My parents had an education plan for me, but somehow I was not eligible to use it. I'd had health issues in my last year of high school, and had to drop out - maybe that's what happened. Maybe the plan didn't allow for college instead of university. Maybe it didn't allow for me becoming dreadfully ill with the flu and mononucleosis in my first year of college - I returned to high school to prepare for university after that.
Find out if there are any caveats to being able to use what you buy into, before there's an issue. I think my mom was able to transfer my education plan to a family friend, so they had benefit where I was not qualified.
All of this would have been nice to know when I was back in school- closest I came to saving money was occasionally buying friend's used books to avoid the high cost at the bookstore. They also had a store called "Beat the Bookstore", which I guess did a lot of book exchanging, but I'm not sure if it did well in the long run...
This is one reason I like doing most of my reading from RSS feeds using Google Reader (one of many RSS readers, and my favorite). Pretty much all news sites, blogs, and anything with constantly updating content (funny pictures, joke-a-day, etc.) have RSS feeds, and it allows you to view content usually with a consistent font and appearance. Ads are usually specially designed for feeds, typically at the bottom of the post, and not intrusive at all.
This is great after a long night or just for a quick meal
You will need:
Eggs
Ground meat (beef, turkey, chicken)
Diced onions and diced garlic
Hot pepper
You can also add:
Mushrooms and any other vegetable you have around the house
First cook the meat with the onion and garlic, then add the hot pepper. Scramble the eggs and pour over the mix.
If you want to add the rest of the vegetables either cook them in a different pan - if they are a soggy-ish vegetable like squash or take a while to cook like potatoes and carrots. Then dump the veggie mix over the ground meat mix, mix them up and dump the eggs over.
When all is done, put on a plate and sprinkle some shredded cheese. The cheese will melt in a minute - no need to cook it with the omelet.
This is great with buttered toast on the side and/or some pickles.
Depending on the state or college, there are usually library programs where you borrow books from other college libraries. In Illnois, its called I-share. I would check out all the books from other schools (or my own) and just keep renewing them until the semester ended or I didn't need the book. The books I wanted to keep I would buy off used off amazon, etc.
I saved so much money this way, its ridiculous. And then I didn't get stuck with books I really didn't want to keep for when I took classes for gen eds (like German Romanticism or Sociology.)
many times, if you need a picture taken, the company that you use to get your passport can help you. when i got my passport they gave me a number of options that were local.
Actually, we resolved to give up buying/eating ground beef this year, for health and ethical reasons. But last year, it was all about chili. Especially in the winter. There are so many different ways to make it, plus you don't need *that* much meat to make it happen.
I buy packs of hamburger in family size packages and bring it home and brown it all with garlic and onion seasoning and then package in ziploc bags of about 1 pound each. This makes for very quick and easy hamburger dishes for those nights when time is limited. Thank you for the awesome giveaway.
Don't forget ebay or half.com. I've found a few of my textbooks there. I also get them through Amazon.
sounds strange -- but also check Barnes and Noble. i actually got a brand new accounting book from there for 75 dollars LESS than Amazon or my campus bookstore. i did have a 20% off coupon for them.. AND I cliked to the barnes and noble site from mypoints.com.
so I ended up getting 4 points per dollar for mypoints (which I turned in for a $25.00 gift card) and 75.00 off with FREE shipping.
Not a bad deal --
Another thing to try is to rent out your old textbooks to your classmates if the classes are concurrent. I bought a used finance book for my class, rented it the next semester to a class mate taking the same class, then sold it at the end of that semester. I actually profited 50.00 on the book.
i also usually put my books for sale on amazon or ebay on the day I take the final. by the time i'm done with my test, the book is usually sold.
When renting a book -- if you really look.. it's not always cheaper. I've seen rentals for a few dollars less than i could buy used. then I always resell my books.. so i find it cheaper to just buy it used.
I don't mean to be a party pooper but as a freelance writer with a lot of ad-supported content, I think the use of such a tool is diminishing to an industry that is already struggling. We offer content for free that is supported by ads so that normal people do not have to pay for it and can still get the information that they desire.
If people don't click ads, many of us do not get paid. In fact, my blog is supported entirely by ads because I want to offer quality information to others without having to work for free or charge them. Ads are a perfect solution to that problem.
Meat is NOT the star of the show. we have begun using it for flavor. We have chopped veggies, cheese, added rice and seasonings and stuffed squash, peppers or even mushrooms. Eating less meat has cut our grocery bill and made us healther (including a little lighter!).
You can never go wrong with a burger. To mix it up once in a while, add a very small amount of blue or gorgonzola cheese (a little goes a long way!) and cranberry sauce. Takes the burger in a whole new direction.
The cheese costs $2 for a small block and the cranberry sauce is $1 or less a can. Tastes like a gourmet meal for a budget price.
For those who still may be interested, here is the link to the original application page, and to see if you qualify. We had started an application with our bank, and they "forgot" to get back to us.....
Another online book-buying site, Better World Books, is a great resource for used textbooks. They offer free shipping anywhere in the US and a portion of every sale funds literacy initiatives worldwide.
My personal choice is not to buy it at all, go veggy instead. But if you must use it, then stretch it by adding beans or rice or soy or leftover chopped vegetables. (Just not something like hamburger helper!)
Then make it into your regular family favorite recipe, add a bit more of your spices; the taste change will be hardly detectable. Get creative, and you may have invented a new family favorite!
Stacy-
You made a great start to an article but fell short of really going cheap. All of the pointers you give have been in the know for around the last 4-5 years. Although purchasing overseas doesn't always get mentioned because of high shipping costs.
As a more recent grad and an expert in the textbook trade I'd suggest doing a bit more research. For example my last few courses in college I was able to get through w/o the required textbook(s).
I am very impressed by your 2009 commitment and ability to carry it through! I write a blog about gift wrapping (www.thegiftedblog.com) and found myself tending towards frugal ideas. But I've never made a long term commitment; I might have to think about challenging myself like that!
If your using Firefox you can block almost 100% of the ads on web pages by adding the AdBlock Plus extension. I've been using it for years and now it is odd when I see a web page with out it, there are so many ads.
This is a delicious casserole and makes a complete meal for 4.
Season 1 lb. ground beef with salt, pepper, season salt and a light garlic powder and cook until done. Then drain fat.
While the hamburger is cooking prepare a family size box of Kraft Velveeta macaroni and cheese.
Combine the macaroni and cheese and cooked hamburger in a large casserole pan and add:
1 - 10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes and chili peppers
1 - 8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
Stir and bake at 425 for about 20 minutes or until top begins to get crispy. Serve and enjoy!
This is a simple recipe, but it is a complete meal and turns hamburger into something more than plain ol' plain ol'.
At my alma mater, they had a number of textbooks at the reference desk. You couldn't sign them so you knew that they were always there. I never had a problem using the textbook when I needed it at the library.
Very easy to make (cooks in a crock pot), cheap, and delicious!
1 pound ground beef (browned and drained)
7 cups water
2-3 cups potatoes (diced)
1 can corn
1 can black beans
1 can petite diced tomatoes
7 oz. can of diced green chilis
1 package taco seasoning
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
2 tbsp. beef broth concentrate such as “Better than Bouillon”
dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
Combine everything in large crockpot and cook for ~6 hours on the low setting. Serve with tortilla chips and sour cream. Awesome!
My parents had an education plan for me, but somehow I was not eligible to use it. I'd had health issues in my last year of high school, and had to drop out - maybe that's what happened. Maybe the plan didn't allow for college instead of university. Maybe it didn't allow for me becoming dreadfully ill with the flu and mononucleosis in my first year of college - I returned to high school to prepare for university after that.
Find out if there are any caveats to being able to use what you buy into, before there's an issue. I think my mom was able to transfer my education plan to a family friend, so they had benefit where I was not qualified.
All of this would have been nice to know when I was back in school- closest I came to saving money was occasionally buying friend's used books to avoid the high cost at the bookstore. They also had a store called "Beat the Bookstore", which I guess did a lot of book exchanging, but I'm not sure if it did well in the long run...
This is one reason I like doing most of my reading from RSS feeds using Google Reader (one of many RSS readers, and my favorite). Pretty much all news sites, blogs, and anything with constantly updating content (funny pictures, joke-a-day, etc.) have RSS feeds, and it allows you to view content usually with a consistent font and appearance. Ads are usually specially designed for feeds, typically at the bottom of the post, and not intrusive at all.
This is great after a long night or just for a quick meal
You will need:
Eggs
Ground meat (beef, turkey, chicken)
Diced onions and diced garlic
Hot pepper
You can also add:
Mushrooms and any other vegetable you have around the house
First cook the meat with the onion and garlic, then add the hot pepper. Scramble the eggs and pour over the mix.
If you want to add the rest of the vegetables either cook them in a different pan - if they are a soggy-ish vegetable like squash or take a while to cook like potatoes and carrots. Then dump the veggie mix over the ground meat mix, mix them up and dump the eggs over.
When all is done, put on a plate and sprinkle some shredded cheese. The cheese will melt in a minute - no need to cook it with the omelet.
This is great with buttered toast on the side and/or some pickles.
http://www.cnuland.com/recipes/BeefCordonBleu.php
Basically, it's meatloaf that is rolled up with ham and swiss cheese in the middle. But it is way better than regular meatloaf!
Depending on the state or college, there are usually library programs where you borrow books from other college libraries. In Illnois, its called I-share. I would check out all the books from other schools (or my own) and just keep renewing them until the semester ended or I didn't need the book. The books I wanted to keep I would buy off used off amazon, etc.
I saved so much money this way, its ridiculous. And then I didn't get stuck with books I really didn't want to keep for when I took classes for gen eds (like German Romanticism or Sociology.)
many times, if you need a picture taken, the company that you use to get your passport can help you. when i got my passport they gave me a number of options that were local.
i think i used http://www.uspassportnow.com
they have a phone number you can call too. just a thought
Actually, we resolved to give up buying/eating ground beef this year, for health and ethical reasons. But last year, it was all about chili. Especially in the winter. There are so many different ways to make it, plus you don't need *that* much meat to make it happen.
I buy packs of hamburger in family size packages and bring it home and brown it all with garlic and onion seasoning and then package in ziploc bags of about 1 pound each. This makes for very quick and easy hamburger dishes for those nights when time is limited. Thank you for the awesome giveaway.
koinonia572001@yahoo.com
this site includes all items not just ones on that qualify for free shipping
try http://www.filleritem.com instead
True, but as a reader, I don't want to see ads.
But that's beside the point, I don't mind ads at all. This tool just makes it easier on the eyes to read certain pieces of content.
Trust me, people that use this tool are web-savvy enough to not click on ads.
The Writer's Coin | Follow me on Twitter
Anyone have a recipe on how to make a homemade beef loaf for gyros?
Don't forget ebay or half.com. I've found a few of my textbooks there. I also get them through Amazon.
sounds strange -- but also check Barnes and Noble. i actually got a brand new accounting book from there for 75 dollars LESS than Amazon or my campus bookstore. i did have a 20% off coupon for them.. AND I cliked to the barnes and noble site from mypoints.com.
so I ended up getting 4 points per dollar for mypoints (which I turned in for a $25.00 gift card) and 75.00 off with FREE shipping.
Not a bad deal --
Another thing to try is to rent out your old textbooks to your classmates if the classes are concurrent. I bought a used finance book for my class, rented it the next semester to a class mate taking the same class, then sold it at the end of that semester. I actually profited 50.00 on the book.
i also usually put my books for sale on amazon or ebay on the day I take the final. by the time i'm done with my test, the book is usually sold.
When renting a book -- if you really look.. it's not always cheaper. I've seen rentals for a few dollars less than i could buy used. then I always resell my books.. so i find it cheaper to just buy it used.
I don't mean to be a party pooper but as a freelance writer with a lot of ad-supported content, I think the use of such a tool is diminishing to an industry that is already struggling. We offer content for free that is supported by ads so that normal people do not have to pay for it and can still get the information that they desire.
If people don't click ads, many of us do not get paid. In fact, my blog is supported entirely by ads because I want to offer quality information to others without having to work for free or charge them. Ads are a perfect solution to that problem.
Meat is NOT the star of the show. we have begun using it for flavor. We have chopped veggies, cheese, added rice and seasonings and stuffed squash, peppers or even mushrooms. Eating less meat has cut our grocery bill and made us healther (including a little lighter!).
You can never go wrong with a burger. To mix it up once in a while, add a very small amount of blue or gorgonzola cheese (a little goes a long way!) and cranberry sauce. Takes the burger in a whole new direction.
The cheese costs $2 for a small block and the cranberry sauce is $1 or less a can. Tastes like a gourmet meal for a budget price.
For those who still may be interested, here is the link to the original application page, and to see if you qualify. We had started an application with our bank, and they "forgot" to get back to us.....
http://www.makinghomeaffordable.gov/
Another online book-buying site, Better World Books, is a great resource for used textbooks. They offer free shipping anywhere in the US and a portion of every sale funds literacy initiatives worldwide.
-Eddie
My personal choice is not to buy it at all, go veggy instead. But if you must use it, then stretch it by adding beans or rice or soy or leftover chopped vegetables. (Just not something like hamburger helper!)
Then make it into your regular family favorite recipe, add a bit more of your spices; the taste change will be hardly detectable. Get creative, and you may have invented a new family favorite!
Stacy-
You made a great start to an article but fell short of really going cheap. All of the pointers you give have been in the know for around the last 4-5 years. Although purchasing overseas doesn't always get mentioned because of high shipping costs.
As a more recent grad and an expert in the textbook trade I'd suggest doing a bit more research. For example my last few courses in college I was able to get through w/o the required textbook(s).
Cheers
I am very impressed by your 2009 commitment and ability to carry it through! I write a blog about gift wrapping (www.thegiftedblog.com) and found myself tending towards frugal ideas. But I've never made a long term commitment; I might have to think about challenging myself like that!
One of my favorite things I wrote about this past month is using greenery as a gift embellishment: 5 Minute Upgrade: "Green" Your Gift.
I'll have to check out the post by Myshca that you mention. Thanks for sharing!
If your using Firefox you can block almost 100% of the ads on web pages by adding the AdBlock Plus extension. I've been using it for years and now it is odd when I see a web page with out it, there are so many ads.
This is a delicious casserole and makes a complete meal for 4.
Season 1 lb. ground beef with salt, pepper, season salt and a light garlic powder and cook until done. Then drain fat.
While the hamburger is cooking prepare a family size box of Kraft Velveeta macaroni and cheese.
Combine the macaroni and cheese and cooked hamburger in a large casserole pan and add:
1 - 10 oz. can Rotel tomatoes and chili peppers
1 - 8 oz. can tomato sauce
2 cups frozen mixed vegetables
Stir and bake at 425 for about 20 minutes or until top begins to get crispy. Serve and enjoy!
This is a simple recipe, but it is a complete meal and turns hamburger into something more than plain ol' plain ol'.
At my alma mater, they had a number of textbooks at the reference desk. You couldn't sign them so you knew that they were always there. I never had a problem using the textbook when I needed it at the library.
Very easy to make (cooks in a crock pot), cheap, and delicious!
1 pound ground beef (browned and drained)
7 cups water
2-3 cups potatoes (diced)
1 can corn
1 can black beans
1 can petite diced tomatoes
7 oz. can of diced green chilis
1 package taco seasoning
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
2 tbsp. beef broth concentrate such as “Better than Bouillon”
dash of cayenne pepper (optional)
Combine everything in large crockpot and cook for ~6 hours on the low setting. Serve with tortilla chips and sour cream. Awesome!