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‘Tis the season to be broke - especially if you are in the mood for giving great gifts. But, you don’t have to break the bank or start spending your child’s college fund just to give a great gift. You may be just buying for your family and friends. Or you may give gifts to the entire office. Either way, there is no need to auction off your kidney to the highest bidder on eBay.

Start with who are you buying for. Believe it or not, “blind buying” will get you in more trouble than you thought. Make a list: mom, dad, mailman, boss. Whomever you intend to buy for, write down their name. According to some articles, it is better know who you are buying for before you go to the store.

Family Ties
Let’s start with the family. Pictures are a great gift and not that expensive. Download or scan family photos onto your computer and burn them onto a CD. It’s relatively inexpensive and it’s fun! Or you could go one step further and download your pics to Shutterfly or Snapfish and make a photo album. For about $30 (plus shipping and handling), you can make an 8×8 20-page photo storybook from Shutterfly, or even a 12-month calendar for as little as $25. It will be creative and sentimental. You can even get great discounts if you’re a first-time user. If not, try to catch one of their sales (which they have all the time).

If you’re a whiz in the kitchen, bake up some Christmas cookies and arrange them on a give-away plate. Not the Betty Crocker type? That’s alright! Print up some of the family’s favorite recipes. For instance, include Grandma’s home-made apple pie and Dad’s famous chilli recipes. Put them in a recipe book to give the family.

Cube Mates
Having a holiday party and don’t want to seem like you’re playing up to the big wigs with big gifts? Instead, get something for your cube mates. According to an article from ABC.com, you can find great gifts for the people who work around you. Making your own gift baskets can be a great, inexpensive way to express holiday cheer in the office. Gift baskets can include candles, picture frames or stationary sets.

Not Martha Stewart? That’s okay! We have a whole section for you. Start with personalizing game balls. You can go to golfballs.com and include a word of encouragement like, “Swing for the green!” (ranging from $20-$30). Want to add some humor to the office? Try some whacky sticky notes or a “Things to do” book (ranging from $3.95 to $19.95) from Knockknock.biz.
If you have a big IT department, look into ThinkGeek.com. This is a great web site for the technologically advanced or just for the geek in the office. Buy anything from caffeine-infused soap ($6.99) to a multi-functioning USB port tape dispenser (yes, they have one for $17.99).

For my BFFs
Gifts for friends can go beyond an annual Christmas card featuring your kids or your Caribbean vacation. Try throwing a Christmas party of stealing gifts from friends. The game is called Dirty Santa. It’s a fun way to get your friends together. And, you don’t have to worry about gifts for everyone. Just put a limit on what you spend and make a night of it. You can buy wine, DVDs or CDs. You can also get creative and put together themed gifts. For instance, ‘Night at the movies’ might include your favorite DVD, a bucket of popcorn and candies. Or for caffeine lovers, put together a couple of coffee mugs stuffed with gourmet coffee and accessories.

Just because it is the season of giving doesn’t mean you have to refinance your house to get everyone a great gift. Happy holidays - and happy budgeted spending!

Original post by Laci and software by Elliott Back

The Planning Stage

Most families pay for college using a combination of savings, current earnings and financial aid. How do you reduce financial worries and save money?
Start saving early!

• Saving early and regularly gives compound interest time to accumulate to your benefit.
• By starting early, you can save smaller amounts over a longer period of time.
• Early planning allows you to save for both education and retirement.
• Early investing helps students complete college with less debt.
• Having a larger college fund gives students a broader range of college choices.

When searching for scholarships, contact:
• Clubs
• Businesses
• Churches
• Social organizations

Usually, the above types of scholarships are not widely publicized. This means they have fewer applicants, which equals higher odds of winning for you! Don’t forget to ask your local high school counselor, librarian and college financial aid office for direction. Remember – helping students locate financial aid is part of their job, and they help people like you every day. They can be your best source of help!

Related Quick Facts

• Sixty-three percent of all undergraduates enrolled in 2003–04 received some type of financial aid.
• Undergraduates were more likely to receive grants than student loans in 2003–04, but the average grant amount was less than the average student loan amount.
• About one-half (51 percent) of undergraduates received grants and about one-third (35 percent) took out student loans.
• The average amount of grants received was $4,000, and the average amount borrowed by undergraduates in 2003–04 was $5,800.
• Undergraduates enrolled in 2003–04 were more likely to receive federal grants than grants from any other source.
• An alternative source for grants can come from employers, parents’ employers or private foundations.

Finding Scholarships and Grants

• Your prospective school may award scholarships based on academic performance, but this doesn’t have to be the only measurement of worth.
• Ethnic heritage organizations often provide scholarships to exceptional students sharing their ethnic or cultural backgrounds.
• Employers will many times offer scholarships to their employees or to children or spouses of employees.
• Churches, synagogues, temples and religious denominations offer scholarships for students who are a part of their congregations or are planning a career in the clergy.
• Trade and research organizations sponsor scholarships to attract students to a field of study facing a worker shortage or to encourage returning, international or minority students to work toward a specific degree.

Ever feel stressed about trying to balance school, work, family, and the hustle and bustle of everyday life? Procrastinating, feeling bogged down or having trouble figuring out where to start? It can be helpful to make a daily to-do list.

To-do lists often get a bad rap for being only for the super-organized. The truth is that a little organization can go a long way to help you make the best use of your time and accomplish your goals.

How to make an effective to-do list:

1. Include things that absolutely must be done and things you’d like to complete if time allows.
2. Next to each task, try to estimate how much time you plan to spend on that job. This will only take a couple minutes out of your day, but it can be a worthwhile investment, helping you manage your time and be more productive.
3. One thing to keep in mind – it’s important to not overbook yourself. Establishing a mile-long list can be counterproductive. Chances are you’ll only become overwhelmed by a daunting all-inclusive list.
4. Keep it reasonable. Avoid including tasks you know you won’t have time for that day.
5. Make a plan and then make an effort to follow it. You’ll not only feel more productive throughout the day; you’ll gain a feeling of achievement each time you cross an item off your list.

If you’re taking a look at this article because you just chose a new educational program at a nearby technical college, congratulations. You took the first step in making yourself more marketable and successful. There are a few more things you have to consider now to keep you headed in the right direction.

What should I consider when choosing a program?

• Accreditation, ranking and reputation of the college program
Accreditation can help with more than just the quality of the education you’ll be receiving. If your school is fully accredited, this will help because it also means your school participates in the Title IV student aid program. If you want to find out more about your school’s accreditation, you can find this at the web sites for the Princeton Review, U.S. News & World Report or Kiplinger.

• Financing
What kind of financial aid is available? Does your school offer any specific scholarships targeted toward adult students? Even if your school isn’t fully accredited for federal aid programs, your particular school might have other options that will ease the burden as you concentrate on your studies. Schedule an appointment to speak with your school’s financial aid office to find out the details. Are the college’s tuition and expenses affordable? It may sound complicated, but it is very important.

• Transfer Credits
Does your college accept all transfer credits?
How many and what kind?
Does it provide options for receiving college credit by examination or prior learning?

Transfer credits are especially important if you are interested in graduate school or an advanced degree. Speak with your admissions counselor immediately to make sure the program is fully transferable and meets all requirements. This can save you a lot of trouble down the road.

• Scheduling
Make certain that all your courses are presented at acceptable times for your schedule. Working adults, especially adults with family obligations, should seek out available night and weekend courses. The most convenient option for busy adults is the online degree program. These programs can be done in your home (or wherever you have an Internet connection), and many allow you to finish on your schedule. Is an online program for you? Here are a few questions you should ask yourself before you sign up for one.

• Staff
Does your chosen school require your instructors to be available for questions or extra help for a specific amount of time each week? Your admissions office should be able to tell you when your professors are available after class hours. Use your admissions office as a frequent source of information.

• Childcare
The college offers a community and support for adult students, but do they offer other convenient services such as childcare? Many technical and community colleges these days recognize the needs of the large returning-student population and will cater to their needs to keep them in class.

If you’re taking a look at this article because you just chose a new educational program at a nearby technical college, congratulations. You took the first step in making yourself more marketable and successful. There are a few more things you have to consider now to keep you headed in the right direction.

What should I consider when choosing a program?

• Accreditation, ranking and reputation of the college program
Accreditation can help with more than just the quality of the education you’ll be receiving. If your school is fully accredited, this will help because it also means your school participates in the Title IV student aid program. If you want to find out more about your school’s accreditation, you can find this at the web sites for the Princeton Review, U.S. News & World Report or Kiplinger.

• Financing
What kind of financial aid is available? Does your school offer any specific scholarships targeted toward adult students? Even if your school isn’t fully accredited for federal aid programs, your particular school might have other options that will ease the burden as you concentrate on your studies. Schedule an appointment to speak with your school’s financial aid office to find out the details. Are the college’s tuition and expenses affordable? It may sound complicated, but it is very important.

• Transfer Credits
Does your college accept all transfer credits?
How many and what kind?
Does it provide options for receiving college credit by examination or prior learning?

Transfer credits are especially important if you are interested in graduate school or an advanced degree. Speak with your admissions counselor immediately to make sure the program is fully transferable and meets all requirements. This can save you a lot of trouble down the road.

• Scheduling
Make certain that all your courses are presented at acceptable times for your schedule. Working adults, especially adults with family obligations, should seek out available night and weekend courses. The most convenient option for busy adults is the online degree program. These programs can be done in your home (or wherever you have an Internet connection), and many allow you to finish on your schedule. Is an online program for you? Here are a few questions you should ask yourself before you sign up for one.

• Staff
Does your chosen school require your instructors to be available for questions or extra help for a specific amount of time each week? Your admissions office should be able to tell you when your professors are available after class hours. Use your admissions office as a frequent source of information.

• Childcare
The college offers a community and support for adult students, but do they offer other convenient services such as childcare? Many technical and community colleges these days recognize the needs of the large returning-student population and will cater to their needs to keep them in class.

For many high school graduates, entering college as a freshman can be a very scary time. They might not know what to expect. They may feel as if they are being pushed from an airplane without a parachute or walking a tightrope without a net.

And frankly, the dreaded freshman year can be a scary time. The homework can be harder than ever before; familiar friends may be few and far between; and being the newbie is rarely fun or comfortable.

But freshman year can also be an exciting time. A new start, a chance at a great future, the beginning of an exciting journey. Below are some helpful tips for incoming freshmen that will hopefully ease the transition.

Don’t enter college with any expectations.
Honestly, you don’t know what it is going to be like. Anything you’ve been told is coming from the experiences of others. Gain your own experiences and form your own opinions and wisdom. Whatever you expect will likely either fall short or be exceeded. So expect nothing – just wait and see what it is actually like.

Be yourself and keep an open mind.
Yes, it is a cliché. But it is great advice. Don’t do anything you don’t want to do (well, except maybe homework). You’re going to meet a great deal of new people; don’t dismiss any of these people or different ideas. But don’t let anyone tell you what to do or who you should be. You can only be yourself, and your circle of friends will accept you for who you are.

Don’t forget why you are there.
Believe it or not: you are not just there to party. Certainly make time to have fun, but don’t allow your new social connections to bog down your schoolwork. You may regret it later when you are closer to graduating – or when you are sharing your grades with your parents.

But have some fun!
College is your stepping stone to the rest of your life. Don’t let the experience pass you by! Join a club, go to some parties, have some fun! It is important to do well in school. It is why you are there. But you also don’t want to look back at your college experience and say, “I wish I had done that.”

So there you go. Four tips that, while they may seem obvious, are very important, and it is nice to reinforce them. Be yourself, remember why you are there, have no expectations, and have some fun. Don’t worry – some of the best times of your life can happen during college!

For more tips for freshmen, check out the following books:

The Naked Roomate: And 107 Other Issues You Might Run Into in College

Confessions of a College Freshman: A Survival Guide for Dorm Life, Biology Lab, the Cafeteria, and Other First-Year Adventures

101 Things A College Girl Should Know

The Everything College Survival Book; From Social Life to Study Skills-Everything You Need To Know To Fit Right In-Before You’re a Senior!