Craigslist Is A Lifesaver
Our first post on the list explored ways to make and save money in college using Craigslist. Check it out!

Fast Fitness for College Students
Need a fast workout that will have real results? Take a look at this post and learn more about fitness for college students!

Ten Tips to Safeguard Your Personal and Financial Information
This was a guest post from an executive from Wells Fargo – the large nationwide bank. It is packed full of tips for college students to protect their identities.

How Much is Student Loan Debt Costing You
This was a neat little info-graphic all about student loan debt and its real cost to you. Take a moment and check it out!

Textbook Search Tool
We also added a search tool for college students to find the cheapest textbooks available to them. It is really easy to use and you should try it now! The new semester is quickly approaching so order your textbooks now!

Well there you have it! Those are just a few of our favorite posts on the website this past year. If you haven’t already, be sure to read them and check out all of the other great posts our website has to offer! We hope you all have a great 2012! Happy New Year!

Why not start off by looking for the best available deals on one of the many price comparison websites such as lovemoney.com or Voucher Codes. They are a really quick and easy way to see what deals are on offer. So if going out for meals and enjoying a movie at the theatre are two of your favorite things to do with your friends, don’t worry, because this blog post will show you how you can still do these activities, but on a budget.

Eating Out – Many restaurants offer online vouchers which you can download and print off. These can range from 50% discounts, to getting a free dessert with every meal. Alternatively, if you are in a hungry mood and fancy having a starter, main and dessert, why not simply share a starter and a dessert with a friend? This means you can have a good mouthful of both, as well as cutting the price (and the calories) in half!

Going to the Movies – Rather than splashing out on overpriced sodas and popcorn, why not take some cheap snacks in with you? To cut your ticket prices, don’t forget to ask if there is a student discount, or look on their website to see which screenings are cheaper. Early Saturday or Sunday morning showings are sometimes discounted. In addition, 3D films are often more costly, so either see it in 2D or remember to take your 3D glasses, which will save you buying new ones. One last tip – resist opting for the luxury seats. Although they are spacious and comfortable, they will set you back another dollar or two.

What cheap date ideas do you have? Please share in the comments!

In fact, college itself is probably the cause of your debt woes and low credit ranking. Your prospects for finding a decent apartment might not seem so great right now, but with a little research and a lot of looking around, it is more than possible.

Can You Afford It?
Before you even bother going out on the hunt for an apartment, you better make sure that you can actually afford the deposit and monthly rent. If you are like most of the current college graduates, you are probably struggling to find a job other than the local coffee shop. In a time of high unemployment, it is that much more difficult for those lacking experience to land a job. If you are currently unemployed and struggling to pay off debt, it may be a better idea to live at home for a little while. Recent college grads that opt to move back in with mom and dad end up saving an average of $700 a month. This is all money that can go towards paying off your car, student loans and credit debt. If you are lucky enough to not be drowning in debt, you can put that money aside and use it to buy a house once you’re financially stable with a secure job. If there is a silver lining to the terrible state of the economy, it is that the stigma of living at home after college has all but disappeared. In fact, many graduates feel that living at home is actually the smarter option, as it allows them to save up for the things that really matter.

Work on Your Credit Score
Did you go crazy with the credit card in college? If so, you may be facing massive credit card bills in addition to debt from college loans. Unfortunately, you are going to have a rough time finding a nice apartment if you have bad credit. Many landlords run credit checks to see how responsible potential tenants will be. If you have a history of paying your bills late or not paying them at all, most landlords aren’t going to want to take on the risk of letting you rent an apartment. You will either need to lower your expectations and find an apartment where a high credit score isn’t a necessity, or move back in with your parents. Wherever you end up living, make it a priority to get your credit score in check. If you find it hard to resist the urge to overspend, freeze your credit card in a block of ice and use cash. Make a budget and stick to it. Even if you are only making small payments each month, you’ll be on your way to getting out of debt and improving your credit score.

Start Hunting
A successful apartment search will require a lot of research. You are going to need to check listings in the newspapers, on the internet and with apartment brokers. Thanks to the recession, a lot of people have had to move out of foreclosed homes and into apartments. As such, the demand for apartment rentals is at an all-time high. This makes it a lot harder to find an apartment, much less one you can afford. You may have had expectations of getting a fancy penthouse apartment in New York City, but you’re going to have to put those on hold for now. Right now, you need to find the most bang for your buck. The ideal is a reasonably priced apartment that is clean and not completely broken down. A little wear and tear is okay if it means a lower rent bill, but you don’t want to completely compromise your standard of life.

Once you’ve started highlighting a few vacancies, it is time to get out there and visit those apartments. Apartment brokers can be very helpful in this step. They are willing to take you out for open houses and show you the ins and outs of various accommodations. If you don’t know how to get started with the apartment search on your own, going through an apartment broker may be a viable option.

If you do find a place that you like and can afford, it is imperative that you pay attention to every detail in the lease. You need to know exactly what you’re getting into and what the risks are of renting from this particular landlord. Knowing the details upfront can save you from a lot of hassle later on.

This guest post article was written and provided by Martha Keagan whose son is just out of college and looking for cheap apartments in Jacksonville close to his job.

This strategy will save you a great deal of money for years to come! After you give it a read, try following the steps before you make your next purchase. Then share a comment about how much it saved you!

1. Do some price comparison.

• I hope that it is common sense that you should shop around for the lowest price before you buy something. I suggest you use sites like Bing Shopping or Google Product Search. Both sites do a good job of gathering the prices for pretty much anything you might be buying. They even throw in reviews and information about the product to keep you informed!

2. Find and use coupons.

• I’ve already written about some places you can find coupons online here and here. You should spend a good amount of time checking these sites to see if you can find a coupon for the site you’re shopping at. Many times, you can also find coupons just by doing a simple search in a search engine. You may also find coupons being sold on eBay which you can purchase, but this obviously will cost you some money.

3. Utilize “cashback” websites.

• Not familiar with these? Take a look at my post about cashback websites first. Basically, these sites will help you to save an extra 2-8% on your purchase. In exchange, those sites get a cut of your purchase as well. Everybody wins!

4. Utilize your credit card’s reward program.

• In general, I’d say that most college students probably shouldn’t be using credit cards. That is only because they’re usually not used responsibly. For those of you that use a credit card, you more than likely get a certain percentage back on most purchases. Use that credit card and this will help save you maybe an extra 1-2% off the total purchase.

If you follow those four steps, I can almost guarantee you are going to make your purchase for the lowest price possible at that time. This does ignore the possibility of sales going on at different times throughout the year. If you’re not in a hurry to make a purchase, make sure you follow the deal sites I have mentioned before and wait for a great deal! Happy shopping!

My niece recently reminded me of the first soup recipe I taught her to make.  It was my college go-to recipe for a delicious meal on a limited budget.  I lived on this soup during my college days at the University of Arizona.  Truth be told, I also made it frequently after college as young working gal. A large pot of soup could last for days – and was wonderful hot, warm or cold.

It still amazes me that these simple ingredients combine together to create a taste of Greece – making this meal not only simple and nutritious but also a respite during a busy week.  If you still need to improve your cooking skills you can learn to prepare healthy and simple meals with a Culinary Arts certification. This recipe became my signature soup at dinner parties during those years and now my niece makes it as part of our family Thanksgiving dinner.

Soupa Avgolemono (Greek Lemon Soup)
A Greek classic.  This recipe makes rich, filling, comforting soup. The blend of flavors is intoxicating.  Enjoy the subtle melding of lemon, chicken, eggs and rice. Serves 4 -6 (can be doubled)

Ingredients

• 4 cups chicken stock
• 1/2  cup orzo, small pasta or rice
• 2 eggs
• Juice of 1 lemon (more or less depending on taste)
• Fresh ground black pepper

Preparation

• In a stockpot bring broth to a boil and add orzo, small pasta or rice and simmer on low until tender – about 20 minutes. As the pasta/rice is cooking, whisk the eggs in a medium bowl until well incorporated, beating continuously, add lemon juice, and mix until frothy. To temper the eggs before adding to the broth/rice mixture – ladle 1 cup of the broth in constant slow stream while continuing to beat rapidly so you do not curdle the eggs.
• Lower the heat on the stockpot. Slowly add the egg mixture back to remaining broth, stirring constantly. The soup will turn a cloudy white-yellow color. Stir for about two minutes. Do not re-boil; heat slowly until very warm or you may curdle the eggs. Serve.

Notes and suggestions:

• When you reheat the leftovers do not re-boil, gently reheat on low.
• For dinner parties garnish with parsley – for a festive look.
• If you have leftover chicken, shredded chicken makes a nice addition but it isn’t necessary.

It’s a vacation in a bowl – enjoy the memories.

Chef Bio: Lynn Epstein and Iris Feinberg, co-founders of Mama Says, recently introduced the No More Frozen Pizza! a recipe collection for recent college graduates, newlyweds and those finding their way in the kitchen.  The collection includes delicious and economical recipes for main dishes, sides and salads packaged in a retro pizza box.  It is available online at www.mamasays.us/.

Photo credit: SPOONS © Angela Luchianiuc | Dreamstime.com

Please know that all deals are up to the specific restaurants and thus some might not participate. So if you’re standing in the middle of Taco Bell screaming for a free taco and they aren’t budging, don’t come crying to me! Also, feel free to add / refute any places you do / don’t see here!

Food:

All-American Cafe – Free dessert
Amato’s Sandwich Shop – Join the Tamatos Club and get a free birthday sandwich.
Applebees – Free dessert
Arby’s – Sign up and get coupons yearround, including on your birthday.
Austin Grill – Free meal (May need to register first on their website)
Bakers Square – Free pie
Baskin Robbins – Free ice cream treat
Ben & Jerry’s Ice Cream - Register on-line and you can get some free ice cream!
Bennigan’s – Sign up for their Bennigan’s Club and get a coupon for a free entree plus a free dessert.
Bob Evans – Free Kids Meal for kids under the age of 12.
Boston Market – Free Kids B-Day meal coupon for kids under 12 and coupons online for their various entrees.
Buffalo Wild Wings (BW3) – Free dozen hot wings
Burger King – Free kids meal to all kids club members
Caribou Coffee – If you join up, they’ll e-mail you a wee or two before your birthday with a coupon. Print it out and get a free coffee drink.
Cheesecake Factory – Free dessert
Chilis – Free dessert
Coldstone Creamery – Join on-line and get a free creation.
Cracker Barrel – Free dessert
Dairy Queen – Free ice cream coupon in e-mail for kids 16 and under. They also have a Blizzard Club for adults with the same offer.
Don Pablos – Free dessert
Denny’s – Free meal to kids under 10
Famous Dave’s Barbeque – Free meal with advance signup.
Fuddruckers – Free ice cream sundae
Golden Corral – Free meal to Birthday Club members (And many people say this isn’t limited to just kids!) during month of birthday.
Hard Rock Cafe – Free dessert
Joe’s Crab Shack – Free cake
Krispy Kreme – Free half dozen glazed donuts and a coffee mug with either coffee or soda in it! You might want to sign up ahead of time.
Macaroni Grill – Free dessert plus an OPERA-style “Happy Birthday” song, which is always different.
Maggianos – $10 off purchase of $20 if you sign up in advance.
Marie Calenders – Free dessert
Olive Garden – Free dessert
On The Border – Free appetizer if you sign up
Outback Steakhouse – Free dessert or appetizer
Perkin’s – Free stack of pancakes
PF Changs – Free cake or cheesecake
Qdoba Mexican Grill – Join their eClub and get a “buy one, get 1 entree free” coupon.
Quizno’s – Join their mailing list and get a free birthday gift (I think this means coupons?)
Red Lobster – Free slice of cake if you join their Overboard Club.
Red Robin – Free Hamburger if you sign up for Eclub, plus a free gift just for signing up!
Ruby Tuesday – Sign up in advance and they’ll send you something!
Sonic – Free Wacky Pack Kid’s Meal on children’s birthdays if you register ahead of time.
Steak & Ale – Free mini choco cake plus other free gifts.
Steak-N-Shake – Free dinner for “birthday club” kids
Taco Bell – Free combo meal of your choice
TGI Friday’s – Free birthday dessert plus free appetizer just for signing up!
Tony Roma’s – Free dessert if you sign up for Expert Club first.
Wendy’s – Free kids meal

Entertainment:

Dave And Busters – $5 game card credit
Hollywood Video – Free video rental if you sign up in advance.
Safeway Grocery – Free movie rental

Service / Other:

Auto Zone – Free oil change (Some Auto Zone’s don’t do oil changes, so call ahead.)
Captain Dizzy’s Carwash – Free car wash
Hallmark – 20% off coupon for one item.
Scrub-A-Dub – Free car wash

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