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By Evette on Aug 24th, 2009
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Across the country, recent high school graduates are transitioning to freshman at colleges and universities. There will be many decisions facing the nation’s next crop of college students, from where to live to what courses to take to whether to join an academic club or fraternity/sorority.
Perhaps the most vital decisions current and future college kids must make are financial ones. For most students, college is the first time they’ll be managing their own money. While money management is most often a trial and error process for college kids, there are tricks to money management that today’s teenagers and young adults can use to their advantage.
• Don’t be late. Being late for class isn’t a good way for students to ingratiate themselves with their professors. But being late with bills can be an even worse idea. In addition to the negative impact paying bills late can have on a young person’s credit rating, late fees can pile up quickly. The average late fee for credit cards is $28, which is in addition to the balance remaining on the card itself. That’s $28 the average college kid can save simply by paying on time. Another way to avoid late fees is to save before splurging. That means, save up the cash to pay for your purchase and skip the credit card entirely.
• Rent, don’t buy. While renting and not buying is a philosophy typically associated with student housing, it’s now applicable to textbooks as well. At the onset of each school year, students across the country face steep bills for textbooks, many of which they’ll use for a semester or quarter and never open again. And textbooks aren’t a student’s only expense. In fact, according to the National Retail Federation’s (NRF) 2009 back-to-college survey, students and their parents can expect to spend an average of $618 on back-to-college supplies this year, a 3 percent increase over 2008.
Fortunately, today’s students have the option to rent their textbooks. With more than 2.4 million titles, Chegg.com is the world’s largest online textbook rental service, boasting discounts between 65 and 85 percent off the list price. In the last two years alone, Chegg.com has saved students and their parents more than $41 million at 6,000 colleges and universities across the country. Rentals are available by the semester (125 days), quarter (85 days) and summer (60 days), and students can even ask for rental extensions or purchase the books at any time.
“I got books from the campus bookstore and spent almost $450,” says Ernest, a student at North Carolina State University. “When I came home and checked out Chegg.com I realized I could save $200, so I took my books back to the bookstore.”
To learn more about saving on textbooks or to order your own books today, visit www.Chegg.com.
• Use your student status to your advantage. Local businesses surrounding college campuses typically offer student discounts when students present their university I.D. Restaurants, movie theaters, music stores, etc., are among the many businesses that offer student discounts up to 20 percent. If going out to eat or having a date night at the movies, remember to bring along your student I.D. and reap the rewards.
• Watch ATM cash drain. Some ATMs charge in upwards of $3.50 for cash withdrawals, particularly ones that are “convenient” or close to campus. You can quickly deplete your savings with a few bucks withdrawn here and there. Instead, consider opening up an account at a local bank that offers good perks (not just fluff incentives luring college students) and no-fee ATM withdrawals. Your school also may be affiliated with a credit union that offers special plans to students, including good interest rates and discounts on other financial items such as auto insurance.
• Start saving for the big trips. Are you planning your first big vacation before you’ve even passed your first exam? If so, start thinking about saving for those trips now, because Spring Break will be here before you know it. As these trips can get very expensive, putting extra money away each month will go a long way to making that dream trip a reality.
Save Up to 85% Off Thousands of Textbooks at Chegg.com - Find Chegg.com Coupons Here!
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Tags: Back to School Tips, Money Saving Articles
Posted in Back to School |
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By Isreal Lawrence on Jun 5th, 2009
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Yesterday I wrote on things I wanted for Father’s Day. I tried to keep it simple, affordable and within reason. There was one glaring omission however. The item I would really like to have, is a new desktop computer. Not just any desktop mind you, but one that has a media focus. This desktop needs a large HD screen, it needs power, and it needs to be stylish because I would like it to become the central core of our home entertainment system. This in addition to handling every other function that you would like a computer to accomplish. Sound extravagant? Maybe a touch, but you would be surprised how affordable taking this route can be. Especially when compared to an older mode of thinking where one would purchase a television, dvd player, stereo and a computer. I’m thinking consolidation, and I really think this is the best way to go!
I started investigating, I found a few options that definitely stirred my interest. These being the new Dell Studio Desktop and the Dell Studio Hybrid.
The beauty of Dell is that they offer premium quality and great affordable prices, check out the following Dell discount codes! Their prices and free coupons certainly skew my decision, there are so many options and each of course has advantages.
So when shopping for a new desktop what should we consider? How can tally the score card, so a decision can be made? So much of this depends on what you are going to be using your computer for: if you are just a general daily user you won’t demand the same specs as a power user who is editing video or engaged in resource intensive gaming. I want mine to be configured primarily for entertainment. I also want it to look good in the living room.
But looks aren’t everything, it’s really important to buy something with the goods “under the hood” so to speak. The first thing is comparing the processor chip. Processor choices are a bit more difficult now than they were before. It is still really a choice between an AMD and an Intel processor. The difference really comes in how many cores there are in the processor and its relative speed. Each company now has a performance rating system that isn’t really easy to compare. a desktop with a dual-core CPU and enough power to run productivity apps, view and edit vacation photos, manage MP3s and videos, and even play many of today’s games–the core activities most common to families, students, and the general purpose PC user.
The second thing to consider would be the memory. Most desktop computers now use a type of memory called DDR2. DDR3 is now finally making its way to PC systems but it is more expensive. In terms of amount, it is best to have at least 2GB of memory in the system and preferably 4GB. Memory speeds can impact performance as well. I would make sure that there is ample room for future expansion as well. You may only need 2GB now, but in a couple of years I wouldn’t be at all surprised if many tasks you might want to take on required 4, 6 and so on.
Hard drives really boil down to size and speed. The larger the drive and the faster, the better the performance and capacity. In a desktop, it is best to have at least 500GB or more of storage space these days. In terms of speed, they are pretty much all running at 7200rpm now. A few high performance 10,000rpm drives are available. Most drives use the Serial ATA interface now for ease of installation.
Most systems sold now feature DVD burners, even the budget systems. It is best to make sure that you get a multiformat DVD burner that can support both the +R/RW and -R/RW formats. Speeds should be 16x for the recordable speed. Dual or Double Layer media support is also a common feature although less likely to be used due to media cost. Options also include LightScribe or Labelflash support for burning labels directly to compatible media. Blu-ray is an option for those wanting to use their PC for the high definition video format.
Video card technology seems to change every three to six months. If you aren’t really doing any 3D graphics at all, then integrated graphics may be just fine. Beyond this, there are a wide selection of cards. Things to consider include performance, the amount of memory on the card, output connectors and the version of Direct X supported. Those looking to do any gaming should really consider a Direct X 10 card with at least 512MB of memory onboard. Pretty much all new systems will use the PCI-Express graphics standard.
What good is a desktop PC unless it also has a monitor? Previously users would need to choose between a CRT or LCD monitor, but LCDs are pretty much the standard now because of their reduced size and power consumption. The real issue is more about size and cost of the LCDs. The price difference between 19-inch and 22-inch models make 22-inch the best overall value although 24-inch models are quickly dropping in price. Most all screens use the wider 16:10 format but some are now being released with a near 2:1 ratio best suited for movie watching.
Whew! I know it seems like a lot, but I think we can agree it’s a good investment and useful for the entire family. As for me, if my dearly beloved family is reading this I think I gave ample hints as to which new “affordable” computer I would like for Father’s Day….*coughs* - DELL!
For more free Dell online coupons - Click here!
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Tags: computers, Dell, Dell Coupons, Fathers Day Gifts
Posted in Computers, Gifts |
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By Isreal Lawrence on May 21st, 2009
For the past several months my friend Cameron and I have been writing a music blog. Oh it’s nothing serious, simply a fun vanity project. That being said I’ve had to delve into researching the world of web hosting. As anyone who has embarked on such a project knows, whether it’s a fun little blog like the one I’m doing or setting up a page for one’s small business, this can be a complicated project. Sometimes I feel that I’m peeling an onion, answering one question leads to several others that I never knew to ask. Beyond digging up free web hosting coupons and looking up the lowest prices, here my Top 10 Tips to keep in mind when shopping web host providers.
- Ask Friends - When it comes to web host shopping, it’s important to get opinion from your experienced friends. These friends can be your neighbors, poker buddies, favorite bloggers or even Internet friends you met on FaceBook. User reviews are always helpful when it comes to picking up the right host!
- Forums and talk back boards have become my best friend while doing research. Almost universally I have found that if I have a question, someone else has already asked it. Web Hosting Talk and Webmaster World are two very good resources. Bookmark your favorites and visit regularly.
- Educate Yourself - You need to know the basics of web hosting and the terminology. You should at least understand the differences between various types of web hosting, pros and cons for different web host operating system, as well as some fundamental knowledge about hosting bandwidth.
- Test customer service before you sign the contract. Most hosting companies provide 24/7 online chat support. I suggest you to talk with their staffs at least once before you purchase. Ask questions to test the quality of their services and only go with those that provide satisfying answers.
- Avoid Providers that Oversell - Providers often oversell their capabilities to keep prices low. Managed overselling is par for the course and acceptable, but a fly by night company that have no plan when they find they can’t handle their traffic is something else altogether. You should run away from these providers as quickly as possible. To learn if your web host is well prepared for overselling, check your server load regularly. Do not hesitate to complain or even switch host if things look fishy to you.
- Long enough Trial Period? - Make sure your web host provides a long enough trial period. You need time to test their server capabilities without risk of losing money.
- Expect the Wrath - Don’t expect a lousy provider to be nice to you when your relationship goes south. There are plenty of stories about shady hosting companies continuing to charge former customer credit cards even though canceled. If possible, always pay your web host with a debit card or PayPal account. Just in case your web host turn bad, you can stop your subscription easily.
- NO SPAM - Does your favorite web host allow spam activities? Is your website sharing the same server with a porn sites? All in all, is your hosting provider listed on Spamhaus Block List? Many hosting companies care little about what their clients are doing with the hosting as long as they get paid. Sharing same IP with such spammers will bring you nothing but troubles (imagine if your emails can only be found in your recipients spam box - terrible!).So before you make any purchase decision, make sure you run a quick check with SpamHaus Block List.
- Back-up & Protection - Find out about the hosts redundancy protections. If things go awry you need to make sure your data isn’t lost! That being said it would behoove you to do your own backups regularly.
- Unlimited is Rare - Understand that unlimited hosting is often not unlimited. That only applies when you aren’t using too much of your providers capabilities. If you expect your site to have crazy traffic, you probably want to go with your own dedicated server.
These are only a few things to keep in mind, just scratching the surface. As I mentioned previously, when jumping into this particular fire one question often leads to ten. If you deal feel ready to take on this challenge however come check out these web hosting deals and coupons. In particular, Yahoo! is currently offering 35% off. Good Luck!
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Tag: web hosting
Posted in Buying Guide, Web Hosting |
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By Evette on Nov 11th, 2008
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Who would turn down an opportunity to shop at Victoria’s Secret! It is one of the few retail shops where husbands and boyfriends happily stand by holding purses and handing over credit cards. 
Honestly, who can blame them? The place reeks of hotness, not only are you visually bombarded by lace, silk and satin sexily hugging the curves of lingerie models like Adriana Lima but you can also find money saving deals.
Check out the All New Miracle Bra! The ultimate push-up, cleavage enducing miracle bra can literally create “miracles”. Your mosquito bites will look like mounds of edible goodness. Strange part is it goes up to size 38DD, hmmm why would a gal with 38 double D’s even need a push up bra? Just wondering…
Enter coupon code: 25ITEM at checkout to get 25% OFF any single item purchase!
Enter coupon code: 08SAVE at checkout to get $15 off an order of $150 OR get $30 off an order of $200 or more
Enter free gift code: PINK08 at checkout to get a FREE Pink Mini Dog
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Tag: Victorias Secret
Posted in Apparel, Deal of the Day, Free Stuff |
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By Evette on Oct 20th, 2008
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 You can always count on Lillian Vernon for unique and fun indoor and outdoor Halloween decor, but did you know they also carry Halloween greeting cards and treat baskets like this super cute Bat Trick-or-Treat Basket pictured ($11.98)? You can purchase two of their treat baskets priced at $11.98 for $9.98.
Right now until the end of October you can get 15% when you spend $59 or more if you use coupon code 358860100 at checkout.
Click here for more coupons and deals from Lillian Vernon.
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Tag: Lillian Vernon
Posted in Deal of the Day, Holiday Deals |
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By Daniel on Mar 6th, 2007
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When you spend $50 or more at PacSun.com (on a single purchase) from now through March 24th, you’ll earn a $25 Pac Loot Card. You can Earn and Redeem Pac Loot cards Online, In-Stores and even at PacSun outlets. Shipping is a standard $5 or Free with $75 orders. They have a great selection of Board Shorts. I like the Kirra Vintage (Style #0150209922222). |
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Posted in Apparel |
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