Budget Tall Paul Torso Model is hand painted and meticulously assembled to simulate human anatomy. Dissects into 19 parts: torso, head (2-parts), brain, lung, (4-parts), heart, trachea, esophagus and descending aorta, diaphragm, stomach, duodemum with pancreas and spleen, intestines, cecum, kidney, bladder (2-parts), liver. Mounted on a base. Size: 33-1/2" tall.Price: $299.99
Any one with student loan troubles can benefit in a system that will show them exactly how to fight collection agencies. Created by Mr. Kay aka Rogue Student Loan Collector
A Step-by-step guide which helps students excel at the Gamsat (med-school entrance exam) in the United Kingdom.
Rules and Tips for Students to Protect Their Credit Ratings and Card Privileges.
A student credit card is designed for high school and college students and usually works the same way as any credit card that has been issued by a financial institution. In general a student credit card merely has a few more restrictions relative to non-student cards.
1) Budgeting Beauty
Take time to establish a monthly budget for yourself, one that includes your credit card payments. Watch your bills and compare them with your budget each and every month. To avoid overextending yourself, keep your monthly debt obligation below 10 percent of your monthly net income (after taxes). For example, if your net income is $900 a month, your monthly loan payments should not be more than $90.
That includes your credit card payment because your card is a loan.
2) Adjust Your Spending
Make spending adjustments when necessary. Being prepared for unexpected and planned unexpected expenses is the best way to guarantee that your credit history remains clean and strong.
3) Credit Your Credit
How you handle your bank accounts and other responsibilities may affect your credit so the best way to establish a credit history is to use the credit already given to you. Use your credit responsibly. Be especially sensitive to the payment agreements you made when you established your accounts.
4) Limit Your Limit
The credit limit shown on your statement is the maximum amount that the institution that issued your card is prepared to lend you. Avoid spending to your limit. Set aside a portion of your available credit so you have it for emergencies. Charging over your limit is usually considered a violation of your agreement. You do not want to have to pay additional fees or penalties or force the cancellation or freezing of your account.
5) On Time Every Time
When a card statement arrives at your home, the most important item to notice is the payment due date. Your payment must reach the financial institution by the payment due date whether paying the minimum or paying the total. Otherwise it is considered a late payment and will probably appear on your credit history. Late payments can also be more expensive by incurring penalties, extra fees, or additional finance charges. If the account due date consistently falls at an inconvenient time of the month (a few days before payday, maybe) contact the lender to see if it can change your billing cycle.
6) Minimum Maximum
The minimum payment on your statement is just that: the minimum that the lending institution will accept for that certain month. Always be prepared to make at least the minimum payment. If you wish to reduce your finance charges, or plan to make a number of additional purchases in the coming month, consider paying a larger amount.
7) Stay In Touch
If you change your name or address notify your lender immediately. Send your updated information before the fact, not after. Your payment could turn into a late payment in the time it takes for a statement to be forwarded to your new address. Also, contact your lender if you cannot make a payment on your account for any reason. Special payment options or arrangements may be arranged that will keep both you and your lender happy.
Would you like to learn a whole lot more about the credit card industry? Do you need a credit card?
This article may not be reproduced without including Kay Schwartz as author and the inclusion of this URL http://credit-cards-easy-to-get.blogspot.com
Would you like to make the money from credit cards that the banks do? I invite you to send me an email.
Approximately 50" tall, about 3/4 adult size, this skeleton is easy to handle, anatomically correct and economically priced. Features spinal nerves, vertebral artery, jaw on springs and cut calvarium. All joints are articulated; hands and feet are not articulated. Comes with its own plastic stand and hook at the top for hanging. Size: 4'2" tall.Price: $99.95
Maybe you've just finished your exams. Maybe you're still writing final papers. The last thing on your mind has been the holidays, but now that they're almost here, what are you going to do? How are you going pay for the gifts that you need to buy?
Budget
Although it might already be too late for this, at least now is the time to make a mental note for next year to budget extra money for gifts in December. It's the same thing as budgeting the extra money you need for books each January and each September. It's better not to be caught off guard by these things!
Use your credit card wisely
It is not smart to put hundreds of dollars of Christmas gifts on your credit card. If you are not going to be able to pay back your credit card, then don't use it. It is smarter to get another, separate loan, or to call your bank to lower your student loan payment for this month than to put it on your credit card which could have an interest rate as high as 20%!
Organize the gift exchange
Instead of giving presents to everyone of your friends, organize a few gift exchanges: maybe your residence floor, your sorority sisters, or your biochemistry friends will want to do an exchange. You can set a price limit for each exchange too, like $5 or $10.
Homemade gifts
The best gifts are homemade gifts. You might want to make your gift exchange a homemade gift exchange! If you are short on time right now, but you know that you will have time later, you can always give some coupons for Christmas. Be sure that you remember to honor them, though! Think of your talents: making someone a home-cooked meal, giving a personal manicure or pedicure, or giving lessons on how to play bridge could be a great gift. If you know that you will have money after Christmas, you can also consider giving coupons for gifts that will cost you money, such as a night at the movies, or a nice dinner.
Work for the holidays
As a student, you are probably lucky to have one or two weeks off during the holidays. If you work for one or two days of the holidays, even, then you will earn enough money to buy the gifts that you need to buy. Be sure to give yourself some break, though. You have worked hard enough all semester and you deserve it.
Be charitable
Instead of exchanging gifts with some of your friends, consider doing charitable donations. You can each pick a charity, and then each donate a set amount of money to the other person's charity. Be sure to send a nice card that says you made a donation in their name.
You could also decide to give each other canned goods for the local foodbank. Buying 6 or 7 dollars of canned goods might not be a lot of money, but it will be a great help for those people who need it. You'll feel good, you'll save yourself money, and you and your friends and family will have done a good deed.
Remember
The key to surviving Christmas is to be honest. If you have friends who aren't in school and who have lots of spending money, the best thing is to explain to them that money is tight this year. Sometimes they forget or don't know how much being a student costs. Once you remind your family and friends of your budget, they will be more than willing to participate in some of these fun and money-saving holiday suggestions.
Morgan James is a graduate student, and so feels like she has been in school forever. She has lots of advice on how to save money, how to budget, and how to get loans to pay for those (un)expected expenses, like the holidays. Check out The Guide to Student Loans [http://www.theguideto-studentloans.com/budgeting] for more information.
[http://www.theguideto-studentloans.com/budgeting]
The Ultimate Filmmaking Kit! Updated 4/11/2010, Higher Commision!!! Affiliates visit http://www.nobudgetfilmmaking.com/affiliates to get promo tools.
Earn 65% promoting one of the best study guides you can find anywhere. Focused on helping psychology students succeed, AlleyDog.com has been a popular psychology websites since 1998. More than 150,000 psychology students visit every month!
Newly appointed academic managers are often unsure how to effectively manage their department's fiscal affairs. The Jossey-Bass Academic Administrator's Guide to Budgets and Financial Management is specifically designed for administrators who need guidance for managing the fiscal resources of a department or unit. Using this book, administrators can learn to better understand the broad fiscal context of their institutions and thereby master their own role and function within the institution.Price: $29.00
Praised across the internet as hands-down the "best budgeting software", You Need A Budget (YNAB) cuts to the chase with your finances. The software focuses you on the foundation of your finances: the Budget. Experience has shown that when your budget is intact, and functioning correctly, everything else takes care of itself (the bills are paid on time, retirement contributions are made, and unnecessary debt is eliminated). The software is built around Four Rules of Cash Flow. These Four Rules will help you break the paycheck to paycheck cycle, get out of debt, and save more money faster. Where other software packages tend to be the products of years of feature creep, YNAB offers you exactly what you need: a simple, straightforward system to manage your money.Price: $69.90
Managing your money to live on your own can be a big challenge, especially if you are a full-time student dependent on part-time work for income and attending full-time school. Determining how much you can spend for rent involves looking at the big picture of all of your expenses. Don't forget key components of your personal budget when calculating what you can pay for rent.
Obvious costs include: vehicle maintenance (insurance, license, parking fees); phone and/or cell phone bills; internet/computer upkeep; food expenses; furniture cost; laundry and clothing expenses; and miscellaneous household expenses (light bulbs, cleaning supplies, cable or satellite TV, small kitchen appliances and cookware). Less obvious or unexpected costs may include vehicle repairs, lost income due to illness, replacement of computers or other necessary pieces of equipment and an emergency fund in case you need extra cash quickly.
You generally want to keep your rent expense to about 25% of your total budget. If your combined income from earnings and school-related funds (financial aid and grants) works out to about $2,500/month, then you can probably afford about $625/month on rent. Make sure that all of your utilities are included in this cost.
As a student, you have another major consideration: is the lease for a full year or for the school year only? If you are not planning to stay during the summer between semesters, you may be hard put to find someone to take over your lease just for two or three months. Unless you are going to stay, you may end up paying for an apartment even while you are living elsewhere. Thinking ahead and planning a year or more out can save you time and money and make life on your own that much easier.
Kathleen Karlsen, MA, is a project manager and senior copywriter residing in Bozeman, Montana. To find affordable housing perfect for students and long-term visitors in Bozeman, Montana, visit Bridger Property Management at http://www.bridgerproperty.com. See all available properties at http://bridgerproperty.com/properties.html.
Short on time...money...and kitchen expertise? Fret no more. Delicious relief is in your hands! For the health-conscious collegian, THE STARVING STUDENTS' VEGETARIAN COOKBOOK is the only guide you need. You'll find selections ranging from Almond Asparagus to Southern-Style Pasta to Pumpkin Pudding-and be totally surprised by a noncarnivorous lifestyle that's amazingly varied, tasty, and nutritious. DIVERSITY! SELECT FROM A DELIGHTFUL POTPOURRI OF VEGGIE MEALS THAT ARE:
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Meatless need not mean tasteless. And with this indispensable vegetarian chef's aid you'll be feasting on delectably nutritious, flesh-free meals the whole semester, the cheap 'n' easy way, made famous by the original, bestselling The Starving Students' Cookbook. Before you know it you'll be making:
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I was rummaging through my fridge looking for something tasty to temp me. I do this most days. Sometimes I just stand there staring, waiting, searching for an interesting edible thing to leap from the cold and shout, “PICK ME.” No luck. Fridays are never the tastiest days of the week to find something munch-worthy. Because I do my weekly grocery shopping trip on Saturdays, there’s usually nothing fun left to eat by Friday. Bummer.
So I got desperate and peeped into my freezer. Now, I’m not one of those people who keeps lots of frozen food kicking around in the depths of the cold box. Freezer-burned food kept long past the expiry date may be cold, but it sure ain’t cool. It just takes up space, costs moolah to keep cold, and no one ever eats it anyways. If you have a freezer full of food dating back to the Ice Age, do yourself a solid — clean it out or compost it, now.
So anyways, back to rummaging and foraging for food. My freezer proved fruitful. After digging around I found a bag of frozen organic apples left over from last year’s harvest, a container of dried organic cranberries I had saved from a Thanksgiving sale, and a bag of flour. Yes, I keep my flour in the freezer. Ever since my parents’ Great Weevil Infestation incident in the early 1990s, the whole Taylor clan stores their flour in the freezer. Trust me, you don’t want to start baking something delicious when your flour is wobbling full of buggy weevils. I still have nightmares.
Ok, so I have apples, flour, cranberries, and a hungry pit in my stomach. Luckily, I spied a bunch of overripe bananas sitting on my counter and decided that today was the day to make banana bread! Yay!
It’s really hard to screw up banana bread. Banana bread is just one of those recipes that demands you clean out your fridge (or freezer) and add ingredients already kicking around the kitchen. That’s why this recipe is frugal — you use the ingredients you already have on hand, and keep overripe fruits from hitting the trash can.
Ingredients like nuts, chocolate chips, eggs, spices, and even vegetables like zucchini go great in Frugally Easy Banana Bread. The only way to mess up banana bread is to buy it. Store-bought banana bread is usually stuffed full of hydrogenated oils with not enough bananas. Go figure! Plus, it can be costly to buy. So skip the store, rummage through your fridge, and bake your own banana bread.
Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour1/2 cup white sugar1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon1/2 teaspoon nutmeg1/4 teaspoon salt1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder1/2 teaspoon baking soda1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 egg3-4 bananas (1 1/2 cups banana, mashed)1/3 cup applesauce1/2 cup cranberries (or chocolate chips or nuts)
Assemble and measure your ingredients. Preheat your oven to 350F (175C) degrees. Add a little no-stick spray to an 8×4 loaf pan.
Call me a nerd, but I made my own apple sauce by putting thawed (previously frozen) apples into a blender. When it comes to making low fat banana bread, I find that apple sauce is the perfect ingredient for making banana bread moist.
I left the peels on because apple skins contain many nutrients. Besides, I find the peels pretty, they add fibre, and I’m too lazy to remove them. So there.
I put my homemade apple sauce aside for later.
In a large bowl, mix together your flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and nutmeg.
If you’re into chocolate chips or nuts, then mix those in as well.
In a large bowl, mix together your mashed banana, apple sauce, egg, vanilla extract, and cranberries. Now that’s a very moist banana bread recipe despite the lack of butter and oil.
I must admit, this stage doesn’t look too tasty.
This is super easy, people. Just stir and combine your wet and dry ingredients. Pour the batter into your pre-sprayed loaf pan.
Ok, I had a glass loaf pan. You’ve gotta work with what you’ve got.
Bake your banana bread in a preheated oven for 50 to 55 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean.
Remove banana bread from pan, and let cool on a wire rack before slicing.
Smells so delicious. I love how pretty the cranberries look when sliced. Now serve with a cup of tea or a glass of milk. Banana bread would also be splendid in a back-to-school lunch or as a healthy weekend snack for the kids. Enjoy!
More tasty things to do with leftover fruit:
Squawkback What do you put in your banana bread? What’s your favorite ingredient? Ever find weevils in your flour? Ack!
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The choice to follow a vegan lifestyle is simple when you’ve got a cookbook full of delicious recipes representing the very best of gourmet, ethnic, and basic cuisine—served up vegan style! Even better, these dishes are tailored to fit a student’s schedule and budget, making a vegan diet possible for just about anybody.Price: $13.95
The Student Budget Planner is part of a financial planning series called How to Make a Budget. To start this series from the beginning, read the introduction.
Not a student? Then head on over to the Free Budget Spreadsheet to get your budget buzzing without all the textbook costs and tuition fees. Feel free to pass this post on if you know a student.
The hardest part about being a student is, well, the student part. Being a student means you likely have very little money, a whole lot of expenses, and a bunch of pressure to get great grades. If you’re about to graduate then you’re probably pounding the pavement looking for one of those job thingies to help pay off your student loan. Been there. Done that.
It’s no secret that heading off to college or university ain’t cheap. With tuition starting at around $6,500 per year for a Canadian university education and reaching $38,300 for an American education at Yale (cough), you’d better add up your dollars and count your pennies if you still want to eat. Oh, and then there’s the cost of textbooks, room & board, and school supplies too. When your pocketbook is feeling the pinch and you don’t want to get schooled by the costs of higher education, it’s time to get on side with the Student Budget Planner.
What is a student budget? A student budget can be viewed as either a smart way to get savvy about finances, or a cruel introduction to the costs of being an adult. You pick. But from my own experience of living in a student slum with cockroaches and Kraft Dinner, I think it makes good financial sense to become smarter about your money sooner — especially when you’re spending student loan cash.
A student budget is a financial plan for tracking the flow of money into and out of your life. A student budget lets you identify the costs of your education, plan ahead for a shortfall, and see ways to save more of that borrowed dough for the stuff that matters — like tuition. A budget can also highlight the spending habits you’re not aware of and help you better plan for future spending. The hard part is getting started. After a bit of practice though budgeting gets easier. Oh, and making a budget is so much easier than the final exam for third year Calculus. (I aced it BTW).
The Student Budget Planner is free to download and easy to use. I’ve done my best to add the biggest student categories, and account for a bunch of student needs (like pizza). There are two spreadsheets to choose from: one for American students and one for Canadian students. Smart, I know. 
Here’s what you can do with them:
Click to download the American Student Budget Planner or the Canadian Student Budget Planner. If you’re an international student living elsewhere, just customize the spreadsheet to suit your scholastic needs.
Tracking every single school expense may not sound super fun, but it’s easy to do if you carry a notebook with you or save all your receipts. The idea is to track your cash, credit card, and debit card purchases to identify where your money is going. Here’s how to do it:
Get a notebook or use your phone. Place a small notebook and pen in your book bag OR carry an iPhone, iPad, or iWhatever with you.Write it down: You can take notes right? Every time you spend money, write it down. Make a note of each and every purchase (grocery, tuition, school supplies) and add the date. Ask for a receipt.Add it up: Tally your expenses during the month and add them to the Student Budget Planner under the right category. See where your money is really going. Results may shock you.Grab your student receipts, sort your room and board bills, and check your bank account and student loan balances. It’s time to fill in the blanks and account for the cash in your budget. Here are the categories to consider:
Income: Enter your summer job income, part-time job money, and all scholarships, grants, bursaries, and parental contributions. If you have an RESP (Canada) or a 529 Plan (United States) then account for that cash too. This should be money you have either saved or earned and don’t have to pay back, hopefully.Student Loans: If you have student loans, then enter that borrowed money here. If not, then consider yourself a rare breed of student. Kudos.School Expenses: Tally all of your tuition, textbook costs, program supplies, and student fees in this column. Your program may have some extra costs, so add those too.Room and Board: Whether you’re living on campus in a dorm or residence, or you’re living in a shack off-campus, be sure to add those monthly or semester costs in this section. Some students have a meal plan, others may have to shop for groceries — just don’t forget to add your food costs. Need a bed or desk? Yep, that’s going to cost cash too.Moving to/from Campus: If you’re going away to school, then you need to budget your arrival and departure. Renting a truck to get your gear to school ain’t cheap.Transportation: How are you getting to campus every day? Add your car, bus pass, or bicycle costs too. Going home for the holidays? Be sure to account for flights or other costs to get you home.Utilities: Talk ain’t cheap, and neither is texting your friends for the latest homework assignment on your cell. List all your phone, internet, and other utility expenses too.Medical: Glasses, contacts, and other prescriptions need to be included in your student budget. Don’t forget about your health insurance!Financial: As a student you should ask for a fee-free bank account and credit card. But credit card interest is a killer — so pay off that plastic promptly.Campus Fun Stuff: Being a student means kicking back and having some fun. This part of your budget is for the fun stuff — like beer.Family: If you have kids then you have some additional costs. Be sure to consider childcare and the additional family costs of being a student and parent.This is a big list and I don’t want you to feel overwhelmed since being a student can be challenging enough. I made this budgeting list long because I didn’t want you to miss a step while away at school. Study hard and budget smart!
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I love giving thoughtful homemade gifts to friends and family. I especially love it when the gift is fun to make and frugal to buy. So when I discovered the delicious and super cute world of goodies in a jar, I decided to put a lid on it and bake up a batch of pie in a jar.
I’ve written about jarred gifts before in 8 Homemade Gifts in a Jar — so check it out if you’re less into pastry and more into mixes in a jar.
Pie in a jar is just that — it’s a small single serving of fruit pie made and baked in a tiny mason jar. These pies are frugal to make, awesome to gift, tasty to serve, and fun to sell at bake sales where there’s more than enough standard cakes and tarts to go around. Yes, every local bake sale has a tart or two. But I digress.
Anytartytarts, I’ve even given a few jarred pies to friends in need of a little cheer after a bad day. We’ve all had those days, and sharing a belly laugh over a tiny pie in a jar is far cheaper than visiting a shrink. But if you do need a shrink then please don’t drop by looking for tiny pie. It’s only pie, after all.
Not only are pies in a jar fun to make, but they are a flexible food to serve too. Bake up a fresh batch today or freeze a bunch for later when unexpected company arrives. These little marvels don’t take up your freezer space like traditional baking since they stack up nicely.
So to get you in the mood for some summer sweet and frugal pie, let’s get some mason jars, turn on the oven, and get baking. If you’ve got some kiddlets looking for a fun project, get them into the frugal fun too by teaching them to bake. Watching little ones eat tiny pies is kinda cute too.
Oh, and don’t forget to add these pies as gifts using the Budget Series Gift Giving Worksheet — where tracking even small gifts is as easy as pie.
Making pie in a jar is simple with the right canning jars. If you don’t want to have pie on your face, then skip the super cutie narrow-necked jelly jars and get the still super cute 1/2 pint wide mouth canning jars. You’ll thank me when it’s time to line the jar with dough and when it’s time to plate your pie. Besides, the wide mouth jars make it easier to label for a gift, or eat out of with a fork.
The 1/2 pint wide mouth jars yield a pie around 2.5 inches wide and 2 inches tall.
Don’t forget to wash or sterilize your jars before making pie.
Sterilizing is important if you plan to freeze your jarred pies for baking at a later date.
I will not lie to you. Filling these little mason jars with pie dough is not easy. When I had the patience I rolled out a little doily-shaped crust, fit it into the bottom of the jar, and then pressed it in to form the perfect (cough) crust. I also found that taking dough pieces and pressing them into the jar worked well too.
Jarring Revelations:
Greasing the jar with butter before lining it with dough helps to remove the pie (in one piece) after baking.Swearing at either the jar or the pastry doesn’t help. You may scare your spouse. Besides, being a dough-head isn’t cool.Leave 1/2 inch of pie crust above the edge of the mason jar. This extra dough lets you roll and crimp the bottom of the pie crust to the pie top.
Now don’t give me the stink eye over my next admission — I used store bought dough for my pie in a jar. [Enter Stink Eye Here]. Making pastry is not my talent. If pastry is your passion then check out the Smitten Kitchen’s Pie Crust 101 tutorial and recipe. For everyone else, just buy three or four pie crusts from the refrigerator section at your grocery store. You’ll need around three pie crusts to fill six mason jars, but chances are you’ll make a mistake or two, or three. If you prefer thinner crust, then just roll out your dough and use two pie crusts. Easy.
As an alternative to pastry or for those on a gluten-free diet, swap out the dough and try my Homemade Granola Recipe as a pie crust. It’s tasty.
Are you hankering for some apple pie or do you crave a nice sweet cherry pie? The choice is yours. I have a simple pie filling recipe (below), but I must be honest with you again — I used canned cherry pie filling for the pies in this post. Don’t hate me because I felt lazy today. Love me ’cause I’m honest. Smile.
Simple Pie Filling Recipe:
4 1/2 cups cherries, berries, or diced fruit1/2 cup sugar2 tablespoons all-purpose flour1 tablespoon butter, divide between the piesspices: nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla, or to taste
Or better yet, hop on over to my Fresh Strawberry Rhubarb Crisp with Apples and try that filling since I’m stuck in a can today. It’s tasty and healthy.
Jarring Revelations:
Only fill the jars to the 3/4 mark. Filling to the brim will make it tricky to top and crimp your pie. Also, the pie might bubble and boil over if over-filled. It happens.Add a little flour to the mixture if your fruit is super juicy.Top your filling with a little pat of butter. Yum.
Now on to the fun part.
I hope you kept your mason jar lids handy because the inner ring makes the perfect pie top cutter. Just use a knife to trace the inner ring circle and voila — instant pie top.
Now personalize your pie top by using a small cookie cutter to create a little vent. Once you’ve placed the pie top into the pie jar (it’s tricky I know), go ahead and carefully crimp the pie crust bottom over the top. Put the lids and rings on each jar until you’re ready to bake.
If you have cold feet or you’re not ready to bake your pies today, then go ahead and freeze them until needed. I keep a few jarred pies in deep freeze in case I need a quick gift, or for when company comes over. Ok, Ok, sometimes I just like a little tiny tart treat too.
An unforeseen bonus to making pie in a jar is the mason jars protect the pies in the freezer. No more dented pies! Also, the jars make it super simple to stack many pies without ruining the tender crusts — so you can optimize your freezer space and save the room for stocking up on grocery sale items.
One little trick for dealing with slippery mason jars is to wrap each pie jar with a little tin foil to get a better grip. I dropped one the other day and made a little mess. My dog was happy though.
It’s time to get bubbly, tarty, flaky, and tasty. Start by removing the lids and rings from each jar. If you own a Silpat Nonstick Silicon Baking Mat, then place each jarred pie on your Silpat (on a cookie sheet) to prevent slipping. Sliding hot jars filled with boiling pie are not safe. Just a safety warning. I’m a safety girl.
Oh, and don’t worry about baking in jars. Canning jars are very resilient when it comes to heat — they are meant to be boiled — so baking pies straight from the freezer is fine.
Removing the pie from it’s jar can be a tricky situation. I’ve had some good luck by sliding a knife around the inside of the jar and using gravity to remove the treat inside. Eating the pie while it’s still inside the jar is easier, and lots of fun at picnics and when company drops by. For some reason my guests have loved being treated to a single serving pie. It’s a novelty. It’s fun.
If you’re gifting the pie, decorate the lids with pretty paper, jar labels, or add a little bit of ribbon for style. A decorated pie in a jar goes over very well at bake sales and fund raisers — so putting in a little creative decorative effort can make you some money too.
Get Squawky: Ever bake a treat in a jar?
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The joys of being a student; not only do you get your first taste of freedom away from the watchful eyes of parents, but university gives you the chance to really discover who you are. Aside from learning a profession, you can finally gain a sense of independence and see for yourself what the world has to offer.
Of course, there are many exciting experiences to be had but student life does not come cheap. Indeed, according to research carried out, the average cost of studying away from home lies around the £11,000 mark.
It is essential, therefore, that as a student you are money savvy. And, while it may sound duller than a night at home peeling blu-tack off your walls, it's an intelligent idea to create a budget: a quick internet search will provide you with all the information you need. This will not only allow you to see how much money you have, but will also give you a clear indication of how much you can spend on the 'essentials' like partying!
In addition to creating a financial plan, there are a number of things you can do to keep the costs of living down.
For example, independent advice suggests that you review your current gas and electricity supplier, since you could save up to £150 a year by switching. And, although it may mean wearing an extra jumper, you could save 10 per cent on your bills by turning the thermostat down just one degree.
Travel costs are another expensive outlay. For those who embrace exercise and want to keep costs to a minimum, it can be a good idea to invest in a bike. Not only will this keep you fit, but it will have paid for itself before the term is over. If, however, arriving at university windswept is out of the question, you can instead purchase a monthly bus pass. This will save you money on daily ticket prices and re-payments can usually be spread across the year.
As a student, you will also need to engage in study from time to time and will have to buy things like books. Bought new, these can really eat a hole in your social money; therefore, it can be worthwhile looking around for second-hand deals. Other advice recommends finding a part time job in a supermarket or restaurant. On top of earning extra cash, you may be entitled to free or discounted food, thus saving on weekly shopping bills.
Having a bank account is also imperative. Although you may have an existing account, it is clever to shop around for one catering specifically for students. Many student bank accounts now offer interest-free overdrafts, as well as a host of enticing freebies such as cash, music downloads or NUS Extra cards.
With a bit of know-how and a little research, it is easy to make sure you don't blow your student budget, leaving you with time to concentrate on the more important aspects of student life!
Victoria Cochrane writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.
Students attending college are going to spend a lot of money over the next academic year. Most of the money spent will be on big-ticket items such as tuition, housing, and books. But there are other daily expenses that crop up that can quickly deplete student funds - most notably food, transportation, supplies, medication, recreation, and other personal needs.
Outlined below are some recommended steps to help students manage their money wisely:
Step 1: Start with a Budget Plan
all students should have a budget plan for school. The plan lists the financial aid options you have for the academic period and the month-by-month spending plan.
Budget plans help students understand where they need to save and reduce daily spends in order to stay within budget limits. It's far better to budget financial shortfalls so that you can arrange future financing when needed.
Step 2: Record Your Daily Spend
students need to keep tabs on their daily spend so that they stay within budget. Tracking your spend for an academic year will help you plan budgets for future years.
Tracking daily spends can be a simple notation on paper or electronic device. Make sure you record your spend on the budgeting worksheet to monitor aid gaps.
Step 3: Use Pre-Paid Credit for Money
there are multiple ways student can pay for everyday expenses. Let's review best options to help control spending and maintain budget limits.
Cash:
Advantages: can be easily exchanged for merchandise or service
Disadvantages: not easily storable. You open yourself up to theft at if you keep money in your dorm or on your person.
Personal Checks:
Advantages: your money is kept safe in the bank and only disbursed when you write a check
Disadvantages: many local merchants won't accept student checks for payment. You also risk fraud if your checks are stolen.
Credit Cards:
Advantages: comes with fraud and theft protection. Cards can be used for almost all purchases.
Disadvantages: cards are open lines of credit that can be abused. Student can quickly get into debt and spend beyond budget limits.
Pre-Paid Credit:
Advantages: looks and works just like credit cards
Disadvantages: you need to load money to the card in order to use it -- which can be an advantage for budgeting daily spend.
About Pre-Paid Credit
Pre-paid credit is one of the best money management tools for students on a tight budgets. Pre-paid credit works exactly like credit cards except for one thing -- the amount you can spend with the card is dependent on the amount you load to the card.
That is the key advantage. You can budget what you want to spend by week or by month and load that amount from your student funds to the card. You can then use the card to buy food, supplies, recreation, etc., and limit your spend to the amount loaded. When the amount runs out, your budget has been met.
Example how pre-paid cards can work for students:
Student or parent gets a prepaid card for student's use in college (approval guaranteed). Student or parent adds spending money to the card.
Student uses the card to buy food, supplies, pizza, etc., at any merchant that accepts MC/VISA cards.
Student or parent can monitor pre-paid account electronically for budgeting purposes. Pre-paid cards can help maintain a spending budget.
Student or parent can reload the card with additional monthly spending funds as needed.
Using pre-paid cards protect the student from accumulating credit card debt and to stay within budgeted spending limits.
Students can use pre-paid cards to build a credit history for future credit approval on auto loans, employment, home mortgages, etc.
We have more information about starting a budget and using pre-paid cards. [http://www.saystudent.com/money-management.html]
If you need extra money to pay college costs, students can use private student loans to instantly borrow the money they need to pay tuition, housing, computer, and other related college expenses.
Krayton M Davis is the Executive Principal of nBuy Associates, which owns and operates the SayStudent College Financing Guide. For more information about our services, link to: http://www.SayStudent.com
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I suppose the typical UK Student hasn't got it all that bad. After all, unlike our friends across the pond (Americans) we get government grants and loans to help us survive this terrible times waking up late in lectures still hungover from the night club you went to the night before.
This, I tell you, is by far the best time in your life to start a business. I can testify fully as somebody who, five months ago, was struggling for cash myself - Already in my overdraft before the START of freshers week where (As a student) I was expected to spend so much time in night clubs drinking champagne and Vodka/Redbull.
I needed money. Fast. It was at this time I had an epiphany: I need to combine my talents. These were web design, photography, social skills - and newly acquired to me... Student Time. It is through these talents that I created a night club photography web site in my city, Manchester. Now a marketing guy and city centre apartment later, I'm expendanding the website to include some other perfectly relevant hobby of mine, hoping to draw in more revenue.
Students have lots of time on their hand. This is the biggest advantage a student can possess in comparison to their full-time job counterpart who wants to start their own business.
We have no risks to consider - We are poor in the first place, there isn't a failed business that is going to make us worse off than we already are.
Whats more we have a student loan handed to us that wants investing (While you soon have it).
I'm sorry my American friends, I don't believe you have this pleasure.
What I am trying to say is that being a student doesn't necessarily mean that you should do nothing for the next few years - Its possible to go to night clubs AND make a medium risk investment.
I am currently the managing Director of a fastly growing business, that has also gave me benefits of well established contacts such as Marketing Agencies, and Business owners - Including a lot of night club owners who allow me free access to most of the clubs in Manchester... And believe me, being able to get you and your friends into a night club for free and past both the normal and guest list queue - you are God.
Paul is the managing director of xoog.net. xoog take photos in Manchester Night Clubs, which mostly take photos in Indie and Band night clubs such as 42nd Street Night Club and 5th Avenue.
Know someone who needs help keeping track of the money they spend? Perhaps a college student - or even an adult who wants to keep better track of funds. They need a Money Spent Pocket Note. With Money Spent, track that cash in your wallet so you know exactly where it all went. Just toss it in a purse or pocket - and log your funds on the fly! Grab several for yourself and your favorite budget-conscious friends. Even more fun - it opens like a matchbook for easy access and entering expenses. Each pad contains 50 sheets, and each sheet has room for 20 entries. Plenty of room to keep track of a week at a time - with enough pages for the whole year (with two weeks off for vacation carefree spending.) Measures 3-1/2" x 5"Price:
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As a student, you may be about to get your first bank account and the temptation to go for the bank offering the biggest free gifts or perks is huge. However, choosing your student bank account is an important step and you should not be thinking about whether to choose between a student railcard or free cinema tickets, tempting as those offers might be.
This is War!
Banks are fighting for your business because they know that today's students are likely to be tomorrow's high earners. Since most people stay with their bank for a lifetime, they want to secure your business before you even start your career. Therefore, they will be trying to outdo each other with great offers from free overdrafts to low interest rates to book tokens.
Tip #1 Don't base your decision on the student orientated gifts, however much you want them.
Purpose of Your Student Account
The purpose of your student account is to enable you to avoid unnecessary expenditure and manage your finances successfully while you are at college. This means that low interest rates and free overdrafts are important.
Tip #2 Consider the best money-saving deal
Borrowed money still has to be paid back
While an interest free overdraft is extremely useful, it's still an overdraft and it still has to be repaid. So use your overdraft and other financial incentives wisely.
Tip #3 Remember that you will have to use your overdraft sensibly
Make Sure You Understand the Terms
It's easy to forget that as soon as you graduate or go over the limit of your free overdraft, you'll be charged interest and these rates could land you in big trouble, increasing your student debt significantly.
Tip #4 Read the fine print
Look at the Bigger Picture
It's important to look beyond your college days, even though that seems a long way in the future. You need to consider the long term implications of setting up an account with a particular bank. What will happen when you graduate? Does the bank have a graduate account with special deals or will you suddenly find yourself with high interest rates? Is there a period of grace to allow you to find a new job? What will happen if you are unable to find a job right away? Of course, policies and rates change, but you can still get a reasonable idea by looking at today's situation for graduates. So be sure to make a list of questions and ask them all to each bank representative before making your decision.
Tip # 5 think about the long-term benefits of the accounts available
Save yourself some money! Get our free tips on budgeting for students
http://www.coolercareers.com/budgeting-for-students.html
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If you make the most of it, student life can be great. Not only do you get your first taste of independence, but there's also an amazing opportunity to meet new people. The experiences you gain as a student stay with you for life and go towards shaping your future path.
Although many believe partying forms a large part of a student's curriculum, in reality you are expected to work hard and often have tight deadlines to meet. From the moment you arrive, demands are high, with many courses requiring you to spend any 'free' time conducting research in the library or completing assignments.
And, as you progress throughout your course, you will find that the opportunity to socialise becomes less frequent, whilst the workload rises. Of course, you are studying and therefore expectations are that you have to work hard to earn your qualifications.
However, all work and no play makes for a dull student. That's why it can be a good idea to make sure you take some time out and indulge in a bit of extra-curricular activity. This is especially important since a lot of studying requires individual effort and it's essential to interact with other people, not least to maintain your sanity!
While heading to the pub is a popular pastime, there are many other things you can do to create a bit of excitement, as well as making friends. For example, why not round a group of likeminded people together and find some student games to participate in? It may be hard in the beginning, but if you put your mind to it, there are loads of activities which don't involve downing mixed shots of alcohol.
Take ten pin bowling for instance. A fun way to wile away a few hours in the company of friends, bowling is a great student game. For the competitive spirited of you, you can challenge your fellow team mates to a bit of friendly competition, whilst at the same time saving money on gym membership by taking advantage of the calorie-burning exercise it induces!
If you look around, there are some attractive group deals available, which include things like shoe hire, food and drinks, meaning you don't have to blow the student budget. And, for those who cannot bear to be away from the pub for too long, most centres come with a bar.
The other advantage of going ten pin bowling is that there are usually a range of other games and activities for people to do. For instance, many offer such things as amusement arcades, pool tables and even laser gun arenas.
Ten pin bowling is just one example of the many student games [http://www.tenpin.co.uk/home/party_packages/group_packages.stml] you can play. So, why not use your imagination and give the pub a miss the next time you plan to go out?
Paul McIndoe writes for a digital marketing agency. This article has been commissioned by a client of said agency. This article is not designed to promote, but should be considered professional content.
Living as an expat on the French Riviera may sound a glamorous life, but when funds are low and the finances dwindling, how can you keep up the lifestyle?
For me it was simple - I re-arranged my lifestyle from trendy London fashionite, living on the edge of Primrose Hill, to a new bohemian style of living on the budget on a student in the "artists ghetto" area of Nice Old Town. My French partner and I left the UK and arrived in Southern France in the summer of 2008.
When we first arrived, it was the height of the summer, and it felt like a holiday everyday. On our doorstep is the famous Cours Saleya Market Square, which has a wonderful vibe to it - cafe society. We often would eat out twice a day, maybe have lunch on the beach, then dinner out at night. However after a couple of exotic months we realised we were living way beyond our means and had to take stock before our overdrafts and credit cards were maxed to the limit.
I overhauled our spending, striping down to the very basics and worked out we could live of 10 euros a day each on food. We are fairly health conscious; so do not resort to frozen meals or ready-cooked supermarket dishes. I' started to cook a lot more, and even though we only have a hotplate to heat things, no oven or grill, we now are surviving and enjoying our food at home more than the over priced local tourist restaurants.
In winter lunches consist of home made veggie soup (tomato and basil with cream frais is the favourite) or some kind of egg dish. In summer this would be tomato and basil salad with mozzarella, or a salad nicoise with hard-boiled egg. We have a few simple pasta dishes, mushroom and bacon, mushroom risotto, or chorizo and lentil stew. Summer we would have warm chorizo and squid salad. To keep the carbs at bay we order a demi(half) baguette each day for 0.40euros.
The few British supplies we buy are Earl Grey tea and the occasional tin of baked beans. As we work at home, one thing we treasure is our daily jaunt to the local open-air cafe for an espresso. If its cold, we'll sometimes have tea and biscuits around 4pm, or pop round the local boulangerie and splash out on a tasty French gateaux.
All in all we are both much happier here and healthier. The air is so clean compared to London, and the wonderful relaxed atmosphere makes up for our student-type new way of expat life.
I wish the best of luck to all new expats on your new adventure. Also check my blog on living in the sun and all aspects of moving to France.
Thanks for reading
Liz Sunny
The Gift Giving Worksheet is part of a financial planning series called How to Make a Budget. To start this series from the beginning, read the introduction.
It’s June 21st and I already know what Carl is getting for Christmas. Actually, I know what I’ve budgeted for Carl’s Christmas gift in December, his birthday gift in March, a small Valentine’s gift in February, and a just because gifty for our anniversary in September. I also have a gift giving budget for my family and friends throughout the year.
Am I insane? OK, kinda. But I’ve found that a touch of insanity mixed with a dash of planning can help ward off expensive spends due to last minute gift giving-itis. Maybe you’ve been afflicted by this wallet-draining disease? It’s not particularly rare or unheard of. In fact, the biggest human outbreak tends to happen in late December, and smaller infections run rampant just before Mother’s Day, Valentine’s, and various other calendar days where birthdays tend to fall.
If you’ve been afflicted by last minute gift giving-itis — and most of us have — then you already know the sweat-inducing and heart-racing symptoms. Here’s a sample list just for giggles:
Running crazily through the mall on the eve of December 24th willing to spend anything to find something for that someone on your gift giving list.Reaching for your maxed out credit card hoping that the gift purchase goes through.Freaking out ’cause you forgot to send flowers, buy dinner, or celebrate that special day.Dealing with a case of the financial sads January 1st because you have little idea how to cover the charges on your December credit card bill.Feeling financially strapped since birthdays, Mother’s Day, weddings, and anniversaries always happen when your wallet is empty.Stressing out around special occasions because you have no idea what gifts to buy.Indeed, the symptoms of last minute gift giving-itis are dire to your dollars and deadly to a frugal lifestyle. But no worries, I have the cure.
Using the Gift Giving Worksheet is simple. As you think of gift ideas, just add them to the list with your anticipated budget, and add the total to your Free Budget Spreadsheet.
Planning ahead for birthdays and holidays also helps you find gifts during off-season sales, make homemade gifts to save money, and plan ahead for everyone on your list. By trying this simple worksheet, you may just find that budgeting today for tomorrow’s gifts not only saves you money, but also saves you a lot of time.
My timing for writing about Christmas in June is spot on. Trent over at The Simple Dollar just posted Five Big Ways You Need to Think About Christmas … Now! So if you think that planning for Christmas in June is batty, then jump on over to Trent’s post and learn how to Kill off unwanted gift exchanges and Get the important people on your radar sooner.
If you’re stuck for gift giving ideas, then try a few of these listed suggestions.
Gift giving ideas for your budget:
Squawkback: Are you a holiday list maker? Do you buy gifts months in advance?
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The Debt Reduction Spreadsheet is part of a financial planning series called How to Make a Budget. To start this series from the beginning, read the introduction.
It’s time to get down to the business of paying down your debt. Yes, go ahead and call me a meanie and stamp your feet since I’m no fun. I can take it. I’m known across the internets for being a friend of frugal living and a foe to a life of indebted servitude. Debt is not your friend, and you should not be friendly with your debt.
To get started with the Debt Reduction Spreadsheet you’ll need two things. First, you need to be brave and find your sense of debt-hating desire. To dig yourself out of debt you must want to do it, badly. Getting all wishy-washy and whining about your money woes doesn’t do you much good. You must face the facts to deal with this, once and for all.
Second, you’ll need the numbers from your Household Net Worth Spreadsheet — where you listed your debt — and the Budget Spreadsheet — which shows both your income and expenses.
If you’re new to the How to Make a Budget series or have just subscribed to Squawkfox, then go ahead and start from the beginning by reading the introduction. Several thousand new readers have joined since my last budget post, so I don’t want to leave anyone behind. I’m nice like that.
The Debt Reduction Spreadsheet is not a fancy-dancy tool — I wanted to keep things simple. The idea is to track your creditors, list the balances due, acknowledge the interest rates on your debt, make your monthly payments, and then target one debt using the amount you have available for extra payments. Phew!
Click to download your free copy of the Debt Reduction Spreadsheet.
I want you to take a close look at your debt. Remember when you listed your liabilities (what you owe) in the Household Net Worth Spreadsheet? Now it’s time to pinpoint the juicy, debty details. Start by listing all your creditors in the leftmost column. Easy.
For each creditor, enter the total amount owing to each. You’ll probably need all your bills to get this step done right. I’ll still be here by the time you gather all these documents. Promise.
Depending on your interest rates, this can be the hardest step to swallow. If you’ve got credit card debt then you may have rates over 20 percent. Seeing how much you’re paying to keep this debt can be painful, but stick to it. We’re almost there!
Credit Card Tip: Try the Credit Card Calculator to see how many years it will take to pay off your balance based on your minimum monthly payment. This should fire you up and get you on track to paying off your plastic. The interest you’re paying over the years is insane.Go back to your bills and enter the monthly payment for each. Keeping up with your monthly payments is very important if you want to maintain a good credit score, but to get out of debt you’ll need to increase this amount. I’ll show you how in a bit.
Go back to your Budget Spreadsheet and find the line where you entered the amounts for Debt Repayment and Credit Card Repayment. Add up these bummers (oops, I mean numbers — typo stays) and enter the total in the Amount Available box in the Debt Reduction Spreadsheet.
Now that all the data is entered, you should see how the numbers add up. In my example above, you’ll see a total debt of $274,987.45 with an average interest rate of 4.50 percent (totaling $1,031.56 in average monthly interest), and a total monthly payment of $2,596.46. In this example, the indebted person has cash available to put against debt — $379.54 to be exact.
For those with little or no money in their budgets for debt repayment, there are two big choices:
Cut costs: Cutting back and spending less money on your variable expenses is a surefire way to add additional dollars to your debt repayment plan. Read 50 Ways to Save $1,000 a Year for some stellar ideas.Boost income: I can see you giving me the stink-eye. Boost income? But how? This is where you have to really want to get out of debt. Income boosting tactics I have used include: getting a second job on the evenings or weekends, freelancing, asking for a raise, finding a higher-paying job, and selling crap stuffed in closets. See How to Write a Resume (that gets job interviews) to put some polish on your job application.In the next step I’ll deal with how to apply the extra repayment against debt.
Which debt do you pay off first? Financial debt gurus all seem to have their own branded methods for helping you get outta debt.
David Ramsey, author of The Total Money Makeover: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness (also available in Canada), calls his method the Debt Snowball. This where you list your debts (excluding your house) and then focus your efforts on paying off the smallest balance first, regardless of interest rates. On his website, Ramsey says:
“The point of the debt snowball is simply this: You need some quick wins in order to stay pumped up about getting out of debt! Paying off debt is not always about math. It’s about motivation. Personal finance is 20 percent head knowledge and 80 percent behavior. When you start knocking off the easier debts, you will see results and you will stay motivated to dump your debt.”
Ramsey adds that if you have two debts with similar balances, then pay off the debt with the higher interest rate first.
If you’ve ever turned on a television, chances are you’ve encountered the reality show ‘Til Debt Do Us Part with host Gail Vaz-Oxlade. In her #1 selling book, Debt-Free Forever: Take Control of Your Money and Your Life (also available in Canada), Vaz-Oxlade shares her no-nonsense approach to becoming debt-free. Debt advice is also available on her website, where she says:
“…you should start by paying off your highest-interest debt first. If you have a lower-interest loan that is causing you more emotional and mental stress than the higher interest ones (like a personal loan that has stretched family relations), you may want to start with that one instead. If you aren’t given the final say on which loans get paid off first, if something is important to you, you should still fight for it to be paid off in a timely manner.”
Vaz-Oxlade is also a fan of consolidation loans and calling up your creditors to negotiate lower interest rates.
Whether you pick to pay off your smallest balance to start or choose to end the debt with the highest interest rate first, the point is to stick with it! Once you’ve retired one debt, move that payment to your next creditor on your Debt Reduction Spreadsheet.
I used this method successfully when I paid off my $17,000 in student loans over six months. I started with my highest interest loan first, and then snowballed my repayment by tackling the next highest interest debt on my list. You can do it too — you just have to want it bad enough.
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9 out of 10 people I speak to just stick with their existing bank when they make the transition to University life. They see researching and switching to another student bank account as an unnecessary hassle, well I cannot stress enough how important it is to choose the right bank account. Think of this post as a mini guide for you to get out there and choose the account which is right for you and think of me as your saviour (only joking).
Forget the Gimmicks
Many banks will try to tempt your custom by offering some naff freebies, the sad thing is that a lot of people fall for it hook line and sinker without actually looking what benefits the student account will offer them. Examples of these gimmicks include a free mp3 player (worth around £20) or some shopping vouchers to entice these younger student bankers. The only useful freebie I have seen given away by a bank is a 5 year student rail card, although these are only £20 each year from large train stations. So remember to look past the freebies and more into what the bank can offer you financially.
0% Overdraft
Almost all of the banks these days offer students an interest free overdraft, make sure this is one of the first questions you ask and the first think you look for when researching student accounts. The bigger the overdraft limit the better, I will write another post very soon explaining what you can do with a 0% overdraft limit. In my opinion, it's one of the most important factors in a student bank account.
Local Branch
It's always nice to have a local branch so if you have any problems, its very easy to pop down and see someone regarding the issue, also a local branch is very useful for cashing checks and transferring funds into another account. This seems to be becoming less of an issue however, mostly because of the increasing popularity of online banking, most things you are able to do in a branch can now be carried out instantly online. So don't make this a deciding factor.
As I mentioned earlier, the 0% overdraft facility should be one of the largest deciding factors when choosing a bank. Don't worry too much about the banking crisis at the moment because your money will be safe (I doubt many students have over the guarantee limit in their savings).
For more money saving tips, advice on student banking, budgeting, discounts, general student life and even making money, visit http://www.studentcashflow.co.uk
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Budgeting can be especially hard for students. There is so much new responsibility in their lives and money is a big one. Many students have never been in charge of their own finances before and they probably haven't had much guidance in this area. If your child is going off to college or is already a student, you may want to educate them on financial matters.
Most adults know what budgeting is all about, but it may surprise you to know that most students going into college have no idea what that word actually means. You know as a parent how hard it can be to stick to a budget and you should expect that your college student will struggle with it as well. Keep in mind that this may be the first time that they have to exhibit self-discipline. The first step is to simply explain what budgeting is. Budgeting is basically a plan that lists all of your money coming in and money going out. Remember that everyone learns differently, so you may want to also write down a mock budget plan for them. Getting them to write it is also a good idea. Once you get the idea of a budget into their heads, then you can move on to the next step.
Next you want to make sure that all sources of income are accounted for. Student loans, income from their job if they have one, scholarship money, allowance from their parents or family, and any other benefit monies they may have coming in. At this point, most students will think that the amount of income looks great. They probably haven't had this much money at their disposal before, and may suddenly get the itch to go shopping. A big mistake is for students to use the amount coming in as an excuse to spend five dollars here and there all month long. They won't even know what happened when the money is gone. This is why it is very important to accurately track expenses in the next step.
Staying on top of money spent is a very hard discipline to learn. First they need to make an accurate list of their expected expenses. Books, bills, cafeteria, groceries, school and personal supplies, gas and don't forget recreation. Going out with friends is an important social part of their lives and they need to budget for it. Clothing is something that they will definitely need as well. Doctor visits and prescriptions need to be planned for. There are lots of little things that you may not think of yet, which is why the next section is important as well.
Include an unexpected expense section in your child's budget. Here is where they should note any extra expenses that came up during the month. Oil changes, auto repair, an emergency room visit, replacing a cell phone, anything that they didn't expect that ended up cutting into their budget. Writing it down will help them look back in future months and determine if it's something that could happen again that they should plan for.
Keeping up with the budget will most likely prove challenging for most students. Creating a separate savings account will help separate money that needs to be saved from disposable income. Taking out cash instead of using a debit card is a very effective way to stick to a budget. Encourage your child to leave their debit card at home when they go out with friends and only use the cash that is accounted for in the budget. You may want to educate your child on the importance of being responsible with credit as well and help them look for student credit cards that could help them out of a real emergency while they are away at school.
About the Author: Mary Wallace, a retired teacher, is the editor for studentcreditcards.com, a provider of student credit cards and information plus consolidation of student credit cards. For more information, please visit http://www.studentcreditcards.com
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The Windfall Planner Worksheet is part of a financial planning series called How to Make a Budget. To start this series from the beginning, read the introduction.
It’s a pretty sweet day when a nice tidy sum of cash falls into your wallet. Perhaps you’ve earned a bonus, received an inheritance, won the lottery, or found another source of financial fortune. Whee! Free money! Now what?
How ever you’ve landed your loot, it’s always a wise idea to have a plan in place before blowing through your new-found dough. There’s nothing worse then landing a windfall, spending it on crap, and waking up in the morning filled with regret and still in debt. And it’s not hard to do. The Consumerist reports that “1 in 3 lottery winners are in serious financial trouble or even bankrupt within 5 years” of turning in their winning ticket.
If lottery winners can blow though billions every year and have nothing to show for it, then even our humble bonuses and tax refund windfalls are at risk. Sorry, I don’t mean to give you a case of the sads since a financial windfall is supposed to be fun. I’m mean like that.
So, before flushing your hard-earned bonus down the la toilette (that’s French for crapper), how about getting smart about the elusive cash windfall by making a plan, man.
Not everyone wins the cash prize or earns a bonus every year. But depending on the luck of the draw, you may just find a use for this worksheet in your budget this year.
Here’s how to use it:
Before looking at your windfall as free money and spending it, consider putting your extra cash to good use. Here are five ways to make the most of your windfall — big or small.
Pay off those credit cards: Even small amounts of windfall cash can add up to big savings when credit card interest is eating your wallet alive. If you’re carrying a balance, consider paying off your plastic to end the high interest misery. Try the Credit Card Calculator to see how many years it will take to pay off your plastic. Try these 5 Credit Card Tactics to help negotiate a better rate, among other helpful tips.Make an extra mortgage payment: If your mortgage offers prepayment privileges, then add your windfall to the mountain of mortgage debt to live debt-free sooner. Mortgage prepayments are lump sum payments you make outside of your normal mortgage schedule, where 100% of the payment goes against the principal. Prepayment privileges are your best financial friend because they help you pay off your mortgage sooner and save significantly on interest.Contribute to your retirement: If your employer matches your retirement plan contributions then you’re really winning the windfall game since your getting an instant return on your lucky dough. Jackpot! Those without generous employers should still consider an extra contribution since adding more money sooner gives your golden cash additional time to compound — and perhaps you’ll retire sooner! Americans can read up on their 401K Plans while Canadians enjoy the Benefits of RRSPs.Save or invest the cash: Why not stash your windfall cash away for a rainy day and watch your savings grow? Conservative investors could consider CDs, GICs, or even high interest savings accounts to benefit from the magic of compound interest. Try the Millionaire Savings Calculator to see how little it takes to save a lot with compound interest doing the work for you. Those who don’t mind a little bit of stock market risk could invest in index funds or exchange traded funds and win from low investment fees and market growth.Spend It! Oh what the heck. If you’ve used some of your windfall to pay down debt, contribute to your retirement, make a mortgage payment (or two), and saved a little — then why not go out and enjoy life. Kudos!Squawkback: Ever win the lottery? How do you spend your money windfalls?
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