Money Saving Tips for College Students on a Budget

Tuition

• Institutional grants: Grants are like loans that you don't have to pay back, and many colleges and universities offer institutional grants based on merit and need. Most schools just require students to fill out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) in order to qualify, but check with your financial aid office to learn more about how these grants work at your institution.
• Scholarships: There are three main types of scholarships - institutional, government and third-party (from a private company or organization). The first type you can find through your school, the second type through websites like Students.gov and the last type through scholarship searches and organizations related to your major or field.
• Federal loans: Most students need to take out some loans to pay for college. Your best bet will always be to stick to federal loans - they have lower interest rates and better repayment terms, and many (such as Subsidized Stafford Loans) don't accumulate interest as long as you're enrolled.

Textbooks

• Rent: Many companies are offering textbook rentals now, which allow you to use a book for a very low cost and return it at the end of the term. Look for rentals first, for both print and e-books.
• Buy used: If you can't find the book you need to rent, check your college bookstore and websites likeHalf.com for low-cost used copies before purchasing new books.
• Sell back: Keep your books as neat as possible and sell them back to your school bookstore at the end of the term. If your school won't take them, try a local bookstore - many stores in college towns will buy used textbooks. Read More....

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McKinnon students' tips for exam success

A BALANCE between exercise, study and seeing friends are the keys to exam success.

That’s the tip from McKinnon Secondary College year 12 student Nikkie Geschke, who starts her exams on Thursday.

“You can’t completely immerse yourself in study and neglect everything else,” she said.

“You have to be consistent, you have to work steadily through to do the best you can.”

The Hughesdale student said it was important to set targets and not to isolate yourself.

“You’ll get overwhelmed and become too stressed,” she said.

The 18-year-old also recommended looking after yourself and avoiding too much sugar or supplements that make energy levels fluctuate.  Read More....

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Disney results shine, defends sports TV deals

(Reuters) - Walt Disney Co unveiled strong results that trumped Wall Street's expectations as advertisers spent more at cable networks like ESPN and consumers kept going to theme parksdespite a rough economy.

The operator of networks ESPN and ABC, a movie studio and theme parks reported a better-than-expected 7 percent gain in fiscal fourth-quarter revenue and a 30 percent jump in net income, spurring a 2.5 percent gain in its shares.

The results reassured investors, some of whom had been nervous about the toll that economic uncertainty would have on consumer spending, and then on the world's largest entertainment, leisure and consumer conglomerate.

Disney has produced steady gains quarter after quarter under Chief Executive Bob Iger, who announced last month he will step down as CEO after March 2015. But it reported a rare revenue miss in its May results, and spooked investors again last quarter with warnings about higher costs at ESPN and other issues.  Read Full Story

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Holiday Spending Tips for College Students

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Christmas holiday Spending Methods for University Students

The holiday season is really a merry time for the whole family. For college students the months of November to December are overflowing with festivities, parties, and best of all school-break. College students excitedly get ready for these occasions, to enjoy time with relatives and buddies.

If you’re a student, do you want to face the holidays? Think about your wallet? In this particular post, we present holiday spending tips on tips on how to enjoy the celebrations without having the shame and stress caused through bad debt.

Get yourself a part-time employment. Have you thought about finding a part-time job this holiday getaway? The money you'll gain could help you fund your obligations instead of taking out out of your cost savings or charging purchases to credit. A lot of retails stores and dining establishments are hiring during the holiday seasons so getting hired should not be difficult at all. Continue Reading

Practical Credit Card Tricks for College Students

We sometimes wonder the reason why credit card issuers supply college students along with excellent first credit card programs. Apart from receiving very reasonable rates of interest and fees, college student will also be showered with gift items including T-shirts, beach towels, bags, caps and other totally free . What could be the explanation for this particular “special treatment”?

Properly, card issuers realize that college students are potential, long term customers of their card programs. Which kids to invest, spend, and commit utilizing their initial credit cards. Based on a 2005 study, an average newcomer carries more than $1500 worth of credit debt. Which worth is projected in purchase to double by the time the student leaves his university or college campus. Read Full Story

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Tips for Finding the Right Student Credit Card

Credit cards for college students is a tricky subject. A lot of students aren’t very good with their money — what little they have — and the government has come down on credit card companies that aggressively market to students on campus. The CARD Act of 2009 has reduced the practice, according to a report from Credit.com, which citied a Federal Reserve study that showed new credit card accounts opened by students fell 17 percent from 2009 to 2010. Even though overt marketing tactics like free pizzas and t-shirts for students who sign up for credit cards are now prohibited, there are still lots of credit card offers made to students off campus, especially online.

Credit cards for students can be a good thing, if students use them wisely to build a credit history that can help them after graduation and not, as in many cases, to spend money they don’t have. Low credit lines may help fight temptation, but used unwisely and you’ll suddenly see over-limit fees and be in all sorts of trouble. Although we recommend not using credit cards as personal loans — if you need money that bad, see your financial aid office for an emergency loan — there are limited-time zero percent interest cards out there as well as a cards with a host of other features that would be useful for students. Read Full Story

Halloween is Over…Time to Budget for the Holiday Season

Halloween wasn’t scary…what’s really scary is that the end of the year is fast approaching and ’tis the season for your money to evaporate into thin air. Every year you swear that you are going to stay on a budget, but it’s so hard to do. And 2011 will be no different unless you take some proactive measures. One measure that is becoming more popular in this trying economy is to use a prepaid debit card.

With a prepaid card, you can predetermine the amount you want to spend for the holidays and just load it on your card. Or simply, set an amount aside with each paycheck and have your employer or benefits provider direct deposit it on the card – just like a bank! Prepaid cards are not for everyone, but there are some significant advantages for many consumers out there. Here are a few:

Not a Bank Credit Card

The cash you load is yours. You are not borrowing from a bank. No credit limit, no high interest charges, no danger of missing a payment and no lengthy application process. The major danger for most people with credit cards is the willpower factor as they run up high balances and deal with the consequences later.  continue reading