Broke College Kid

$100 In Printable Grocery Coupons

admin — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 22:06:26 +0000

Even though grocery shopping won’t cost you as much as eating out everyday, it can still be expensive if you’re not shopping smartly. To help you save some money, Here is a collection of printable grocery coupons, with savings totaling over $100.

These coupons come from our friends over at Coupon Mom. They’re a great resource for all kinds of coupons and deals going on.

click here to get your free coupons

Tips For Getting Your First Student Loan

admin — Wed, 07 Jan 2009 21:43:39 +0000

Getting a student loan can be an intimidating process. This is more than likely your first time taking out any kind of substantial loan. But if you take a few preliminary steps, you can make sure you are getting the best rate possible, and not messing up your financial future.

Step 1: Figure Out How Much You Need

If you just want to take out a loan for tuition, then this is an easy step. However, most loans will also cover books and living expenses. Just remember that unless you are getting federal aid (see step 3 below) you are going to be paying interest on this money. You may be better off getting a part-time job, if your schedule will allow it. Otherwise, figure out the sum of all your expenses and tuition.

Step 2: Find Co-Signers and References

Co-Signers are absolutely necessary for getting good rates on loans, as they can usually cut your rates in half. Usually, you can get your parents or other relatives to do this for you. Relatives and former employers and teachers can also make good references. Get all of the information (name, address, phone, e-mail) of these people and their permission. Getting this information ahead of time will save you a lot of time when filling out forms.

Step 3: Fill out a FAFSA Form

FAFSA is subsidized federal loan money, which usually comes with little to no interest. You should always be filling these forms out every year just to see if you qualify. You can apply online here: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/

Step 4: Do your research

Sites like SimpleTuition are a good way to start finding companies to take out loans through. Compare all your different options, and figure out what company best suits your needs at the lowest interest rate.

The Forced Budget Plan

admin — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:44:57 +0000

A lot of people scoff at the idea of being as fiscally responsible as I suggest on this site. Ramen and PBR do get old after some time. So, here is a budget idea to help you save money, yet still allow for the extravagant purchase or night out on the town.

A lot of people suggest budgeting by the month, and some even by the year. This can be a daunting task, so for this system, we are only going to be monitoring spending by the week.

Take a detailed look at your expenses and your income, and decide what is an appropriate amount for your weekly budget. I would suggest between $50-$100. be sure to take your monthly bills and such into account if you have them, because they aren’t going to be considered in this money. This money is only going to be for your day-to-day expenses. Also, pick a number you can be consistent with, as these expenses shouldn’t change much from week-to-week.

Go to the ATM, withdraw that amount in cash. Do it at the same time every week, usually on a Sunday or a Monday. once you have your money, there are only 2 rules you must follow. Let’s assume you withdraw $100:

1. You can only spend $100 that week

2. You MUST spend $100 that week.

The second rule is important. This helps reward you for your fiscal spending, and gives you a goal to look forward to. Want to hit up the bars on Saturday night? this will help you spend smarter on Monday-Friday. This way you can still have some money set aside for fun, and manage your money well.

Get Free & Cheap Stuff On Your Birthday

admin — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:41:20 +0000

There are several compaines that have special deals and freebies on your birthday. Here’s a list of several places you can go and get discounts or freebies on your birthday. You probably can’t hit all of these on your birthday, so you might want to fudge the date on a few of them, and enjoy the discounts all year round!

Avon A-List : 10% off of your order and freeshipping. after you sign up, they’ll e-mail you a coupon shortly before your birthday, and it is good for 30 days.
Baskin Robbins B-Day Club: Free ice cream!
Border’s Rewards: You’ll get two coupons e-mailed to you on your birthday: one is 15% off on any one item, and one is a free dessert from the cafe
Coldstone Creamery: More free ice cream! get one free creation on your birthday
Crabtree & Evelyn: Sign up for their newsletter, and you’ll get a coupon for 10% - 15% off your order during your birth month.
Hollywood Video: Get a free rental on your birthday. They will e-mail you a coupon,or you can also just tell them.
Red Lobster Overboard Club: get $5 off your next visit

Scholarships for Girls

admin — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:28:25 +0000

Scholarships for girls allow women to get the degree they want without the financial burden. Considering that the average college student graduates from college with $50,000 or more in debt, it makes you wonder if it is really worth it.

Fortunately, those same students carrying all that debt on average earn $25,000 more a year than an individual without a college degree. Looking at those statistics it is easy to see why going to college is a good financial decision. An advanced degree will only help you as the job market continues to become increasingly competitive.

There are quite a few places to begin looking online to find scholarships to help women deal with this financial burden. Depending on how much scholarship money you can find, and how you qualify, this can not only help pay for tuition, but for books and living expenses as well.

In addition to looking online, don’t be afraid to contact your college’s student financial aid office and ask for advice or assistance. They have people on staff whose job it is to help students find financial aid.

Here’s a list of a few places to look online to get you started:

The Complete Guide To Buying & Selling Textbooks

admin — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:18:40 +0000

Textbooks are one of the biggest scams that college kids put up with these days. Textbooks that cost $100 usually have less information than books from Barnes & Noble that sell for $30. Regardless, they are often nessecary for classes, and we have to buy them. If you are smart about it though, you’ll never have to pay full price for text-books again!

Buy/Sell Online

Sites like Half.com , uLoop, and the Facebook Marketplace are all good places to both buy and sell your books online, and they all have their pros and cons. Facebook is good if you have editions specific to your school, and you get to meet in person, which can prevent you from getting scammed. Sites like Half.com don’t require you to leave the house, and it gets you a wider audience.

Use Past Editions

As soon as a new edition of a book is printed, the past editions will usually sell for $5 or less, as most students consider them useless. In a lot of classes, the past editions contain most of the same information. History books are a great example, because it isn’t like history is changing every couple of years. If you are in doubt, ask your professor. They’ll usually be honest with you on this issue, as they understand how hard getting money for books is for some college students.

It’s Not Moral, But . . .

A lot of textbooks can be found in torrent form online. This isn’t always the best option, and it can be a pain to do a lot of reading on a computer screen. On the plus side though, it is free.

Some Ways To Make Extra Money In College

admin — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 19:51:51 +0000

It’s always nice to have a little extra spending money in our pockets after books, tuition, and other living expenses have bled us dry. Here are a few ideas to make a few bucks in your spare time.

1 . Tutor - Do you do well in school? If so let your brain make you money. A lot of parents don’t have time to help their children with homework or don’t know how to help them. There is a lot of work for tutors and if you look you can pick up that as a side job. Tutors make good money and are well appreciated. This would also look great if you are going into the teaching field. You could put tutoring on your resume and let them know you already have teaching experience.

2. Part-Time Job - You can also pick up just a few hours a week at a place near by. Whether its 10 hours or 20 any money will be appreciated as a college student. Just try to pick a place that is close to home. You don’t want to waste all the money you make on gas to get there. Gas prices seem to keep rising to make gas a factor on where you work.

3. eBay - A lot of us have things lying around our dorm or apartment that we don’t use anymore. If you have any old clothes, electronics, etc. Sell them for a little extra money. It doesn’t necessarily have to be eBay; there is always Craigslist, the Facebook Marketplace, and even going to local pawn shops or Plato’s Closet.

4. Babysit - Are there younger kids in the neighborhood around you? If so spread the word that you are able to babysit. Babysitting is a great job for college students not only because you get paid but you can sometimes do your homework when you’re babysitting.

5 Things You Are Wasting Money On

admin — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 23:54:43 +0000

was sitting at a poker game with a buddy on mine, who has a really good job, and said “I make $700 a week, and I’m still broke all the time.” I hear similar stories from college kids all the time. Most spend way to much money. Here are the top 5 things you’re probably spending a bit too much on.

5. Books
Of course you need books for your classes (most of the time), but way to many students just make a trip to the bookstore once a semester. Try shopping online, or talk to friends and other students to find the best deal.

Average Savings per year: $100-$300

4.Entertainment
Having fun does not need to be expensive. there are several things you can do to trim your spending here:
1. buy DVDs and video games from Ebay, or from a used dealer, like GameStop.
2. Go to matinees instead of regular movies
3. look into campus events. Most campuses offer a lot of interesting events, and they are usually free or very cheap.

Average Savings per year: $200-$300

3. Stuff you just don’t need
I know a suprising amount of people, who despite “Always being broke” own HDTVs, tons of DVDs and video games, or outfits that cost entirely too much. I’ve never understood people who have HDTVs when most won’t shell out for the HD cable, but whatever. There are a ton of ways you could cut your spending here.

Average Savings per Year: $200-$500

2. Food
I don’t know you, but you probably eat out way to much. A meal at home can easily be prepared for $0.50 - $2.00, which is way cheaper even than McDonalds. If you eat out 3 times a week, that’s probably at least $10 right there, and a lot of people eat out even more than that.

Average Savings per Year: $500-$1,000

1.Booze(and other intoxicating substances)
Drinking and partying is a standard part of the college expierience, and by no means am I encouraging people to not do it. But a lot of people go barhopping, and run up bartabs anywhere between $20-$50, and that’s not including taxi fares and late night food run.

Compare this to drinking at home. a 12-pack of decent beer runs you $10, and that’s usually good for 2 people. Personally, I’ve always had a lot more fun with a few friends at home that going out, and I’m sure your drunken asses can find plenty of fun stuff to do. If you must go out, try pregaming, keep your eye out for drink specials, or maybe just cut back by one or two drinks a night.

As far as other intoxicating substances, there really isn’t much you can do to cut costs here. I hate to sound like an after school special, but my best advice would be doing it less, or not at all.

So, assuming you go out once to twice a week:

Average Savings per year: $1,000 - $3,000

Final Thoughts:

Total Average Savings Per Year: $2,000 - $5,000

A lot of these are simple decisions that you make every day. A few bucks here and a few bukcs there never seem like much, which is why including these figures to show that you could be easily blowing thousands of dollars when you simply don’t have to. Next time you are about to call in for that pizza, or order that next fancy mixed drink at the bar, just think what $5,000 could get you.

5 Tips for Finding A Job In College

admin — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 23:53:57 +0000

One of the easiest ways to get out of your financial binds while going to school is finding a part-time job. It can be a drag, but there are a lot of benefits. Studies show that students who work 10 to 20 hours a week get better grades. You can meet new people and develop skills to help you in the future. And did you know that many jobs for students can pay the equivalent of 3-5 beers per hour? Read after the jump to see our tips:

5. Decide what you are looking for in a job

- There are many different kinds of jobs you can find, and you need to decide what you are looking for in a job. There are three main kinds of jobs students get:
  - I want to do something related to my major. Look in your department and see what they have to offer, and ask around businesses that relate to your field.
  - I, don’t need the money that bad, just a little on the side. A lot of my friends would have campus jobs that we called “homework jobs”. They were desk jockeys of some type that didn’t have much to do. For example, a friend of mine was a “security guard” in a computer lab in the computer science building, where his job required 15 minutes of work when he got there, 15 minutes when he left, and 4-6 hours of sitting at a desk and making sure no one jacked a monitor. You are essentially going to get paid to do your homework, which you were going to do anyway, and it will help you focus on it.
  - I want to make mad duckets. There are two kinds of jobs in my experience that pay better than most other college jobs. The first is skilled labor, which pays more simply because no one else can do it. The other is food service jobs. Servers and bartenders make pretty good cash for what they do, and you honestly don’t do a whole lot. These jobs do require a decently high asshole – tolerance ratio though.

4. Look for opprotunities

- Ask your friends if they know of any openings where they work. If they are a good employee, this can be a huge help in helping you get a job there. Be careful though, because if your friend isn’t well liked at his/her job, this can easily backfire.
- Also be sure to check your local papers, and places online like the Facebook marketplace for places that are hiring.

3. Prepare for applications and Interviews

- Most of your applications and interviews are going to have really similar questions, so take a little time and get prepared for these. Make sure you have the phone numbers and addresses of your previous employers, as well as a couple of references.
- When it comes to interviews, most of them are pretty basic, but it’s helpful to think about some of the trickier questions potential employers may ask, such as:
  - What accomplishment in you life are you most proud of?
  - How would you handle personal problems with another co-worker?
  - Give examples of times you’ve dealt with difficult or stressful situations at work.
  - Can a light saber cut through Superman?

2. Apply, Apply, and Apply some more

- If you are really serious about getting a job, you need to go out and put in a lot of applications at a lot of different places. Start with all the places you found in step two, and then start applying at any job that fits what you are looking for. If you put in 20 – 30 applications, you are bound to get some callbacks. Also, when applying, try to do it during business hours, but when the place isn’t that busy. Monday – Wednesday, 2:00 – 4:00pm are the absolute best times to apply. Also, try to give your application to a manager, and speak with them for a minute about the job. If you just give it to a secretary or a busboy, there is no guarantee that it will ever see the right people. It also makes you more memorable to the employer and increases your chances of getting called back.

1. Keep checking in

- Even if you don’t hear back from an employer, all is not lost. After 3 – 4 days, if you haven’t heard back from someone, give them a call and ask about it. It help shows you are determined and that you really want the job. However, don’t overdo it, and don’t do this if they have already said “we don’t have any openings at this time”.

0% APR Credit Cards

admin — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 23:52:30 +0000

One of the biggest mistakes college students make is getting a credit card, spending more they can afford, getting themselves into debt and damaging their credit rating. If you do some smart shopping for your credit card, you can find some that offer low interest rates. which can really help to prevent this problem. Of course, that takes a lot of effort, so how about if Broke College Kid does it for you? Let me show you some cards with my favorite interest rate….0!

0% APR Credit Cards

There are quite a few credit cards that offer 0% interest for the first 6-12 months, and sometimes no annual fee as well. Be sure to read the fine print though, as sometimes these cards will have catches. Most of these catches are on cash advances, so if you are using it for regular spending, you should be fine. Here are a list of cards that get you 0% APR, with links!