Monday, March 30, 2009

College Saving Tips

Your college years can be an expensive time in your life. There is the tuition that seems to increase each year, the cost of books, living accomodations, food and for most college students the trips back home. Here are some tips to save money while in college so that you can make the most of your dollar during these hard economic times.

1. Join a Credit Union, they usually pay higher dividend rates and less in fees.
2. Do not get a credit card unless you absolutely need one. If you have one, use it for emergencies only.
3. Pay your bills on time, late fees add up.
4. Make a budget and stick to it.
5. Save your receipts in order to compare to your account statements monthly.
6. Buy used textbooks (Amazon and half.com have competitive prices) and sell them back after the semester is over!
7. Ride a bike or walk.
8. Learn how to cook.
9. Apply for ALL scholarships and grants.
10. Take advantage of student discounts, several places around town give discounts to college students.
11. Get a meal plan.
12. Go out once a week instead of every night.
13. Get a part-time job.
14. If you live off campus, get a roommate.
15. Buy a coffee maker, those everyday Starbucks drinks really add up!
16. Subscribe to rental places such as Blockbuster or Netflix.
17. Skip the Spring Break trip, relax at home instead.
18. Use coupons when buying food and buy in bulk (Costco is a great place to grocery shop affordably).
19. Use the on-campus gym.
20. Continue saving money!

Here are some links with additional information
Amazon- an online resource for purchasing new and used textbooks
Half.com- an online resource for purchasing new and used textbooks
FAFSA- a government website used to apply for financial aid
Netflix- website that provides unlimited movie rentals at an affordable monthly fee



Resources:
http://www.getrichslowly.org/blog/2006/08/30/27-money-tips-for-college-students/
http://www.thinkyourwaytowealth.com/2008/08/22/25-smart-budget-and-money-saving-tips-for-college-students/
http://www.collegescholarships.org/student-living/save-money.htm

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Children's Books on Money



Money is an important aspect of our lives. Beginning in first grade, school children are taught the importance of money, denominations, economics and credit. While money can be a hard topic to teach in a relatable manner, there are several fun and educational books that you as educators can read as the basis for mini-lessons. A few of my favorites include Just Shopping with Mom by Mercer Mayer, The Coin Counting Book by Rozanne Lanczak Williams, Pigs Will be Pigs by Amy Axelrod,Trouble with Money by Jan and Stan Berenstain and King Midas by Nathaniel Hawthorne.


Please enjoy the following links that list hundreds of fun and educational books that discuss economics and finances:

http://tennesseesaves.org/TeachingTools/TeachingKidsMoney/MoneyonBookshelf/childrenbooksmoney.pdf

Wednesday, March 18, 2009






About a month ago I said that I would post monthly pictures of the thank-you cards that I receive from the different schools I visit. One of the first teachers to ever invite me into her classroom was Ms. Stein at Gridley Middle School. I have taught several lessons in her classroom over the past two years. Her students are always hospitable and respectful. Please enjoy some of the thank-you cards that I received from her classroom. Thank you!

Tuesday, March 10, 2009

How to Save Money on Lunch

Lunchtime can be an expensive time. Whether you eat out every day, or bring your own lunch, expenses can really add up. While spending money on lunch is inevitable, there are opportunities to save money by taking advantage of teacher discounted school lunches, or making your own lunch. For example, the average daily cost of eating lunch out is $6. So during a five-day workweek, one can spend $30 a week on lunch. This adds up to $1560 a year just on lunch! However, the average daily cost of packing a lunch from home is $2.20, adding up to $11 a week. This adds up to $572 a year, with a savings of $988 a year!
I recently visited Pueblo High School for a few presentations on Budgeting. I had a short break in between classes and decided to head down to the teachers' cafeteria and get a bottle of water. I happened to notice while standing in line, the wonderful price breaks teachers got on a nice lunch. For example, one could get a bottle of water, a freshly made sandwich, and a cup of fruit for $3.75. Not only is that a great deal on lunch, it is a great deal on a healthy lunch.

Here are some tips for saving money at lunch:
  • Go home for lunch, or bring a sack lunch
  • When eating out, order water, soda and tea can add up
  • Order lunch specials, they are usually offered at a discounted price
  • Avoid dessert, they are pricy and full of calories
  • Budget how much money you are going to spend weekly on lunch
  • Put your business card in the fish bowl at the front of the restaraunt, you may in fact win a free lunch
Resources:
http://www.lifehack.org/articles/money/save-998year-by-bringing-your-lunch.html
http://www.helium.com/items/1360387-saving-money-on-lunch
http://www.ehow.com/how_4668949_save-money-eating-lunch-work.html

Monday, March 2, 2009

Fun Money Facts

How many ridges does the quarter have?
How long does a $50 bill last?
How many times can I fold a dollar bill before it tears?

We use money every single day. Money allows us to eat, live comfortably in a home, buy clothes, purchase cars and much more. While money can purchase fascinating tangible objects, money in itself is quite fascinating. Please enjoy the fun money facts I have included in this posting, and the great websites you can use in your classrooms to show kids how money is made.
  • Cattle is the oldest of all forms of money. Cattle as money dates back to 9000 B.C. Some cattle were still used as money in parts of Africa in the middle of the 20th century.
  • The Massachusetts Bay Colony issued the first paper money in America in 1690. The colonies would later form the United States.
  • Parker Brothers printed more money for its Monopoly games than the Federal Reserve has issued in real money for the United States. If you stacked up all the Monopoly sets made, the pile would be more than 1,100 miles high.
  • There is about $823 in circulation for each person in America.
  • A piece of currency can be folded forward and back 4,000 times before it will tear.
  • Currency is made of 25 percent linen and 75 percent cotton paper. Red and blue synthetic fibers of various lengths are distributed evenly throughout the paper.
  • A mile of pennies laid out is $844.80. By this standard, America is about $2.5 million wide, coast to coast.
  • A quarter has 119 grooves around the edge.
  • If you have three quarters, four dimes and four pennies, you have $1.19. You also have the largest amount of money in coins possible without being able to make change for a dollar.
  • The Federal Reserve System lists the following life spans:
    $ 1 lasts 22 months
    $ 5 lasts 2 years
    $ 10 lasts 3 years
    $ 20 lasts 4 years
    $ 50 lasts 9 years
    $100 lasts 9 years

PBS-Check out this fun site which shares the fun secrets about making money

The Bureau of Printing and Engraving- Enjoy the resources and lesson plans on how money is made

Teaching your children the value of money-This how-to approach goes over the basics on how to teach children the value of money and why it is important to save

Work Cited:

http://www.childrensmuseum.org/special_exhibits/moneyville/pop5.htm

http://www.treas.gov/kids/