Northern Cheapskate » School

No Kids? You Can Still Save At Back-to-School Sales

Christina Brown — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 12:00:00 +0000

Even if you don’t have any children, you can still use back-to-school Sales to your advantage. While there are many deals targeted to students, you don’t have to be a student to appreciate the savings.

In fact, if you wait until school starts in your area to shop, you’ll be able to shop the back-to-school clearance sales. Since you don’t need the items immediately, you have the advantage of being able to wait for the rock bottom prices.

Here are a few areas you should watch in the upcoming weeks.

School supplies. Pens, pencils, notebooks, calculators, and binders are all on sale now. Don’t forget to think about home organization and craft projects when checking out the school supplies. If you’re in the market for a new way to organize your coupons or your household papers, you just may find it now.

Computers and computer supplies. Save on laptops, computer accessories, printers, printer ink and printer paper. If you work for an educational institution or are in the military you may qualify for additional discounts. Shop online through Ebates and save even more.

Cooking utensils. Most of what is on sale in this area is geared toward the transient college student. The quality may leave a bit to be desired. But it could be a great time to pick up some extra utensils for camping or the cabin or a hot plate for your office.

Organizational tools. College students are always trying to make the most out of small spaces. Stores will have plenty of sales on things like shelving, baskets, closet organizers and more.

Clothing. Watch the sales starting the week school starts. You’ll find good deals on sweaters, jeans, socks and underwear.

Bedding and bath towels. College dorm dwellers drive the market for twin bedding and bath towels this time of year. This is another area you can save during back-to-school sales.

Lunch and snack items. Companies are clamoring to get their lunch products and snacks into the hands of moms and kids. There will be a lot of coupons for these types of things in the paper and at Coupons.com and Redplum. Be sure to visit this blog, where I’ll share other coupons I find.

Backpacks and Totes. You can save a lot on totes and backpacks once stores start clearing out the back-to-school inventory. Need a new laptop bag or a cheap tote for a preschooler? Now’s the time. Would you like to start carrying your lunch to work? Now’s the time to find a new lunch tote.

Keep in mind that you can also get many school supplies for free or nearly free this time of year. If you don’t have any use for them yourself, consider donating them to a local school, non-profit organization, or church group. You could also put together a nice gift basket of art supplies for a child or a writer’s gift basic for the budding novelist in your life.

And if you do have kids, here are some other strategies for saving on school items.

You May Also Like:

Teachers: Save on Grad Credits

Guest Blogger Susan — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:27:00 +0000

Editor’s note: The following post was written by my frugal friend (and college buddy) Susan:

If you don’t work in education, you may not know that, as a rule, teachers can earn raises in one of two ways. The first is at the start of the new school year, we get paid a little more than last year. The second is by taking classes. Every district has its own rules about how many classes it takes for a raise, and what kind of class it needs to be and even the topics it can be on. The main topics are usually similar.

I am always on the lookout for classes that will enhance my teaching and cost less than the $300 a credit charged by my local public university. When I got a flyer from www.coolteachers.com offering 3 graduate credit, in-person classes for $445 and on-line classes for $295, I knew it was a scam. But I am just 6 credits from a raise so, in true librarian style, I did some digging.

All their courses are taught through fully accredited schools. I wanted to be SURE so I looked up their accreditations with the US Department of Education http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ and sure enough! There they were with full blown a-okay status! I then cleared it with the HR man for my district and he said it was a go.

Wham! I enrolled in 2 on-line classes. So far, so good. There isn’t a tremendous amount of reading but there is a lot of opportunity to reflect on how what I am learning applies to my position and current practices. I have not turned in any assignment yet so I don’t know how tough the grading will be but I am not worried. I have 6 weeks to finish each course, just in time to slip in under the Feb 6 deadline.

If this looks like something that would fit your needs, PLEASE check with your district and state licensing organization (if using the credits for license renewal) to make sure it is okay with each of them.

Happy learning!

Guest Blogger Susan

You May Also Like:

Preserve Those Printer Resources

Christina Brown — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 11:53:00 +0000

I’ve often been very irritated when I print something and discover that 4 of the 8 eight pages I printed have useless garbage on them.

So I was excited to find GreenPrint. GreenPrint is a free download that helps you eliminate unwanted pages from printing, which will save you time, ink, money, and trees.

The program determines what needs to be printed and what doesn’t and lets you make easy PDF files with just a click. For the numbers geeks out there, it will also track how much paper you’re saving!

If you don’t want to download the program, there are simple things you can do with your printer settings to save money on ink and paper. First change your printer settings to draft. If you have a color printer, switch to greyscale to save your expensive color inks. Be sure to select back-to-back printing to save on paper. If you have a lot of smaller files, consider merging them into one so you won’t waste paper.

You can also read Saving on Printing to get more ideas.

Note: This is the final post in Northern Cheapskate’s Back to School Savings series. Thank you for joining me as I explored ways to save money as you head back to school.

You May Also Like:

Online Courses Can Save Time, Money

Christina Brown — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 12:16:00 +0000

Thinking about getting that college degree? Not sure where you’ll find the time?

Consider online classes. Online college courses are convenient. You don’t have to be “in” class at a set time. While most classes do have deadlines to meet, the coursework itself is self-paced. You can work on your class at 3 a.m. if that’s when you function the best. You can take one course at a time, or a full load.

Online courses can also save you money. You won’t have to drive to campus or pay for campus parking. You won’t have the temptation of grabbing a quick bite while to/from class. You can avoid the campus bookstore and find other resources for your textbooks.

As a former academic advisor and instructor at a community college, and as someone who is married to a community college instructor who teaches half of his classes online, I’d like to share some advice for those of you considering online courses.

1) Just because the class is online, doesn’t mean it is independent study. You must keep up with daily reading and assignments. You have some flexibility as to what time of day you work on your class, but you do need to be checking in at least once a day.

2) Just like face-to-face classes, participation counts. The more you participate in the class discussions, the more engaged you will be, and you will get more from the class.

3) Don’t think you can cheat in the class, because chances are that the instructor will be able to tell. Besides that, you’ll only be cheating yourself. Don’t think instructors will buy excuses, either. Remember, they have kids, jobs, responsibilities, too.

4) You need to buy the required textbook. Some students think that if the course is online, they don’t need a book. If the instructor says you need a book, you need a book.

5) Only take college courses from accredited colleges and universities. If you have to transfer for some reason, you want to make sure that the credits you earned will apply to your next school.

6) Don’t be afraid to ask for help. E-mail your instructor, contact the college’s academic/tutoring center, or ask a friend or classmate to help you study. The students who are most at risk for failing are those unwilling to seek help. Seek help early and often. Take responsibility for your education.

7) Don’t try to take on too much. If you have a hectic family life, a job, and other personal demands thrust on you, don’t take on a full load of college courses. I would rather see a student take their time and do well than overload themselves and destroy their transcript with less than stellar grades.

8) You must have reliable internet access. This seems like kind of a no-brainer, but many people think they’ll be able to just use the library or a friend’s computer. Sometimes your schedule doesn’t mesh with others, so you will need to be able to get online on your own terms. Of course, freak computer crashes happen, so you will also need a back-up plan for how you will complete your homework if your computer or internet fails.

9) Realize that an online class is the same as a face-to-face class, it is simply presented in a different format. Instead of listening to an instructor lecture, you’ll be reading most of what he/she has to say. You will still have to put in some time to get a good grade. Remember that this won’t be easy. If college were easy, everyone would have a degree!

10) Begin with the end in mind. Set goals for yourself. What type of degree are you seeking? What do you want to learn? How will this course help you reach those goals? When will you work on your classes? What things have you put in place to ensure you’ll have adequate uninterrupted study time? The more thought you put into your educational goals, the more you will get out of them.

Note: This is the fourth post in Northern Cheapskate’s Back to School Savings series. Please join me this week as I share more tips for saving money as you head back to school.

You May Also Like:

Saving on School Clothes

Christina Brown — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 11:44:00 +0000

Note: This is the third post in Northern Cheapskate’s Back to School Savings series. Please join me this week as I share more tips for saving money as you head back to school.

Confession: My kids aren’t old enough for me to worry about buying new school clothes.

But that doesn’t mean I’m not thinking about school clothes shopping already! Especially since my husband the college instructor has been hinting about a new back to school wardrobe for him.

So here are my thoughts on how to save money on school clothes.

Do an inventory. Figure out what clothes your kids have that still fit and look decent. This will help you know where you need to fill in gaps.

Check out the local thrift stores. You may be able to get some really great things. We’ve seen some great retro t-shirts and sports shirts all in excellent shape that would be perfect for teens.

Watch those sales. But NOT the back-to-school sales. Instead, watch the clearance and end-of-season sales. I also love looking at the outlet/sales sections of websites like Kohls, Lands End, LL Bean, and JCPenney. You can also check out Target, Walmart, and Kmart. If your child has some patience, wait until a few weeks into the school year to buy school clothes. Your kids will have a better sense of what the latest style is, and you’ll find that the back-to-school stuff has been discounted even more than before.

Teach your kids about quality, classic styles, and value. Give them their own clothing allowance and show them how to stretch it and still look stylish. There is no better lesson for back-to-school.

You May Also Like:

Save Money on College Textbooks

Christina Brown — Tue, 12 Aug 2008 11:30:00 +0000

Note: This is the second post in Northern Cheapskate’s Back to School Savings series. Please join me this week as I share more tips for saving money as you head back to school.

When I was an academic advisor, I used to just cringe when I saw the lines of students that wound through the campus bookstore and around the corner.

The college bookstore is THE most expensive place to buy your college textbooks.

Now, I understand that many students choose to buy their books at the college bookstore because it is much easier to use your financial aid to pay for them. But some people may want an alternative.

Back when I was in college, I was caught in the middle class…. my family made too much money for me to get much financial aid, but not enough for me to afford college comfortably. It was tough.

So, if you’re stuck in the middle, here are some ways to save money on college textbooks.

Trade books with a friend. One semester I took Environmental Science, the next semester, Psychology. A good friend of mine did just the opposite and we were able to trade books. You may also be able to borrow books from a friend.

Borrow the books from the library. One of my former students told me she would borrow her literature books for English from the public library. Sure, you can’t write in it and you may have to renew it, but it’s free.

Check out the college bulletin boards. Many times you can find used textbooks for less than what the college bookstore sells them for. Plus you’re helping out a fellow college student.

Check to see what resources your academic learning center has. At my campus, students can read many college textbooks at the library. They have to stay in the library, but that just means you will have to study! Some academic learning centers will also allow you to borrow recorders or calculators, too!

Check out what’s available online. When my husband was in grad school, he saved a ton of money on his books by buying them through half.com. Since that time, other great retailers have gotten into selling used textbooks. Check out Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Textbooks.com to see how prices compare.

Remember, great deals on used college textbooks will take some time. You can’t wait until the last minute to save some money. You’ll also need to know the name of the book, author, edition, and ISBN number, in order to make sure you’re getting the book you want.

What other ways have you saved on college textbooks?

You May Also Like:

School Supplies Not Just for School

Christina Brown — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 11:16:00 +0000

I love this time of year. I love seeing fresh notebooks, sharp crayons, and little pencil boxes. I haven’t been in school (aside from my former job) in 10 years, and my kids are nowhere near old enough for school, and yet, I still LOVE school supplies.

That’s why I love this time of year. It’s a great time to get super cheap pens, pencils, glue sticks, and erasers. I’ve seen notebooks for 5 cents each, and boxes of pencils for 25 cents. There are also good sales on hand sanitizer, organizers, facial tissue, and big ticket items like computers and printers.

Think you don’t need school supplies? Think again:

Plan ahead for other projects. Acid free glue sticks can help you whip together scrapbooking projects or homemade greeting cards. Notebooks are great for keeping track of ideas, such as money-saving tips, or for making lists.

Make a gift basket. Gather up markers, crayons, glue, colored pencils, paper, rulers, and other cool, inexpensive school supplies into a gift basket for a creative child. These baskets can make great birthday or Christmas gifts… or just a great surprise on a rainy day. You could put some homemade playdough in the basket to really bring out the creativity. And don’t forget your new college student. Many homesick freshmen appreciate being able to revert to their inner child every once in awhile!

Donate the items to a worthy cause. Many groups gather donated school supplies for needy children. School teachers also appreciate extra items like facial tissue or pencils. And don’t forget your community: Many non-profit organizations would appreciate donations of office supplies.

This is the first in a series of posts for Back to School week at Northern Cheapskate. Join me tomorrow as I explore other ways to save on all things school-related!

You May Also Like: