My suggestion to you today is that when you get your paper back from the teacher or professor, don’t toss it. Don’t delete it from your computer and don’t toss out the disk.  Let your work carry on into other classes.

I can’t tell you the number of times I have used my work from one class in another class.  Here are some examples and ideas:

• For your English term paper pick a general topic such as eczema.  Later use that paper for science or health class.
• Use your psychology paper on schizophrenia for your health or sociology class.
• Save the video on weather that you made in technology.  Use it for your science teaching methods project and make your lesson’s theme weather.

I have even saved papers that I wrote in high school.  If I’m not mistaken, I was able to use a biography paper from high school in my college English class.  Most of the work had already been done, I just needed to add a few more things.

Keep your old papers and make corrections where necessary.  Even if you have to spend another hour adding more parts to the paper, it will still save you time.  If your school has a policy against recycling your own papers, then you can save time by keeping with the same topic. At least you’ll be knowledgeable about the subject and have your research notes to use.

Have you ever used your work or research from one class for another class?

image sxc.hu

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Even with the new law, the Illinois CPA Society notes that college kids still need to practice smart and responsible credit card ownership, such as…

• Do shop around before choosing a card. Look at and compare monthly rates, grace periods, transaction fees, rewards, and penalty charges.
• Don’t pay late which will incur costly fees.
• Do protect your card. Don’t give out pin numbers, account numbers, or ever loan your card to anyone.
• Don’t fall for low teaser credit card rates. These are rates that seem amazing, but actually only last the first few months.
• Do review your monthly statements. Credit card companies make mistakes or charge you fees they shouldn’t have. Plus it’s smart to check for any suspicious charges.
• Don’t toss statements for about a year – it’s wise to have them on hand for any potential charge disputes.
• Do check your credit history annually. Check out your credit history by obtaining a free credit report.

[image via stock.xchng]

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

I realize most of you have graduated high school and have gone on with your adult life.  I also realize that some of you may be considering college or have children that will soon be attending college. 

Here are some tips to help you pay cash for college:

1.  Go to community college the first two years.  I did my first two years of school at a community college and it was great.  I lived at home, paid cash for all my classes, worked part-time, and all of the classes transferred for equal credit.  Actually, I wish I would have taken a few more classes at community college because it would have saved me hundreds of dollars.

2.  Find a university close to home and commute.  I did this for a while too.  I lived at home and commuted an hour each way.  I carpooled with some other girls that lived in the same city as me.

3. Take classes online.  Isn’t technology great?  Sometimes it’s hard to believe that you can sit at home and get college credits.  I might not recommend this for someone just finishing high school, but for those of you that are working a regular job and want to work on your degree a little at a time, this is a great option.

4.  Attend a college within your state.  State funded colleges really sock it to you with out-of-state tuition fees, if you don’t live in their state.  Attending an out-of-state college can cost you thousands of extra dollars each year.

5.  Get a part-time job.  Earn enough to pay your way through.  This is ideal for someone living at home or a wife with no kids.

6.  Apply for financial aid early!!!  This is one of the many things my school didn’t tell me about.  I got to college and was clueless.  I understand this was years ago, but honestly a little guidance could have really helped.  I applied for financial aid and found out it takes a while to process everything.  Apply early! 

7.  Take some time and check into scholarships.  Ask the guidance counselor at your school for information.  Sometimes you can get a scholarship just for asking about it.  We have a friend that got some scholarships just because he was the only one at his school that applied for them.

8.  Ask your church, bank, employer, and/or credit union if there are any scholarships available.  You’d be surprised how many of them offer scholarships.

9.  Keep up your GPA.  Extra study time doesn’t just help your report card, it also helps keep college costs lower.  Most schools offer academic scholarships.  Some are based upon your grades in high school and some are based upon your grades in college.  If I remember correctly, I received some financial aid for my college GPA and I didn’t even have to apply for it.  Good grades are like money in your pocket.

10.  Agree to an internship or other program that will pay for your college tuition.  North Carolina offers teachers money for college if they will teach in NC when they are finished with school.  I’m sure there are other programs out there for different occupations.

And here’s a little something I found on Dave Ramsey’s website:

Dave endorses Southwestern Company.  This company began helping students offset their educational expenses by selling books.  Students get great experience for their resumes and have the opportunity to make a great deal of money for the summer: the average first-year student made $8,232!  In addition, many students have the opportunity to earn college credit for their participation. Call them at 888.602.7867 or go to their Web site at http://www.southwestern.com/.

Ok.  I said I attended community college for 2 years and then transferred to a university within my state and commuted. So, you may be wondering where all of my college debt came from.  After I got married, my husband and I moved and there was no university near us.  I had to finish my education at a private college.  I received a great education, but along with it came a big price tag. 

This list by no means includes all the ways to pay cash for college.  Do you have any tips?

Post from: Thrifty Mommy

Living at home

Getting a roommate

Buying used text books

Walking or taking the bus in town to save on gas

There are a lot of creative ways to save money while in college. There is a great article at Associated Content that addresses these same factors. Take a look at it and let me know what you think and which ideas seem plausible to you.

Post from: Thrifty Mommy