Education
When it comes to college, nothing is cheap. Tuition, textbooks,
laundry… it all adds up, but LOZO’s here to help! We’ve compiled all the best tips and resources for you right here. If you know what you need, check out our Quick Links, to the right. If
you need a little more guidance, dive in below!
While this page is devoted specifically to college, plenty of other LOZO categories might help you as well. Check 'em out:
|
|
Laundry
School Supplies
Entertainment
|
Groceries
Travel
Clothing
|
|
|
-
Goodness knows buying books
for college takes a big bite out of any student or parent's wallet. Luckily,
there are more options than ever these days to get books... Goodness knows buying books
for college takes a big bite out of any student or parent's wallet. Luckily,
there are more options than ever these days to get books for free. Yes, that's right FREE (and it's totally legit)! Of course, this is great for college
students, but it's also great for high school students, academics and any lover
of literature.
FICTION, NON-FICTION, POETRY & REFERENCE
You can access thousands of books for free because they are considered "public domain". These books include everything from fiction to non-fiction, poetry to reference. Shakespeare? No problem. Albert Einstein? You got it. Teddy Roosevelt? Ready and waiting. And the list goes on and on and on. With the internet and e-readers, it's easier than ever to take advantage of this vast, free library. Here are some of our favorites:
- E-Readers: Whether it's a stand-alone e-reader (eg. Kindle, iPad, Nook, etc.) or a free downloaded app for your phone (for Droids: Aldiko; for iPhones: Lexcycle Stanza), these are our preferred ways to access this free library because it's so similar to having a physical book in hand.
- Bartleby.com: If you don't have an e-reader or a phone capable of viewing books, Bartleby is a great option. Their website is straight-forward and they make it easy to find what you're looking for.
- Gutenberg.org: Very similar to Bartleby. It's not quite as easy to search, but--once you find it--you often have the option to read it online or to download it to your computer, which is a nice plus. You can access Gutenberg's library from various mobile apps, too.
TEXTBOOKS- Textbook Media: Offers free and substantially discounted text books online that you can search by ISBN number or by course. The free selection isn't huge, but it's worth a look since it may save you the cost of an expensive textbook. All the books are officially licensed and use advertisements to offset the cost of buying the books (so you may have some ads in your e-book).
Still looking for more ways to save on your books? Read our guide on how to get big discounts on college books, including renting them, buying them at discounted prices and other simple tips to cut down costs. Happy reading! 
-
UPromise is a free program that gives members rebates on everyday purchases at the supermarket and more, in the form of a savings account for your child. Start early, when your kids are born and... UPromise is a free program that gives members rebates on everyday purchases at the supermarket and more, in the form of a savings account for your child. Start early, when your kids are born and refer friends and family to help save, all at no cost. You register your credit cards and store loyalty cards to track the discounts. Since the service is free, you're best off registering as many cards as you can think of, and updating any time your card # changes or you get a new one. Even if you don't plan your purchases around the rebates, you'll find that many of the products you are already buying may happen to qualify, so it's like finding free money. Best of all, membership is free and the savings can add up after a number of years.
-
Most educational institutions offer discounts--sometimes substantial
ones--on new computers and more. If you're not sure if your school gets a
discount, check with your administration or just ask... Most educational institutions offer discounts--sometimes substantial
ones--on new computers and more. If you're not sure if your school gets a
discount, check with your administration or just ask the retailer
directly. For example, at Apple's
education store all you need to do is enter in the school you attend
and it automatically reduces the price of any products that's available
at a discount.
As always, be sure to compare these student prices against what you can
get on your own. You might be able to find a better deal just by
shopping around or taking advantage of another offer or sale.
-
If you need money for college but the college won't give you enough, negotiate. Some are willing to loan or give extra money if a student can prove need.
3 Simple Ways to Save at College:
|
|
Top 5 Financial Aid Resources:
|
-
Read this article to see how we got $30 worth of great back-to-school products for free and actually got $2 back! We'll show you how it's done.
-
It seems like summer has only just begun and, yet—believe it or not—it’s time to start planning so you can get the best savings on all your back-to-school supplies. Since it is summer,... It seems like summer has only just begun and, yet—believe it or not—it’s time to start planning so you can get the best savings on all your back-to-school supplies. Since it is summer, though, we’ve tried to make this as easy as possible for you by compiling all of the best back-to-school tips right here, in one place. So, grab yourself a nice cold glass of lemonade (or iced tea or beer or whatever floats your boat) and get comfortable… we’re about to make your back-to-school planning as easy as it gets.
Oh and a quick note: this article focuses on getting the younger ones ready for school. If you’re looking for money-saving tips for the college-bound kids in your life, check out our education section.
Ok, have you got your beverage of choice? Are you comfortable? Good. Here we go:
- Separate the “Must Haves” from the “Nice to Haves”: First things first, make a list of what your kids actually need. Now, the emphasis here is on need. If their sneakers are in tatters, sneaks go on the list as a “must have”. If they’re just a bit worn, list them as “nice to have”. If you’ve got the budget to get new ones, great. If not, you’ll know that these can wait until next year (or even later this year) if you need to. The same goes for school supplies too. Hopefully, your children’s teachers will give you a list of supplies that are necessary. Even better if they identify the items that are needed versus those that are optional. If a teacher hasn’t done this, don’t be shy about asking.
- Create a budget: Ok, I know I’ve probably lost some of you on this one. You’re probably saying, “Wait a minute? Didn’t this guy just tell me I should relax?! How am I supposed to relax when he’s talking about budgets?!” Take a deep breath. Take a sip of that lemonade. And now, let’s ease into this. Creating a budget doesn’t need to be painful. Honest. Give yourself some leeway and keep it simple. Step 1: quickly rattle through your list and jot down what you think each item will cost. Don’t worry if you’re right or wrong—all we need right now is a ballpark, so take your best guess, jot it down and keep moving. Step 2: Add up all the items on your list and see how the cost compares to what you can actually afford to spend. Step 3: Re-visit that list and see where you can scale back (for example, maybe you can find those boy’s sneakers for $19 instead of $25). Ok. At this point, some of you are probably within your budget. If so, congrats! If not… don’t worry about it for now! Put the list aside and keep reading. The rest of these tips will help you get those costs down to something more manageable.
- Take advantage of amazing back-to-school doorbuster-quality deals (without getting suckered into the not-so-amazing deals): Most of the big brand stores—whether it’s for clothing or for office and school supplies—will run weekly deals leading up to the start of school. Here’s their trick: they advertise a HUGE deal each week, such as 1 cent pencils and 10 cent notebooks. These deals are so good, the store actually takes a loss on the sale. Why on earth do they do this? Because they plan to entice you in with the HUGE deal and then get you to spend the rest of your budget on the not-so-huge deals. Don’t fall into that trap! Instead, scan all the weekly listings and hit the stores that have the best prices on the items you need. You can stock up on most items for next-to-nothing. We don't recommend incurring extra expenses for gas or wasting a lot of time, but if it's convenient, hit these stores every week and stock up on all of the inexpensive items and pretty soon you'll have covered just about everything on your list without spending much at all. If you see other good deals along with the huge deals, go&
-
SavingforCollege.com has written a great article explaining all the in's and out's of 529 Savings Plans. In short, these plans are savings programs run by the state in an effort to help families save... SavingforCollege.com has written a great article explaining all the in's and out's of 529 Savings Plans. In short, these plans are savings programs run by the state in an effort to help families save money for college. They can be an incredibly useful tool in paying for college and are well-worth knowing about (if you don't already!). This article is a great place to start to get a full understanding of what a 529 Savings Plan is, the different types that exist, how to enroll and much more.
-
With major expenses like tuition, housing, food and textbooks putting a crunch on your wallet, the last thing you need is to break the bank with the little things, too. Follow these simple... With major expenses like tuition, housing, food and textbooks putting a crunch on your wallet, the last thing you need is to break the bank with the little things, too. Follow these simple steps and you should be able to get your school supplies at big discounts: - Buy in Bulk: For most any supply you'll need, one simple rule applies: the more you buy, the cheaper it'll be. If you don't need a hundred pens, partner up with a friend...or two... or three... or as many as you can trust to pay their share!
- Go Generic, Not Brand Name: Store, or generic, brands usually work just as well as a more well-known brand name, but they cost a heck of a lot less. Costco's brand, Office Impressions, offers huge discounts, but you can find inexpensive and reliable brands from Staples, Office Depot, OfficeMax or most any office supplies retailer. For paper, fasteners, folders, envelopes and similar products, you can safely assume the generic and brand names will be comparable. For pens, though, we recommend you do a "taste test" to ensure you like the generic brand before you buy a bunch of them. Still not convinced? Feel free to read more about why generic supplies are best.
- Visit Multiple Stores for "Back to School" Savings: The trick to those big "back-to-school" sales is that stores only offer a few items at a really big discount. They're banking on the fact that those items will lure you in, but that you'll end up buying everything else you need at their regular store prices. Instead, work the system to your advantage: start shopping a few weeks before school starts and make multiple trips to multiple stores, buying only the items that are on sale. Yes, it take a little legwork, but it could save you up to 80% off! To read more, visit our tip about back-to-school sales.
- Hit the Garage Sales: Garage sales and second-hand stores won't give you deals on papers, pens and the like, but you may find some other great stuff like office furniture, containers, binders, desktop shelves, etc. And, you can virtually guarantee they'll be cheaper than anything you'll find in a store. Plus, if you've got a good eye, it can give your working area a little character. Since you'll be there for many (many, many!) hours over the next four years, you might as well make it 'homey'.
Have you got any other tips for how to get your school supplies on the cheap? Let us know!
-
Fastweb.com allows you to easily search their database of 1.3 million scholarships worth over $3 billion. Simply put, this is one of the fastest and easiest ways to find scholarships... Fastweb.com allows you to easily search their database of 1.3 million scholarships worth over $3 billion. Simply put, this is one of the fastest and easiest ways to find scholarships that can help you pay for college. In addition, Fastweb also provides a wealth of information about financial aid, student loans, colleges and universities, jobs, student life and more. This is a very useful site for any student or parent doing research on college--we highly recommend it!
-
U.S. News & World Report offers a very thorough section on their
site entirely devoted to giving advice on "Paying
for College", including a section for Parents, for Students and
covering a... U.S. News & World Report offers a very thorough section on their
site entirely devoted to giving advice on " Paying
for College", including a section for Parents, for Students and
covering a range of topics from student loans to scholarships to
financial aid basics that everyone should know.
-
Kiplinger's overview of the best 529 College Savings Plans. They recommend the top 5 overall plans as well as give a state by state breakdown that explains what the best option for that state is and... Kiplinger's overview of the best 529 College Savings Plans. They recommend the top 5 overall plans as well as give a state by state breakdown that explains what the best option for that state is and why.
-
Federal Student Aid is part of the U.S. Department of Education. Their primary goal is to provide all eligible students with federal financial assistance including grants, loans and... Federal Student Aid is part of the U.S. Department of Education. Their primary goal is to provide all eligible students with federal financial assistance including grants, loans and work-study. Their website is the best place to learn about all that they offer. In addition to getting info about their offerings, you can also get the Free Application for Federal Student Assistance (FAFSA) form and instructions on how to apply.
-
From Buxr.com on 05/01/13 Choose Between Two Options
$79 for an online web-design course for one (a $777 value)
$299 for an online web-design course for five (a $3,885 value)
Written by... From Buxr.com on 05/01/13 Choose Between Two Options
$79 for an online web-design course for one (a $777 value)
$299 for an online web-design course for five (a $3,885 value)
Written by web-design experts Lisa Lopuck—author of Web Design for Dummies— and Wendy Willard, the 18-unit online web-design course provides students with 24/7 access for 12 months after activation. During that time, they learn at their own pace about subjects ranging from the anatomy of a website and basic HTML to social-media integration and carrying out e-commerce through PayPal. Aids such as text-based READ MORE......................
-
From Buxr.com on 05/01/13 Choose Between Two Options
$79 for an online web-design course for one (a $777 value)
$299 for an online web-design course for five (a $3,885 value)
Written by... From Buxr.com on 05/01/13 Choose Between Two Options
$79 for an online web-design course for one (a $777 value)
$299 for an online web-design course for five (a $3,885 value)
Written by web-design experts Lisa Lopuck—author of Web Design for Dummies— and Wendy Willard, the 18-unit online web-design course provides students with 24/7 access for 12 months after activation. During that time, they learn at their own pace about subjects ranging from the anatomy of a website and basic HTML to social-media integration and carrying out e-commerce through PayPal. Aids such as text-based READ MORE......................
-
From Buxr.com on 04/30/13 The Complete Cisco Network Training Bundle includes five training courses designed to provide the skills needed for the CCNA and CCNP suite of certifications. Each bundle... From Buxr.com on 04/30/13 The Complete Cisco Network Training Bundle includes five training courses designed to provide the skills needed for the CCNA and CCNP suite of certifications. Each bundle includes instructor-led training, hands-on exercises, multimedia presentations, and exam simulators.
Expires Jan 8, 2014
Limit 3 per person. Limit 1 per order. Online redemption required. Must activate within 90 days of purchase; expires 12 months from date of activation. Not valid with other offers.
-
From Buxr.com on 04/30/13 The Complete Cisco Network Training Bundle includes five training courses designed to provide the skills needed for the CCNA and CCNP suite of certifications. Each bundle... From Buxr.com on 04/30/13 The Complete Cisco Network Training Bundle includes five training courses designed to provide the skills needed for the CCNA and CCNP suite of certifications. Each bundle includes instructor-led training, hands-on exercises, multimedia presentations, and exam simulators.
Expires Jan 8, 2014
Limit 3 per person. Limit 1 per order. Online redemption required. Must activate within 90 days of purchase; expires 12 months from date of activation. Not valid with other offers.
-
If you need money for college but the college won't give you enough, negotiate. Some are willing to loan or give extra money if a student can prove need. -
The Simple Dollar's tips for evaluating student loan options (article from 2007 but still mostly relevant) -
Fastweb.com allows you to easily search their database of 1.3 million scholarships worth over $3 billion. Simply put, this is one of the fastest and easiest ways to find scholarships that can help you pay for college. In addition, Fastweb also provides a wealth of information about financial aid, student loans, colleges and [...] -
If you're a Nascar fan, you're probably tuning into the Friday night Nascar Nationwide race (9/10/10 7pm ET ESPN2) at Richmond International Raceway. The event is headlined by Virginia 529 College Savings, a perfect fit with LOZO's mission to help people save money on everything!
In honor of the event [...] -
One of the great things about being a student is that you get plenty of discounts. Though a lot of student discounts come and go based on the whim of the retailer, many stores have established year-round student discount policies or even "student stores". In addition to giving students a break, most of these stores will give the same discount to [...]
|
