Affordable Online Education Blog

Calling All Students: $4,500 Giveaway

irishmum78 — Wed, 26 Dec 2007 16:59:00 GMT

eLearners.com is sponsoring another giveaway. Last time, they teamed up with Woman's World magazine to give $1,500 to an online student, but today they're working with Oprah.com to give an online student 3 times that. Applicants are asked to write an essay that is 4,000 characters or less about "how online education would enable you to attain your goals."

On the Oprah.com site, you can find an application to apply to win $4,500 for school. Get there even faster by click the link to eLearners.com's site on Oprah.com.

To anyone who enters, good luck!

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Tips for Saving $$$ During the Holidays (10 of 10)

irishmum78 — Sun, 23 Dec 2007 16:30:00 GMT

SHOPPING-BUY NOW, SAVE LATER

Shop for other gifts now. Do you have any winter birthdays to buy for? What about your cousin's upcoming wedding? The deals are now. So if you have the funds then buying those gifts now means saving some money and being ahead of the game with your winter to-do list.

Stock up for yourself. Not that you are really looking to shop for yourself right now, but if there is a great deal on something you'll need within the next year, now may be the time to get it. Many retailers have buy 2, get 1 free sales going on during the holidays. If items on your gift-giving list are also things you need, now may be the time to buy the extra item and get one for free.

Watch for deals on restaurant gift cards.

Does your 2008 budget include a monthly date night out to a restaurant? Do you also have a few restaurant gift cards to pick up for others? Well now may not be the time to picky when deciding where to go out to dinner in the upcoming months. Many restaurants offer deals around the holidays that give you a free gift card when you purchase others totaling a certain amount. For example some give you a free $5 gift card for each $25 gift card purchased. Others up your required spending to $100, but you get a $20 gift card for free. Now is the perfect time to get all of your gift cards for others at one location and keep the free one for yourself. If your budget allows you may want to pick up gift cards for your upcoming date nights. Buying enough for the next few months and getting some for free can really increase your savings.

Pay cash. This may seem like a no-brainer, but paying for everything with cash will help you save money down the road. Not having to deal with interest from credit card purchases down the road is the best way to pay for your purchases now and save money later.

Hit the clearance aisles. Getting a jump start on your 2008 holiday expenses can save you a lot of money. The day after Christmas is now considered one of the busiest shopping days of the years. Retailers know shoppers will be out and about and they have merchandise to clear out. This is the time to stock up on holiday cards, gift wrap and decorations. You'll be way ahead in regards to time and money for the next holiday season.

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Saving Money for the Holidays (9 of 10)

irishmum78 — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 16:30:00 GMT

SHOPPING-GETTING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR MONEY

Get gift receipts. Without a gift receipt if someone returns a gift you got them they'll most likely get back less money than you spent. You used your hard-earned money to purchase their gift. A gift receipt will make sure they'll receive the full value.

Use gift registries. Gift registries are no longer just for weddings and showers. Anyone can set up a registry directing those purchasing the gift to a truly desired item. This can save you the guesswork and time aimlessly searching for the perfect gift. Why hassle with getting a gift they won't like? At the very least you will have wasted your time and if it is something they can't return then you also wasted your money.

Take advantage of simultaneous giving and getting. Magazine subscriptions are the perfect example of a gift that allows you to give and receive. Many magazines offer deals this time of year that allow you to give a free subscription when you purchase one. You can take care of a few names on your list by doing purchasing magazines you'd get anyhow.

Use cards that earn rebates. Putting your purchases on a credit or debit card that earns rebates or rewards is a great way to make your money work for you. You can earn discounts on grocery purchases, travel or fuel. Many grocery stores even sell gift cards for other retailers. If you know you'll need a gift card to the bookstore, check out the grocery store first. By using your grocer's card the money you spend will go even farther. Just make sure you are using these cards wisely and paying off the debt each month.

Use credit. In some cases using credit wisely can actually save you money. You can find many offers that allow you to defer payment (interest free) for a number of months. If you can use these credit opportunities wisely you can spread the cost of your holiday purchases out over a number of months. This may help you avoid taking out additional student loans to pay for living expenses, which saves you money in the end. But, again, the key is using the credit wisely and paying off that debt by the due date.

Give to charities. Do you need a gift for someone who has everything? Consider making a donation to a charity in their honor. Why waste money on something they don't need or want? Besides getting a tax deduction for your donation you'll both be happy knowing that the money spent went to a worthy cause.

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Saving $$$ During the Holidays (8 of 10)

irishmum78 — Fri, 21 Dec 2007 15:30:00 GMT

SHOPPING-GETTING THE BEST PRICE

Put your bargaining skills to the test. The prices in the ads are not necessarily set in stone, especially when it comes to large ticket items. Dickering is most definitely allowed and often expected in certain stores. This falls in the "it doesn't hurt to try" category. You may walk out of the store with the item you were set on purchasing but at a lower price.

Compare prices. You've got to love the Internet for this one. Site such as Nextag (http://www.nextag.com/) and Bizrate (http://www.bizrate.com/) help you shop for the best price. Ignorance about price is no longer an excuse to spend more than necessary. With a quick online search you can "shop" for the best deal from the comfort of your home.

Use a coupon. Now is not the time to instantly throw your "junk" mail away. What may be junk flyers other months of the year now yield money-saving coupons this month. Can't seem to find a coupon for your purchases? Do a quick search online before you buy. This is especially true with online shopping, although you can also find coupons to print out and take with you to the store. Simply type in the name the store and "coupon" or "discount code" in the search engine. Sites such as Retail Me Not (http://www.retailmenot.com/) and Coupon Mountain (http://www.couponmountain.com/) list coupon codes for percentages off or free shipping. With a quick search you can save a substantial amount of money.

Take the discount yourself. Were you able to buy your mom's $30 sweater on sale for $20 instead? Great! Now take the savings yourself. Too often people use this as an excuse to get more of a gift for the recipient. Unfortunately what happens is in their attempt to find another suitable gift for the extra $10 they end up purchasing a $15 gift instead. Now they have actually gone over budget instead of saving money. If that $30 sweater was actually valued at $30, then reward yourself with your shopping prowess. You be the one to save the $10.

Don't forget to send in rebates. By shopping at one store over another you may get to mail in a rebate which saves you money. Now just remember to actually send in that rebate. Retailers benefit by the busyness of their shoppers schedules. Don't let them pocket this extra money. Send in your rebate and pad your pockets instead.

Know what's a good deal. Just because the sign says it's a sale doesn't mean it's a good deal. Knowing an item's usual retail price as well as competitors' prices is the best way to make sure the sale prices are really a bargain.

Wait until the last minute. Although the selections may not be as good and you may have to run around to a few different stores, shopping last minute does have its perks. Some of the best deals to be had are on Christmas Eve.

Recycle gifts. What is one man's junk is another man's treasure. This is true for new items as well as old. Although proper etiquette may frown on this practice, recycling gifts can be beneficial. You are able to get rid of something you can't use and save money by utilizing it as a gift for someone else. The key to doing this with a clear conscience is making sure the gift is something the other person would enjoy. Just recycling any old gift is not keeping with the holiday spirit. You want to feel a sense of joy and pride when you give a gift to someone else based on their anticipated joy. If you happen to receive something that you can't use but would be just perfect for someone on your list-great, recycle the gift! If not, get something they'll enjoy.

Don't buy the latest and greatest. Has you son been pining for an iPod? Well no one says he has to have the latest model. If a new version just came out chances are you can get the previous version at a great price. If he would have loved that one a few months ago, it'll still fit the bill. By purchasing an older model you may be able to buy an item that would have otherwise been out of the budget.

Consider used. For purchasing most items new is the way to go. But there are circumstances where a used item may be the perfect comprise to granting someone's wishes and sticking to what you can afford. This is especially true with bigger ticket items such as a swing set or furniture. Checking out sites such as eBay (http://www.ebay.com/) or Craigslist (http://www.craigslist.org/about/sites.html) can allow you to truly surprise someone with what typically would have been that "we can't afford it" gift.

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Saving $$$ for the Holidays (7 of 10)

irishmum78 — Thu, 20 Dec 2007 15:30:00 GMT

HOMEMADE GIFTS

Fill their stomachs. Who can turn down gifts of food? Putting your culinary skills to work can result in yummy gifts for others. Some of the endless examples include baked goods, jams, spices, salsa, granola or fudge. You don't even have to do the baking yourself. Laying all of the dry ingredients in a decorated mason jar is a gift they can use at their leisure. Picking one type of food gift for multiple people on your list means you can buy items in bulk and save even more.

Get creative. People like the meaning behind homemade gifts. Knitted items, homemade soaps and handmade jewelry are always neat gifts guaranteed not to be duplicated. Plus with today's busy schedules you can give a gift that others just don't take the time to make. Creating personalized calendars, photo albums or scrapbooks is a great way to bring a smile to their face. They'll cherish the gift and your thoughtfulness.

Offer assistance. Just as you might like IOUs for gifts of service from others, these are great for you to give as well. You don't have to spend money on someone to show your appreciation during the holiday season. Printing out cute homemade coupons offering to shovel your elderly neighbor's driveway or watching your brother's kids for their date night is a win-win for both of you. They can receive something very useful and you can keep your money in your pocket.

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