purchases at stores and get cash back at the same time, instead of withdrawing cash from the ATM and incurring a fee.</li>
<li>Banks often lower fees for customers who use direct deposit, so sign up for direct deposit on any checks you receive regularly, like paychecks. Even if you already have a no-fee account, direct deposit will save you time and protect you from having your checks stolen.</li>
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How to Get the Most Bang from Your Bank

How to Get the Most Bang from Your Bank Tips for College Students Most banks offer four types of accounts: checking, savings, m...

9/03/2015

Cheap Travel Tips That'll Save You BIG Money

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Reduce the Cost of Spring Break and Other Travel Tips for Student</div>
 
 
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<li>When making plans for spring break travel, keep in mind that some deals are too good to be true. Unscrupulous travel companies target students, because students like to travel and they don't always do their homework when buying travel services. Being the victim of a travel scam can be a serious financial setback, so check out the travel company thoroughly to make sure they're legit, get everything in writing, and read all the fine print.</li>
<li>If you're driving somewhere for the weekend or for a school break, let people know you'd be interested in sharing the ride. If several people chip in to cover the costs of gas, you'll all save money. Campuses usually have a common ride board where you can post your destination.</li>
<li>Make sure all details you've been told verbally are in writing, including the trip cancellation policy and what items are included free, such as meals. Don't assume anything, and don't count on anything that's not documented.</li>
<li>For those trips back home for the holidays or summer breaks, save money on airfare by comparing prices on an airfare search engine like www.sidestep.com or www.orbitz.com. To get the best deals, check back often for price updates.</li>
<li>Look for hidden fees on deals that claim to cover all your travel expenses. For example, many cruises that include "all fees" charge passengers when they dock in a foreign port. These types of hidden fees can add up enough to blow your budget.</li>
<li>Check out the travel company you use to make your spring break travel arrangements before you pay any money down. Call your local Better Business Bureau or use their website at www.bbb.org to check for complaints against the company.</li>
<li>To get decent rates on spring break travel, plan well in advance, especially if you're going to a hot spot like a tropical island during the peak season. Airlines typically set aside only a few seats on each flight at discounted rates, so if you don't book early, you may end up sitting next to someone who paid $150 for their seat and wondering why you paid $400 for yours.</li>
<li>Take advantage of airfare search engines to find the best prices on airfare for spring break and other travel. Besides services like Orbitz.com, CheapTickets.com, Travelocity.com, QIXO.com, CheapFares.com, Hotwire.com, and Expedia.com, there are those that cater only to students, such as Student Universe (www.studentuniverse.com), STA Travel (www.statravel.com), Student Traveler (www.studenttraveler.com), and Travelosophy (www.itravelosophy.com).</li>
<li>Before you enter a foreign country, make sure you know the laws that might affect you, like what substances are illegal, what the legal drinking age is, and so on. You don't want to be thrown into a Mexican prison, for example, and left there without any notification to family or friends.</li>
<li>Plan your trips back home well in advance so you can take advantage of the best available airfares. The best rates often require 21-, 14-, or 7-day advance booking, and they sell out fast.</li>
<li>Travel on off-peak days. Airfares are generally more expensive on Mondays and Fridays due to business travel on those days. Your best days for cheaper travel are Tuesday through Thursday and Friday night through Sunday morning. Plan accordingly to save money.</li>
<li>For cheaper airfares, plan to stay over a Saturday night. You'll save up to two-thirds off the standard price.</li>
<li>You can save money by booking flights last minute, but only do so when you're flexible about the travel days, because there's no guarantee you'll get a flight on a particular day. Check the airlines' websites regularly for notices of discounted last-minute fares, or use www.webflyer.com's "Deal Watch" feature.</li>
<li>It's cheaper to take a train than fly, and sometimes just as fast when all the shouting is over. Amtrak trains offer student discounts. Search your options online on the Amtrak website at www.amtrak.com.</li>
<li>Buses seem slow compared to flying, but when you factor in travel time to and from the airport, arriving two hours early for security check-in, stopovers in other cities, and possible delays, you may get there just as fast by bus if you're not traveling great distances. Greyhound offers discounts to students on many of its bus routes. Check them out at www.greyhound.com/student/index.asp.</li>
<li>Nonstop flights are sometimes more expensive than those with one stop on the way. Check out all the options for getting to your destination. A little flexibility could save you a lot of money.</li>
<li>Once you purchase an airline ticket, don't expect to get a refund if you change your mind. You can usually change the ticket for a different day or flight on the same airline for an administrative fee, usually around $100.</li>
<li>If you have to go home unexpectedly because of a death or serious illness in your family, ask the airline about their bereavement fares. You'll have to answer some detailed questions and may have to produce documentation, but you'll probably get a substantial discount.</li>
<li>Airlines routinely overbook flights to compensate for no-shows, and sometimes they have to ask for volunteers to take a different flight. They generally offer a financial incentive, like a free ticket or $100 off the price of an airfare. Let the stewardess know when you board that you'd be willing to be bumped if needed.</li>
<li>Fly or ride standby. Instead of having a guaranteed seat on the plane, train, or bus, you'll only get on if there's an available seat after all the people with reservations have been seated. Your ticket will be cheaper.</li>
<li>If you know you'll be using the train or bus regularly for trips home, buy a pass good for multiple trips. They usually have a lower cost per trip.</li>
<li>Opt for electronic airline tickets. There's nothing worse than getting stuck in an airport on Christmas Eve because you've lost your ticket. E-tickets give you peace of mind and prevent you from having to purchase a new ticket if you lose yours.</li>
<li>Sign up with airlines that service your hometown area to receive their email alerts about cheap tickets for unbooked seats. These tickets are usually available a few days before the flight at a steeply reduced price.</li>
<li>The worst time to travel is between Thanksgiving and Christmas. Expect to pay more and encounter more hassles and delays. Seats during these times book early; so don't rely on last-minute deals if you want to get home for the holidays.</li>
<li>Be flexible about your flight times. Sure, it would be nice to depart and arrive in the daylight when you're bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. They don't call a middle-of-the-night flight the "red-eye" for nothing, but you can save a significant amount of money by taking less popular flights (late at night or in the wee hours of the morning).</li>
<li>If your destination is within a couple of hours of several major airports, check the cost of flights to each one. You may find that a two-hour drive to get to a different airport will save you $100 or more.</li>
<li>Avoid purchasing airline tickets on weekends. Airlines update prices three times a day during the week and once a day on weekends in order to maximize their profits by filling flights. It's better for them to offer you a cheap seat when it looks like a flight won't fill than to have the plane fly with the seat empty. You'll have the best chance of getting a cheap flight if you buy right after an update.</li>
<li>When making travel arrangements, ask if your deposit is refundable. Don't settle for the salesperson's word--get it in writing.</li>
<li>Don't settle for vague descriptions like "major hotels" or "major airlines" when booking travel arrangements, especially to places outside the U.S. You may find yourself flying on a four-seat prop plane full of chickens and staying in a large tent on the beach. Get names, addresses, and phone numbers of all travel providers such as airlines and hotels, and call them to verify the details of your reservations.</li>
<li>If you're told that you've won a free vacation, ask if you have to buy something else in order to get it. Some scams offer "free" airfare but require you to buy expensive hotel accommodations. It ends up costing you more than it would have if you'd paid normal airfare and made your own lodging arrangements.</li>
<li>If your baggage is lost or damaged during your flight, the airline should reimburse you in some manner. Report the loss or damage to the baggage claim office. Insist on a form that you fill out and file with the airline before you leave the airport.</li>
<li>Make sure airfares are quoted with the return fare included. Many operators quote the one-way fare, hoping you won't notice the fine print. Also make sure the hotel that's included actually exists or you may find out that when they said you'd be staying at "The Dunes," you'd actually be camping out on the beach.</li>
<li>Anytime you make a deposit, whether it's a security deposit for an apartment or a deposit for a trip, there's a chance you won't get it back. Make sure you get all the stipulations surrounding the return of your deposit in writing, and get a written receipt.</li>
<li>College bowl games are fun and a popular outing for students, but they can be expensive. Limit your bowl trips to those in the immediate area where you attend school unless you can combine the game with a trip home or somewhere you need to go for other reasons. Most students use credit cards to pay for travel to bowl games, and because they don't have the money to pay the balance off quickly, they incur high interest costs on top of the trip expenses.</li>
</ol>
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Cheap Travel Tips That'll Save You BIG Money

Reduce the Cost of Spring Break and Other Travel Tips for Student When making plans for spring break travel, keep in mind that som...

9/02/2015

How to Cut Your Insurance Costs

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How to Cut Your Insurance Costs Best Tips</div>
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<li>Understand how auto insurance is calculated so you can make decisions that will reduce your premiums. The cost of your auto insurance is based on factors such as your age and driving record; the age, repair record, and cost of the make and model of the car you drive; your credit history; the distance between school and home; and your grades. Some of these things you have no control over, but you can reduce your costs by maximizing the things you can control that affect your rates.</li>
<li>If you attend school at least 100 miles from home and you don't take your car with you, make sure you or your parents inform the insurance company. The premiums should go down substantially while you're not using the car on a regular basis.</li>
<li>If you own a car, don't ever go without auto insurance. You risk your financial future. Without insurance, you could be sued and forced into bankruptcy, ruining your credit for many years. Even if you drive an old clunker and decide it's not worth covering for collision damage, make sure it's covered for liability.</li>
<li>If you belong to a fraternity or sorority, an honor society, or other student organization, let your auto insurance company know. Some insurers offer discounts to members of various clubs and other organizations.</li>
<li>Your auto insurance will be dramatically cheaper if you can stay on your parents' policy while in college. Once you're listed as the primary driver on a vehicle, you're considered a higher risk and your premium costs will probably double. Whenever possible, stay on your parents' policy as a secondary driver so you can benefit from the price break that their age provides. Your parents will also receive a discount for having a multi-car policy.</li>
<li>If you take a car to school, make sure you notify the insurance company of where the car will be located. If you don't, they may not cover claims for theft or damage.</li>
<li>You can save money by getting on the Dean's List. Ask your insurance company if they offer a "good student" discount on auto insurance.</li>
<li>Ask your parents to call their insurance agent to make sure your stuff will be covered while you're at school, especially any computer or electronic equipment you take with you. These items are often targets of thieves and are easily stolen (especially laptop computers and other electronic equipment).</li>
<li>Don't buy insurance you don't need. This includes credit insurance, the collision damage waiver on car rentals (check to make sure your auto insurance includes this coverage), flight insurance, and extended warranties.</li>
<li>Don't fall for sales pitches for credit card loss protection insurance. The law already protects you from fraudulent use of your credit card if it's lost or stolen. Buying this "insurance" is throwing away your money.</li>
<li>Don't "go bare" (we're not talking about skinny dipping here). Going bare means not being covered by insurance--in this case, health insurance. If you have a serious illness or accident, it could wipe out not only your own finances, but also your family's if they have to pay your medical bills.</li>
<li>If at all possible, stay on your parents' health insurance policy through graduation from college. Most policies allow dependent students enrolled full-time (at least twelve credits per semester) at an accredited college to be covered under their parents' policy until the age of twentythree. You may have to show proof of enrollment as a full-time student once a year.</li>
<li>If your parents' health insurance coverage is a managed care program, like an HMO, which requires you to use medical providers in a local network, you may not be able to benefit from their plan. It will make sense to continue your coverage only if your college is close enough to your parents' home to enable you to return there when you need medical care.</li>
<li>If you can't continue to be covered under your parents' health insurance policy, check into the school's health insurance programs. The coverage may not be great, but it's usually relatively inexpensive, and you should never be without any coverage at all. Being young and healthy doesn't guarantee you won't need medical care, and uninsured medical costs can force you into bankruptcy.</li>
<li>If you're in a fraternity or sorority, you may be eligible for group health insurance coverage provided by your national chapter at a reasonable rate. Contact the national headquarters for details.</li>
<li>When you borrow money for a car or other large purchase, or sign up for a credit card, you may be offered a payment protection plan, or credit insurance, which claims to cover your payments if you become disabled or unemployed. Most of these plans actually pay only your minimum payment, which isn't enough to pay down your balance and barely covers your interest costs. These plans are just another moneymaking tool for credit card companies and a waste of your money.</li>
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How to Cut Your Insurance Costs

How to Cut Your Insurance Costs Best Tips Understand how auto insurance is calculated so you can make decisions that will reduce ...

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