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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>
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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 ...

9/01/2015

How to Save Money on Clothing and Laundry

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There are 25 Tips specially for studends: How to Save Money on Clothing and Laundry</div>
 
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<li>Don't buy clothes that require dry cleaning. They're expensive to maintain and cost money every time you wear them. If you buy a skirt on sale for $25 but it requires dry cleaning, you'll have doubled your cost after cleaning it five times (assuming the average $5 dry cleaning charge for skirts). Stick to clothing that is easy and inexpensive to care for.</li>
<li>Do full loads of laundry. Those quarters you feed the washers and dryers add up, not to mention the cost of detergent and fabric softener. Also, clothes dry faster when there's a full load in the dryer.</li>
<li>If you pay for your own utilities, use cold water for washing clothes whenever possible, and always rinse in cold water. You'll save money by avoiding the cost of heating hot water.</li>
<li>Always set a timer so you can add fabric softener to the laundry cycle at the appropriate time. Adding softener at the end and then putting the load through an additional rinse cycle adds up to significant additional costs if you're paying for your own water, because it takes approximately ten gallons of water for the typical rinse cycle.</li>
<li>Cut fabric softener sheets in half. You won't even notice the difference in the results, and a box will last twice as long.</li>
<li>Frequent washing wears out clothing. If you wear a piece of clothing gently, you shouldn't have to wash it every time you wear it. Hang it up when you take it off. If you throw it in a heap of dirty clothes on the floor, you'll have to wash it whether it needs it or not.</li>
<li>If your parents' home is close enough to college to go home once or twice a month, take your laundry with you. You can save $2.00 per load to wash, and $1.05 per load to dry at $.35 per ten minutes, plus soap, bleach, and fabric softener, for an average of $3.50 per load). At three loads per week, that's a savings of $10.50 per week, $42 per month or $168 per semester.</li>
<li>Love your laundry. Proper care of your clothing will make it last longer while still looking good. Taking care of your clothing according to the fabric and the care instructions on each item will reduce the cost of your wardrobe.</li>
<li>You know that throwing a wool sweater into the dryer will reduce it to Barbie doll size, but did you know that washing rayon in hot water could do just as much damage? Know your fabrics, and launder accordingly. Handwash delicate fabrics and hang them to air-dry.</li>
<li>Invest a few bucks in a couple of goodquality stain removers--one for washables and one for dry cleanables. As soon as you spill something on a piece of clothing, treat it with the appropriate stain remover and launder it. Stains that are allowed to set may never come out and you'll have to toss the item or use it for doing housework.</li>
<li>Buy a box of stain remover towelettes, like Shout, in individual packages and tuck a few in your purse, your car, and your backpack so you can treat stains promptly no matter where you are.</li>
<li>Zipper not working? Instead of throwing the garment out and buying a new one or relegating it to the back of your closet, rub the stubborn zipper with a bit of bar soap or paraffin and soon you'll be slip-sliding away.</li>
<li>Turn your clothing inside out before you throw it in the washer. It helps prevent abrasions on dark fabrics and will reduce annoying and unsightly pilling of knit fabrics.</li>
<li>Whenever possible, hang your clothes to dry instead of throwing them in the dryer. They'll last longer. Heat is hard on fabrics, especially knits or anything with spandex or elastic. If you must use the dryer, use the lowest heat setting possible.</li>
<li>Sort your clothes before washing. Separate dark, white, and light colored clothing into separate loads to prevent ruining clothes when colors bleed from one fabric onto another. This is especially true when you are washing new, dark clothes. New clothes will surely bleed during the first wash.</li>
<li>If the color from one piece of clothing bleeds onto another, use color remover sheets (available at your grocery or discount store in the detergent section) to remove the extra color. Do it as soon as possible for best results.</li>
<li>Don't leave your laundry unattended in the laundry room. You may find yourself having to fork out some hard-earned cash to replenish your wardrobe. Dorms are notorious for disappearing clothing left unattended in the washers or dryers.</li>
<li>When planning your school wardrobe, buy items that coordinate and mix and match so that one item (blouse, sweater, or jacket, for instance) can be used with several different outfits. It will make your wardrobe appear larger and you won't get as bored with your clothes and feel the need to buy more.</li>
<li>Plan your wardrobe. Don't buy clothes on impulse. Ask yourself: Do I need this? Do I really want it? Will I still want it tomorrow or next week or next month? Can I live without it? If not, can I buy it later (maybe for less)? Will it be on sale soon, or could I buy it somewhere else for less? Does it go with other clothes I already own so I can make more outfits by mixing and matching? Does it fit my lifestyle? If you answer these questions before you plunk down the cash, you won't have clothes hanging in your closet that you never wear or that you paid so much for that you feel you have to save for special occasions.</li>
<li>Buy clothes at the end of the season, not before or during the season. Summer clothes are usually cheapest in August and September, winter clothes in March and April. Back-to-school sales usually take place from midAugust to mid-September. Plan your shopping accordingly.</li>
<li>Always pay cash for clothes. Clothing is one of the categories that college students overspend most on, and paying with a credit card encourages overspending. Using cash will help you stay within your budget.</li>
<li>When shopping for clothes, go directly to the clearance rack. If there's nothing there you absolutely love or really need, leave empty-handed and come back another time. In addition to saving you money, bargain hunting can be fun.</li>
<li>Buy good quality shoes at a reasonable price. When the heels or soles begin to wear, take them to a shoe repair shop. You'll get more mileage for your money than you would if you bought cheaper shoes more frequently.</li>
<li>Match your clothing to your activity. Don't wear your best jeans to do yard work. Don't clean the bathroom in your cashmere sweater or silk blouse. Don't hike in the woods in your expensive shoes. Dress appropriately for your activity and you'll save money by making your clothes last longer.</li>
<li>Don't buy a new wardrobe for your first semester away at college. The weather may be totally different than it is at home, and you'll make better decisions once you see what everyone else is wearing and know what you feel comfortable in. Set aside some money to purchase a few new items once you've accessed weather, local styles, and your college atmosphere.</li>
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How to Save Money on Clothing and Laundry

There are 25 Tips specially for studends: How to Save Money on Clothing and Laundry Don't buy clothes that require dry cleaning...

9/01/2015

How to Save Money on Your Cellphone Bill

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Save Money on Your Cellphone or Telephone Bill</div>
 
Long-distance services in the dorms are a moneymaking venture for your school, but can be a budget-busting venture for you because the rates are so high. Make your cell phone your only phone, shop around for the deal that best suits your calling habits (see <a href="http://www.letstalk.com/">www.letstalk.com</a>), and avoid exceeding your free minutes. 
 
Another alternative to collegeprovided long-distance services is <a href="http://www.net2phone.com/">www.net2phone.com</a> or other Internet phone services. If your dorm has unlimited broadband Internet service, you can use your computer to make phone calls for as little as two cents per minute. For around $35 a month, you can make unlimited phone calls, keep your home area code, and save your parents money on their calls to you. 
 
Find a free chat room where you and friends or family can "talk" online. You'll avoid long-distance telephone charges, which are one of the largest expenses for most college students. 
 
Use email or instant messaging instead of calling long-distance to keep in touch with friends and family. Save the phone for special occasions. When you do call long-distance, do so during off-peak hours to reduce the costs. 
 
If you have landline phone service at school, get only the basics. Services like call waiting, caller ID, and three-way calling add unnecessary costs that add up over the course of the school year. 
 
If you keep your cell phone calling plan when you go away to college, you'll incur roaming fees unless you have a plan that covers a wide geographic area and treats all calls in that area as local calls. Before you use your cell phone at college, call your provider and make sure you won't be incurring roaming fees. You may have to switch plans to a local provider. 
 
Directory assistance is the lazy person's way of looking up a phone number, and can cost you between $.60 and $1.10 each time you use the service. Look up numbers in the phone book or online at www.anywho.com or www.switchboard.com, where the information is free. Even worse is the fee to have your phone ring when a busy number you tried to call becomes available. Fees like these, although seemingly inconsequential, are a waste of money and can add up over the course of a month or a semester. 
 
Avoid making collect or third-party telephone calls. They're an expensive way to phone home. 
 
Keep a calling card handy for situations where you can't make a call directly. You won't always be able to rely on your cell phone. 
 
Consider asking your parents to get a toll-free number so you can call home whenever you want to. No extra phone line is needed. 
 
Make international calls using a prepaid phone card. International calls from your dorm or college-provided phone system will be prohibitively expensive. 
 
Stay away from calling card plans that use your credit card. It's much too easy to overspend and you'll end up paying interest on top of the cost of the call if you can't pay your credit card balance in full at the end of the month. You'll also tie up your available credit, which you may need for something more important. 
 
If you switch cell phone plans, watch out for the termination fee. Most companies charge nearly $200 if you terminate your plan in less than two years, unless you sign up for a bigger and better (more expensive) plan. Get all the facts before you make a move. 
 
Don't dial 900 numbers or other telephone numbers that involve a fee for a service like news, sports, weather, traffic, or the time. You can get this information free in other places, including the Internet, newspapers, radio, and TV. 
 
Before buying a cell phone, make sure the carrier has service in the area where you'll be attending school. You wouldn't be happy to commit to a two-year plan with a $175 early termination fee only to find when you got to school that your carrier doesn't operate in that area. You'd be stuck with the cost of signing up for a duplicate plan (with duplicate costs) or incurring the dreaded, and wasteful, early termination fee. It's best to wait until you get to campus to buy a cell phone. 
 
Don't buy cell phone insurance. It's a waste of money. 
 
Plan ahead so you can make longdistance telephone calls during offpeak hours, when the rates are lowest. This is usually in the evening or on weekends. 
 
Before choosing a cell phone plan or a long-distance calling plan, ask yourself these questions: How many minutes will I be talking on the phone each month? What time of day do I make the bulk of my calls? Where do I call? Consider your answers to these questions when choosing your plan and you'll save money by getting the plan that fits your calling patterns. 
 
If you'd like a cell phone only for emergencies, any cell phone will do, without paying for a calling plan. All cell phones will work for 911 calls anywhere you can receive a signal. You don't have to pay a cent. Find a used cell phone at a yard sale or talk to friends who are planning to buy a new cell phone and ask for their old one. 
 
Long-distance telephone costs can be a bone of contention among roommates when sharing a dorm room or apartment if it's unclear who is responsible for the cost of some of the calls when the bill arrives. Keeping a log near the phone where everyone records the date, time, and place of their long-distance calls can prevent you from getting stuck paying for calls you didn't make. 
 
If a simple log doesn't do the trick to prevent confusion about which roommate made which long-distance calls, take advantage of the managed long-distance services provided by many telephone companies. You can block all toll calls from your landline by contacting your service provider, or you can elect to require a PIN number in order to place a long-distance call. Other options may also be available.</div>

How to Save Money on Your Cellphone Bill

Save Money on Your Cellphone or Telephone Bill Long-distance services in the dorms are a moneymaking venture for your school, but ca...

9/01/2015

How to Save Money on Food Tips for Student

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How to Save Money on Food Tips for Student</div>
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When you buy a meal plan, you pay for all the meals whether you eat them or not, so sign up for fewer rather than more meals. For example, most students find they're not out and about in time to eat breakfast in the cafeteria, so a meal plan with two meals a day may be more than enough. If, after your first semester, you find you eat out or fix something in your dorm room fairly often, you may want to buy a meal plan for only one meal a day. 
 
Buy coffee at the grocery store and make it at home. A daily Starbucks or other gourmet coffee can cost $3 or $4 a day, $28 a week, $112 per month, $448 a semester, or $996 per school year--and that's nearly $4,000 during a fouryear degree program. Save the gourmet coffee for special occasions or the occasional treat instead of making it a daily habit. 
 
Don't go grocery shopping when you're hungry. Studies have shown that you're much more likely to buy more than you need if you shop on an empty stomach. The best time to go shopping for food is after you've just eaten. 
 
The best way to save on groceries is to plan ahead. Figure out the main meals for the week plus your favorite snacks and staples, like milk, eggs, and bread. Shop with a list; then stick to it, and you'll save money. Anything not on the list is an impulse purchase that should be avoided. 
 
If you live in an apartment, get four to six friends together, pool your grocery money for your evening meals, and take turns cooking. It costs less per person, you'll eat better, you get to try other people's cooking, and you'll enjoy socializing. 
 
Collect coupons for grocery and household items you normally buy. You can shave significant amounts off your grocery bill as long as you don't buy something you wouldn't normally buy just because you have a coupon for it. Your local Sunday newspaper usually includes a pack of coupons, and you can ask family members to save them for you, too. 
 
Two words: ramen noodles. Sure, they're a cliché in college, but they actually have a place in your meal plan. How can you beat three meals for a dollar? For a more substantial meal, try bulking it up by throwing in steamed veggies and pieces of leftover chicken, another meat, or tofu. 
 
Find out if there's a local food co-op in your college town. You can save a lot of money by buying items like dry beans, pasta, rice, oatmeal, peanut butter, herbs and spices, and other dry goods in bulk, without the expensive packaging found in grocery stores. 
 
Make a list of the items you purchase on a regular basis (toiletries, paper products, cleaning supplies, certain foods) and compare prices at three different stores. Do your regular shopping at the store that offers lower prices on the items you buy most frequently. 
 
Limit your grocery shopping to one or two stores. The price of gas for driving around town chasing a few pennies here and there will quickly eat into any savings. Also, every time you enter another grocery store the likelihood of making an impulse purchase goes up. 
 
Pack your own lunch when you know you'll be on campus all day. Packed lunches are cheaper than buying food at the cafeteria or from vending machines, and you can eat them anywhere. 
 
If your parents or other family members want to send you a care package, encourage them to send you nonperishable food (boxed macaroni and cheese, rice mixes, canned goods, cereal, and snack foods) to help reduce your grocery bills. 
 
Avoid buying food or beverages at gourmet specialty shops and convenience markets. These stores are always more expensive than a grocery store. 
 
The larger the supermarket, the better the prices overall. To minimize your grocery costs, do most of your shopping at the largest grocery store near you. 
 
Learn to recognize the sales techniques used in grocery stores to encourage you to spend more money. For example, the most expensive products are usually placed at eye level so you notice them first. Look up and down to save money. Impulse items, like candy bars, cold sodas, and magazines, are placed at the ends of the aisles and at the checkout stands. 
 
Don't pay for two meals and eat only one. That's what you're doing when you buy a meal plan for a set number of meals and you eat out instead of eating all the meals you already paid for. 
 
Before using a coupon on a name brand item, do the math to see if generic brand item you usually buy is still cheaper. If so, the coupon actually costs you money. 
 
When grocery shopping, remember that convenience comes at a cost. Laborsaving products, like shredded cheese, peeled carrots, and precut lettuce or salads cost more. Do the work yourself and save money. 
 
Avoid buying foods that aren't in season in your part of the country. Fresh strawberries in Minnesota in January are going to cost more than you should spend. Buy fruit and vegetables when they're in season and you'll save money. 
 
Brand-name foods are not necessarily any better than generic brands. In fact, brand-name companies often manufacture the generic brand foods that are sold under a store name or other off-brand-name. These items are cheaper because they don't come with the huge advertising costs that brand-name companies incur to sell their products. 
 
Having a mini-fridge and a microwave in your dorm room can save you money that you might otherwise spend on take-out or fast-food. If you don't feel like hiking over to the cafeteria but you need sustenance, it's nice to be able to throw something together, like boxed macaroni and cheese, soup, boxed mashed potatoes, nachos and cheese, cereal, and so on. 
 
Before going out to a restaurant or bar, plan how much you can afford to pay and then stick to that amount. If you don't plan ahead, you're much more likely to overspend and end up regretting it later when you're struggling to make ends meet. 
 
Buy pasta in the bulk aisle of the grocery store. It's cheap and filling and can be prepared in limitless ways, plus it's easily stored. Look up recipes on the Internet. 
 
In addition to comparing prices between stores, compare prices between brands. Most grocery chains have their own line of grocery items that are almost always cheaper than those of the large national food manufacturers. For example, IGAs often carry the Shur Fine line. 
 
Limit your grocery store purchases to groceries. For non-grocery items, like paper towels, bathroom tissue, and cleaning supplies, shop at a larger chain retailer like Sam's Club or Costco. The prices will be lower, especially if you buy in bulk. 
 
Plan ahead so you can limit your trips to the grocery store to one per week. The less often you go, the less likely you are to buy things on impulse and the less you'll spend on groceries. 
 
Relying on fast food, convenience food, and frozen dinners not only adds pounds and drains your energy, but it also drains your wallet. You get more bang from your buck if you buy fresh fruits and vegetables and lean meats and cook them yourself. If you're clueless in the kitchen, read a book like The College Student's Guide to Eating Well On Campus by Ann Selkowitz Litt, or ask your Mom to show you a few simple dishes. 
 
Get a bunch of friends or dormmates together on weekends and have a potluck dinner or assign items (salad, dessert, casserole) to save money. It's cheaper than eating out and is a great way to socialize. 
 
Stop by your local fast-food place at closing time and ask if they have any food they're going to get rid of that didn't sell. Some managers would rather see the food go to college students than get thrown away, so you may score some pizza, sandwiches, or other grub. 
 
Check out which restaurants offer free appetizers (usually during happy hour) and hang out for a while. Restaurants hope customers will drink enough alcohol, which has a very high mark-up, to make up for the cost of the free food. Buy a glass of soda for $1.50 and you may get to eat $5 or more worth of food. 
 
Buy your food, household products, and supplies at off-campus stores. You'll pay less. 
 
Avoid buying single serving sizes of snacks. You'll pay more for smaller servings because of the added cost of packaging. Buy larger sizes and break them down into baggies containing a serving size. 
Keep a refillable water bottle and light snacks like apples, raisins, and nuts, in your backpack so you're not tempted by the vending machines on campus, where prices are marked up. Fill your water bottle at the fountains in the buildings on campus. 
Call around to a number of pizza places and sandwich shops that you like to eat at or get carryout from and ask if they have weekly specials. Try to plan the days you eat out around the times when your favorite places offer their specials so you can lower your food costs.</div>

How to Save Money on Food Tips for Student

How to Save Money on Food Tips for Student When you buy a meal plan, you pay for all the meals whether you eat them or not, so sign...

9/01/2015

How to Save Money on Housing Tips for Students

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How to Save Money on Housing Tips for Students</div>
 
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<li>Dorm living can be very cost effective, but don't automatically assume it'll be cheaper to live in the dorms. Your school may require you to live on campus your freshman year, but after that, you may want to check out the costs of a shared apartment off campus. Don't forget to factor in all the costs, including rent, utilities, parking, and transportation. Also consider the up front cash outlay for security deposits, first and last months' rent, and utility deposits.</li>
<li>Get free housing and maybe even a free meal ticket by becoming a Resident Assistant or Residential Advisor (RA) during your junior and senior years. You'll play a leadership role in your dorm building and gain valuable experience in addition to the free ride. Only responsible students need apply.</li>
<li>To defray the costs of room and board, look into co-operative (co-op) housing, where a group of students (often with something in common such as an ethnic, religious, cultural, or other interests) share living quarters and prepare meals as a group. This type of housing is not only fun and educational; it can be cheaper than living on campus or in an off-campus apartment. You could save up to 50 percent on your housing costs.</li>
<li>Before choosing your campus housing, find out all of the alternatives and what each one costs. Don't assume that all on-campus housing costs the same. You may be able to save money by living in a smaller room or by living in a space that has three roommates instead of two.</li>
<li>If you live in an apartment or co-op off campus, your parents' homeowners insurance policy probably won't cover your stuff. If that's the case, you may want to buy renters insurance, which covers your possessions from damage by smoke, fire, water, and other perils, as well as theft or vandalism, and protects you from liability if someone sues you because they were hurt in your apartment.</li>
<li>Do your homework before deciding to move to an apartment off campus. There are more costs, and certainly more potential liabilities, than you may be aware of, so make your decision based on all the facts.</li>
<li>It doesn't sound as exciting as living in the dorms, but you can save a lot of money by living at home while attending college. If money is tight, consider living at home for the first year or two. When it comes time to start paying off your student loans, you'll be glad you did because your student loans will be tens of thousands of dollars less.</li>
<li>If you rent an apartment off campus, financial experts recommend that you pay no more than 25 to 30 percent of your income for rent. The only way to know how much you can afford is to do a budget before you commit to a lease.</li>
<li>If you decide you can save money by moving off campus, look for an apartment on your own or use free assistance provided by your college rather than using a realtor or apartment locator service. You'll save at least the equivalent of one month's rent, which is the fee most locator services charge. In some cities, you could save even more than a month's rent.</li>
<li>If you decide to try living off campus, investigate the costs thoroughly and make sure you know exactly what will be required of you. Read all the fine print in the lease to avoid unpleasant surprises later.</li>
<li>If you live off campus, you may be responsible for paying your own heating costs. Depending on what region of the country you live in, these costs could be substantial. Find ways to conserve energy to lower your heating bills.</li>
<li>Lots of energy is lost through glass windows and doors. If you don't have curtains on your windows, consider installing some energy-efficient window coverings. They'll help keep the space warmer in winter and cooler in summer, reducing your heating and cooling costs.</li>
<li>Don't heat areas you don't use everyday. Close registers in unused rooms and leave the doors to the unheated rooms closed.</li>
<li>Don't run the bathroom ventilation fan in the winter while you're taking a shower or using the bathroom. If you must use it, leave it on for as short a time as possible. A bathroom fan can suck all the heated air out of the average house in little more than an hour. With three or four roommates showering every day, the fan can significantly increase your heating costs.</li>
<li>Keep your thermostat set between sixty-four and sixty-eight degrees while you're home and between sixty and sixty-four degrees when you're not home. There's no sense in heating the house or apartment when nobody is there.</li>
<li>Don't turn the thermostat way up so the house or room will warm up faster. It doesn't work that way. Set it at the desired temperature, not above.</li>
<li>Open your blinds or curtains on the sunny side of the house in winter to take advantage of solar energy to help heat your living space. When the sun goes down, close the blinds or curtains to help retain the solar heat.</li>
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How to Save Money on Housing Tips for Students

How to Save Money on Housing Tips for Students Dorm living can be very cost effective, but don't automatically assume it'll...

9/01/2015

Miscellaneous Money Saving Tips for Student

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College campuses can be a money booby trap, with hidden fees, fines, surprise charges, temptations, needs, and wants. Most students struggle financially to stretch their money to cover the essentials and still have fun. Using simple or creative moneysaving ideas to cut costs in some areas can make it possible for you to afford some of the indulgences that are important to you. 
 
If you're furnishing an apartment, check into homebuilders' model home closeouts. Builders often auction off quality model home furniture at a tenth of its cost new when they've sold the last houses or lots in a development. 
 
Many college bills include athletic fees. If you don't play a sport and don't plan to use the athletic facilities, see if you can get the fee waived. Why pay for something you won't use? 
 
If there's a beauty school in your town, have your hair cut there. Beauty school students learn the latest styles and techniques and are supervised by professionals. The schools charge a much lower fee than regular hair salons. 
 
Keep track of your dorm room key. Replacements will cost you $30 or 
 
Avoid book or CD clubs by mail. They start out cheap but get more expensive. If you forget to send in your form each month declining the CD or book of the month, you'll end up spending a lot of money on something you might not even have wanted. 
 
Skip the tanning booth. A tan is not a sign of good health, as so many people believe. It's a sign of overexposure to ultraviolet light that causes skin cancer, premature aging of the skin, and damage to your immune system, not to mention a thinning of your wallet. Get sun in moderation the natural way: outdoors. 
 
Clever marketing may have convinced you that expensive shampoos work better than inexpensive ones, but studies have shown otherwise. That $10 shampoo you buy at the hair salon does no more for your hair than the $3 supermarket variety. Try a few inexpensive brands until you find one you really like. 
 
Think of eating out at restaurants as a luxury and plan accordingly. Like most things, if you do it all the time, you'll take it for granted. A habit of eating out regularly can be one of your biggest budget busters. 
 
You can spend an exorbitant amount of money on grooming without realizing it. Add up the cost of perms, highlighting or coloring, salon haircuts and trims, manicures and pedicures, brand-name makeup, perfume, lotions, special shampoos...the list goes on. Try reducing costs by having a friend give you a manicure or pedicure and help you color or highlight your hair. Buy less expensive toiletries and makeup, which are often just as good as the name brand products. 
 
Adopt a simpler hairstyle that doesn't require frequent trimming in order to look good. Getting your hair trimmed every three to four months instead of every month could save you $250 to $600 or more a year. Getting less frequent perms can double that savings. 
 
Don't waste big bucks on a wide assortment of cleaning supplies. Baking soda and vinegar can do almost any cleaning job just as well as the expensive store-bought cleaners, for a fraction of the cost. 
 
Just because you have a car at school doesn't mean you have to use it everywhere you go. Walk or bike whenever possible. You'll feel more energetic, stay fitter, and save money on gas, parking, and wear and tear on your car. Save the car for longer trips, grocery shopping, or bad weather. 
 
Learn to wield a needle and thread well enough to sew on a button, hem a pair of pants, or fix a small tear. Otherwise you'll waste money buying new clothes you don't really need just because of a minor problem like a loose button. 
 
Limit your online shopping. When you make a purchase online, record it in your check register or on a log of credit card purchases so you can keep track of how much you've spent that month. Online purchases can become addictive because you don't feel like you're spending real money, and they can add up very quickly. Keeping a list provides a reality check. 
 
Use your computer to make greeting cards. Most computers come with free programs that can be used to make all sorts of cards, or you can buy greeting card software (a onetime purchase), or use clip-art or original photos and create your own images for the cards. You'll have fun, receive compliments on your creativity, and save $2.00 to $4.00 per card. 
 
If you have access to a hose, wash your car yourself instead of going to a car wash. If you don't have access to a hose, use a doit-yourself car wash instead of the full-service type. 
 
If you really can't stomach tap water, buy spring water by the gallon and pour it into a smaller bottle. If you drink one 16 ounce container of bottled water a day, you could save 25 percent, or $25 a month or more. 
 
Don't buy books that you're going to read for pleasure. Use the library, swap with friends, or go to used book sales or yard sales. People are always trying to get rid of perfectly good books. Limit purchases to books you want to keep for reference, like a good dictionary and thesaurus. 
 
If you're a camera hound, get a digital camera and upload your favorite photos to an online service like www.ofoto.com for printing. Not only will you save the cost of film at $4.00 or more per roll, you won't keep paying for photos that don't come out well. 
 
Buy school supplies like paper, pencils, and pens at an odd-lot store like Big Lots. They buy leftover items at a steep discount and pass the savings on to you. Why pay full price for the same product? 
 
Crime has become big business on college campuses because today's students bring so many valuables to school with them: computers (many of them fully portable and easy to steal), DVD and CD players, electronic games, Palm Pilots, and other gadgets. Keep track of your stuff, keep your dorm room or apartment locked, and keep valuables out of sight. 
 
When you hang out with people who spend money freely, it's tempting to do the same. Resist the urge to keep up with your friends' and roommates' spending. They may have more money than you do, or they may be getting more deeply in debt. 
 
Cosigning a loan for anyone, even your best friend or someone you're dating, is a bad idea. You'll be responsible for paying the loan if your friend fails to make a payment. Although you believe your friend would never leave you holding the bag, it happens every day to people who thought the same thing. 
 
Invoices from your college can rival a hospital bill for complexity and sheer length, and you should check them over just as carefully. You may find items that shouldn't be charged to you or that are for the wrong amount. Go to the bursar's office and ask for an explanation of any items you don't understand or that seem incorrect. 
 
Don't blow your income tax refund. Use it to cover some of your mandatory expenses (like textbooks), pay off your credit card balance, or start (or add to) your emergency fund. It's a shame to fritter it away instead of using it in a way that will give you the most bang for your buck. 
 
If you're having sex, or planning to, protect yourself. Condoms and other birth control methods are cheap and convenient compared to the cost of raising a child or paying child support for the next eighteen years. Safe-sex organizations on campus or Planned Parenthood often offer free condoms. 
 
Before you head off to college, have "the talk" with your parents--not the birds and the bees talk, but the money talk. Discuss your expectations and their expectations related to who is paying for what. You don't want to spend a bunch of money on the assumption that your parents are going to be providing a certain amount, only to find that they're not, and you've blown your cash on something you could have done without. 
 
Shakespeare knew what he was talking about when he said "neither a borrower nor a lender be." Don't lend money to friends, roommates, or classmates. You may never get it back, which can cause bad feelings and permanently damage your relationship. 
 
Set up a file folder labeled "receipts" and place all your receipts for major purchases in it. If something goes wrong with an item, you may be able to get it fixed or exchanged under warranty. If you don't have your receipt, you'll have to pay for the repair. 
 
Income tax refund loans (instant refunds) give you access to your money more quickly, but they're a consumer rip-off, with annual percentage interest rates as high as 775 percent. It doesn't make sense to pay such exorbitant interest rates just to get your refund a week or so sooner. You can achieve the same result by filing online and having your refund deposited directly into your checking account. 
 
Never sign anything without reading every word of it. If you don't understand something in the document, ask for an explanation. Very few people read what they sign, and many of them end up getting the short end of the stick. The few minutes it takes you to carefully read the small print could save you money and hassles. 
 
Don't leave your car keys in the ignition or in any conspicuous place, like the glove box. It's an invitation to have your car stolen, or at the very least to have your CD collection pilfered. 
 
If you begin to fall into financial trouble, talk to your parents before you get in too deeply. It's easier (and less costly) to prevent money problems from escalating than it is to clear them up, and your parents have been handling money for many years. You should be able to benefit from their experience. 
 
If you have an Individual Retirement Account (IRA), you can withdraw money from it without penalty if the money is used for higher education expenses. This might be a better choice for you than paying interest on a bank loan. 
 
Before consolidating your debts, make sure you've considered the long-term costs. Most consolidations end up costing you more in the long-term because you roll long- and short-term loans together and extend the due date, which increases interest costs. 
 
Regularly review the activity on your school-related accounts, such as the bookstore and cafeteria, to make sure nobody has used your account or meal plan without authorization. If you spot anything suspicious or questionable, contact your school immediately. 
 
If you work while you're in college, put aside a set amount of money, preferably at least 10 percent, from each paycheck into a savings account, even if you think you can't afford to. If you get in the habit of paying yourself first, after a short time you won't even notice that the money is gone, and you'll save a nice little cushion to fall back on when you really need it. 
 
If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. If you receive an offer that makes you the least bit suspicious, don't respond to it. If you want to satisfy your curiosity about an email offer (like the one that circulated on the Internet about free shares of Microsoft stock), look it up on urbanlegends.about.com to see if it's legitimate. 
 
Gift cards are great, but if you don't use them within a year, most stores deduct a fee. Use the card promptly, and if you don't really want it, swap it online for a different card of the same value at another store by visiting www.swapagift.com. You can also sell it, but you won't get full value. 
 
If you find yourself temporarily short of funds for rent, food, or other living expenses, rather than taking a credit card cash advance or a short-term bank loan, ask your financial aid office if they can help. Many schools have funds available for short-term interest-free loans of $500 to $800 to get you through a tight spot while waiting for a financial aid disbursement or other funds to arrive. 
 
Take advantage of campus health services. There's probably no cheaper or more convenient health care available to you. 
 
If you lose your checkbook or find checks missing, report the loss to your bank immediately to protect yourself from misuse by a thief. The bank will be responsible for cashing any forged checks on your account, but only if you report the checks missing as soon as you know. 
 
Use all other alternatives available to you, like reducing expenses and increasing income, before consolidating loans (excluding student loans). It's too easy to borrow more than you really need, and it allows you to continue living beyond your means, merely postponing the inevitable moment when you realize you are in over your head. 
 
If you're having trouble paying your bills because the due dates fall between paychecks, call your creditors and ask to have the due date of your bill changed so it arrives at a more convenient time. This could prevent late fees, which not only use up your cash but also cause black marks on your credit record. 
 
Keep your bills and the accompanying envelopes for submitting payments in a safe spot. Your creditor may require you to use the preprinted envelope they provided. If you don't, the payment could take several extra days to be credited to your account and you could incur a late charge (as high as $39 for late credit card payments). 
 
If you have a stored value card or gift card, guard it carefully. These cards are usually not protected by law so you won't get your money back if yours is stolen or used without your authorization. 
 
Plan well in advance to make sure all your classes will be available when you need them. This will give you time to juggle your schedule to make sure you fit in those classes that aren't offered every semester. Otherwise you may find yourself paying for an extra semester or two--a very expensive proposition. 
 
Read the fine print on all the documents your college sends you. The costs won't necessarily be in bold print, and fees can add up. 
 
Stay away from what is commonly referred to as payday loans, where you borrow a certain amount of money for a short period (usually a week or two, until payday) for a fee. You give the payday loan company a personal check for the borrowed amount plus the fee, and they give you the cash. They hold onto the check until the agreed upon time. The annual percentage rate (APR) on these loans is obscene, usually several hundred percent, and sometimes several thousand percent. 
 
You may feel you don't have enough time to go to school full-time, study, and hold down a job, but studies show that students who work a moderate amount (not full-time) during college actually do better academically. Juggling work and school requires discipline and planning that pays off in all areas of your life. 
 
Do you have stuff to ship from home to school or vice versa? Greyhound (the bus company) offers students up to 50 percent off its regular Greyhound PackageXpress shipping services for same day and overnight delivery of oversized or heavy packages. 
 
Squirrel away some coins in your car in case you need cash. If you don't smoke, keep change in your ashtray so it's handy when you need to pay a toll or feed a parking meter. It could keep you from getting an expensive parking ticket. 
 
If you're sending a package, prepare it yourself and take it to the U.S. Post Office instead of using one of those mailing services like Mail It 4U, which are convenient but tack on a substantial fee. The U.S. Post Office has a good selection of reasonably priced packaging materials, including envelopes and boxes. Some of them are even free. 
 
Save money by using smaller amounts of product than the packaging recommends. You can do this with shampoo, dish detergent or dishwasher soap, laundry detergent, fabric softener, and cleaning products without any noticeable loss of results. Experiment to find an amount that does the job without wasting the product. 
 
If your school offers a reloadable card that can be used on campus for meals or in the campus store, take advantage of it. You pay up front, your ID card is loaded with a set dollar amount, and you use it on campus like a debit card. You don't have to carry cash around with you that might be lost or stolen or that you might be tempted to spend on something else. 
 
With most things in life, attitude is everything. Develop an attitude of being willing to do without for the few years you're in college. You'll feel less deprived when you can't afford the latest electronic gadget or expensive spring break, and you'll have less student loan money or credit card debt to repay after graduation. 
 
How you handle your money in college is a precursor to how you're likely to handle your money after you graduate. Avoiding bad spending or credit habits now will make life after graduation easier and help you achieve your financial goals. 
 
Avoid situations that trigger impulse spending: malls, certain stores, shopping with friends who spend lavishly, or shopping when you're sad or depressed. You'll be paying for your impulse for months. 
 
Don't hang out at the mall. It encourages impulse spending or using shopping as a form of recreation. Find another way to spend your free time and only go to the mall when you're ready to make a planned purchase. 
 
Instead of equipping your own minioffice in your dorm room, take advantage of staplers, hole punches, disks, paper clips, and other supplies at your campus library. All it takes is a little advance planning to save a few dollars. 
 
You'll go through lots of pens and pencils during your college career, so be on the lookout for freebies from businesses, organizations, and banks. Many businesses also give out free notepads, sticky-notes, and other office supplies with their logo on them. Collect these and you won't have to spend as much money on supplies. 
 
Shop sparingly for Christmas. Your friends and family know you're trying to put yourself through college. They don't expect you to spend lots of money on them, so a token gift is all that's necessary. 
 
You won't always have your parents to bail you out from the consequences of your financial decisions, but if you're really in trouble, phone home. Your parents might prefer to advance you some cash rather than see you take on credit card debt with high interest rates. The cost to you: listening politely to any ensuing lecture. 
 
If you come across a good deal that seems legit, that doesn't mean you should go for it. Ask yourself if it's important in the overall scheme of things. Do you really need to belong to a CD club? Always read the small print (there's a reason it's small--they'd rather you didn't read it). 
 
Many colleges have their own version of "Dump and Run," a type of giant yard sale where students leaving campus for the summer, or for good, dump unwanted furniture, appliances, clothes, books, and household goods. You can buy much of what you need to set up house in the dorm or in an apartment at a fraction of the cost you'd pay at even the best discount store. 
 
Take advantage of the free perks your school has to offer. Instead of joining a health club or gym, use the campus facilities, which often include state-of-the-art racquetball courts, tennis courts, gyms, and weight-training equipment. You're also more likely to stick to your exercise program when you use facilities right on campus where you spend most of your time. 
 
It makes sense to use free services when possible rather than spending your own money. Remember that libraries carry more than just books. Borrow videos, DVDs, CDs, and audio tapes from the campus or town library rather than buying them. 
 
Do the burger flippers at the local fastfood restaurants know you by name? If eating out is a lifestyle instead of a treat, try cutting back. It's much more expensive than shopping at the grocery store and preparing your own simple meals, and more fattening.. 
 
Check out the local dollar store for common household items like cleaning and office supplies, greeting cards, candles, drinking glasses, dishes, photo frames, gift-wrap, and other odds and ends. These stores are a bargain hunter's paradise. 
 
Don't let down your guard when it comes to controlling your spending just because you're flush with cash from your summer job. Continue to practice the same control you've practiced during the school year and save as much of your earnings as possible. Every dollar saved is a dollar less you have to borrow with interest. 
 
When tempted to spend money, calculate how many hours you'd have to work to earn after taxes to pay the purchase price. If you work during the school year or summer and earn $9 per hour, your after-tax income might be around $7 per hour. You'd have to work two-and-ahalf hours to pay for a new CD, or 214 hours to pay for a $1,500 spring break tab. Is it worth it? 
 
Save money on gifts by performing a service instead of buying a product. Offer free babysitting, a massage, or lawn care. Create a photo album. Wash the car. Bake goodies. Use your imagination to come up with a creative gift. 
 
Scam artists love to target students. One of the most prolific areas for student scams is spring break and other travel, so be especially cautious when using these services. 
 
Take only the amount of cash out of the bank that you really need for your daily expenses. Leave the rest in the bank and leave your ATM card at home. Having to work a little harder to have access to your cash makes you less likely to impulse shop or overspend. 
 
574. 
 
Go natural: wear the hair color you were born with. If you really feel you must color your hair, do it yourself or have a friend do it for you. Having your hair colored at the beauty salon can cost between $400 and $600 per school year if you have to have it touched up every month or so. Doing it yourself costs around $70 per school year. 
 
Instead of blowing "found" money like bonuses, rebates, overtime pay, and cash gifts from family, put them in your savings account and use them to cover school essentials. You'll reduce the amount you have to borrow and the interest you'll have to pay. 
 
Don't be afraid to admit to your friends that you can't afford to spend money on entertainment or other discretionary expenses. Finishing your degree with a minimum of debt is your number one goal, and that's nothing to be embarrassed about. 
 
Don't gamble! It's expensive recreation and can turn into addiction. 
 
Start a barter club on campus or join one in your community. These clubs allow people to swap items they no longer need for something they do need, or to trade services without any money exchanging hands. It's a great way to recycle and save money. To get started and find a group near you, visit www.freecycle.org, a global online swap group with many local member groups. 
 
When sending mail, use the smallest envelope or packaging possible, weigh the package, and use the appropriate amount of postage. Why pad the pockets of the U.S. Postal Service? 
 
If you buy something every time you feel the urge, you'll graduate kneedeep in debt. Learn to ignore the urge to splurge. Make planned, conscious spending choices and remember that a little sacrifice builds character and your bank account. 
 
Forego tattoos and body piercings while you're in college. You have more important uses for your money. If you still want the body art after graduation when you're earning your own money and paying your own way, go for it. 
 
Get rid of your AOL account. Internet access is free at many colleges, but it doesn't include AOL. You'll enjoy experiencing the Internet without the restrictions and parameters set by your Internet service. The good news is that you can still use AOL Instant Messenger for free. 
 
Save money by staying healthy. Colds and the flu make the rounds of college dorms and classrooms throughout the winter. Getting sick not only makes you fall behind in your studies, it can cost considerable money in throat lozenges, cough syrup, cold tablets, tissues, decongestants, and maybe even doctor visits. Most illnesses are spread by hand, so wash your hands often. 
 
Instead of buying an expensive dictionary and thesaurus, use online versions, like Merriam Webster (www.m-w.com). They're quick and easy, and best of all, free.. 
 
New jewelry is one thing that you can definitely do without during college, yet it's one of the top spending categories for college women. Keep your perspective about what's important during your college years. Reward yourself with a nice piece of jewelry after you graduate and are making money, instead of using money provided by your parents, the U.S. government, or your school in the form of financial aid. 
 
Don't drop $100 or more for a pair of sunglasses. Expensive shades don't necessarily offer greater protection than inexpensive ones. Know what protection you need and make sure you get it, but paying more than $20 for something that's fragile and easily lost or scratched doesn't make sense for a student. 
 
Talk to upper classmen and ask for tips on making the most of your money in college. They've been there, done that. Why not learn from their experience and spare yourself the aggravation of learning the hard way? 
 
You have the big ticket items like tuition and room and board covered, but you may be surprised by how quickly the incidentals add up. Laundry, fees related to your major (lab fees, art supplies), pens, pencils, paper, printer cartridges, and toiletries add up to quite a sum. When developing your budget, be sure to include an allowance for these items or you may overspend in other areas and run out of money before the end of the semester. 
 
Skip the campus bookstore when buying office supplies like pens, pencils, paper, and computer disks. You'll save money by buying these supplies at discount office supply stores like Staples or Office Depot, or at a discount odd lots store. 
 
It may sound like a radical idea, but be open-minded: consider leaving your car at home. A car is usually unnecessary if you live on campus, and you could save thousands of dollars a year on gas, insurance, maintenance, campus parking permits, and the inevitable parking tickets. 
 
Don't waste your money on souvenirs: baseball caps, T-shirts, sweatshirts, cheap trinkets from beach shops, or other stuff you'll put aside and forget about. If you want a memento from a place you visited and really loved, buy an inexpensive poster, print, or postcard that will remind you of the good time you had there. 
 
When planning your courses, be aware that some classes aren't offered every semester, or you may have conflicts that prohibit you from taking two classes you need at the same time. If you don't plan carefully, you may end up having to spend an additional semester or two in order to finish your degree requirements. More semesters equal more money. Lots more money. 
 
At the end of the year, turn in your dorm room key. If you forget, you'll be billed $100 to $150 for changing the locks. 
 
If you're underage, don't drink in the dorms. In some towns, undercover police cruise the dorms looking for instances of under aged drinking because of the high crime rates associated with it. If you get caught, you'll be slapped with hefty fines (hundreds of dollars) and be required to do community service. You could even be arrested and hauled off to jail. Now that's a phone call you won't want to make to your parents. 
 
Keep track of your driver's license. If you lose it, you'll have to pay $20 to $40 to get a new one issued. 
 
If you need computer equipment, furniture, electronics, or housewares, regularly check the classified ads in your local newspapers and the campus bulletin board. You can easily find perfectly good items for a fraction of what you'd pay new. 
 
Shopping at Goodwill and other thrift stores has become the thing to do. You can often find cool, quality clothing and furnishings in good condition at steeply reduced prices. Many items are new or nearly new, and in upscale neighborhoods, you may even find designer clothes for a couple of dollars. 
 
Read magazines at the library instead of buying them. Three or four magazines could add up to $12 to $15 per month, or $180 a year. If you must buy, make a deal with a roommate or friend to swap magazines so you don't both buy the same ones. 
 
Save money by sharing a printer with your roommate. Work out a fair deal so that the person who actually bought the printer gets reimbursed over time for part of the initial investment, and share the cost of ink cartridges. 
 
You may also be able to avoid buying a printer by using the school's equipment. Save your documents on a disk or CD and print them out at the computer lab. 
 
If you work, sign up for direct deposit of your paycheck. You're much less likely to spend your money impulsively if it goes directly into your checking account. Some banks also charge lower fees if you use direct deposit. 
 
Don't subscribe to fee-based Internet sites unless they provide information you need for your courses and you can't get the information anywhere else. A few dollars here and there add up over the course of a semester or school year. Game and quiz sites hook lots of young people, but is it really worth $9.95 a month to be able to take quizzes like "What kind of kisser are you?" or "What's your dating IQ?" 
 
Don't waste your money on diet aids like pills, candies, or similar products. Americans spend an estimated $6 billion a year on fraudulent or ineffective diet products, but the only way to lose weight is to exercise and eat less. If you have a weight problem, your money would be better spent consulting a doctor. 
 
Keep foremost in your mind that your main focus in college is studying, learning, and getting good grades so you can get a better job when you graduate. Spend less in college and you'll have to work less. You'll have more time to study and get the education and grades that will help you earn the big bucks later. 
 
One of the most important moneysaving lessons you can learn is to delay gratification. You don't have to have everything you want right now. Delaying gratification means giving up some things now so you can get a good education and earn more money later without being burdened with credit card debt. 
 
Being on your own doesn't mean you can do everything you want, now that Mom and Dad aren't there to question you. Being an adult means making choices--sometimes tough ones--about how to spend your money. If you indulge every whim, you'll end up paying much more for it later in the form of high interest expenses. 
 
Tuition is only part of the story when it comes to paying for college. Don't underestimate the costs of your social life, books, food, rent, fees, transportation, clothes, and shoes. Most students don't realize how much money their parents spend on these items, and it can be a rude awakening to suddenly be responsible for paying for them yourself. 
 
To trick yourself into saving money, pay for everything with paper money and save all your change. Each day, empty your purse or pockets and put all the change in a big jar. You'll never miss it. When the jar is full, turn the change in at the bank. It's an easy way to build a savings account. 
 
Keep track of the dates your bills are due by marking them on a calendar. This tickler system will help ensure that you don't incur late charges and will help keep your credit history healthy. 
 
Avoid window-shopping, cruising the mall, and browsing aimlessly through online storefronts. If you constantly face temptation, you'll eventually give in to the impulse to buy something you don't need and would never have set out to buy deliberately. 
 
One of the best things you can do for your bank account is quit smoking. A pack-a-day habit at $4 per pack doesn't sound like much, but it totals $1,440 a year. If you saved that money and earned 6 percent a year on it, you'd have over $19,000 in ten years and over $336,000 by retirement. 
 
Train yourself to go through this thought process when you're tempted to make a purchase: Do I really need or want this item? If yes, can it wait? If no, do I already have something similar that will work, or can I borrow the item? If no, do I want this item badly enough to take the money from my long-term goals? If yes, can I buy a similar item that costs less? 
 
It may seem obvious, but don't buy anything you don't need. You can buy things for pleasure after you graduate and are earning your own way. For now, buy only what you need. 
 
Focus on your short- and long-term goals regularly. You'll be less tempted to spend money on things you don't really need. 
 
If you need motivation to take control of your spending while you're in college, think about the latest trend of college graduates moving back in with Mom and Dad after graduation because they have so much debt they can't afford to live on their own. Sure you love your parents, but do you want to live with them again after being out on your own for four years? 
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