Tips from a college student

Everyone is writing the best of their blog for 2007, and I will do that eventually, but right now I want to sum up some of the best posts from around the blog-o-sphere from 2007.

J.D. over at Get Rich Slowly has had a lot of great articles this year. His summary is here, but I picked out the ones that are most useful for college students.

How to Feed Yourself for $15/week:
The Power of Yes: A great article about how saying "yes" can change your life
List of good personal finance books: If you like to read these books can help transform your finances!
If Personal Finance is easy, why isn't everyone rich?
The Road to Wealth is Paved with Goals: Kind of long but has some really good points in it.

Jay at Dumb Little Man has had so many great posts this year I can't list them all! All I can say is go to the site and browse through it!

Grad Money Matters has a page devoted to top posts here. They are not all 2007, but they're useful so I'm including them anyway.

Hustlerama has had the best bank and credit card bonuses on its site, and many are still available. So if you are looking for a credit card or bank account or anything related check out Hustlerama.

Money Smart Life has a list of best posts here, but I have picked out some of the best of the best and here they are in no particular order:

How 5 minutes can save you $120. This is about how to reduce your monthly bills like cable, phone, etc.
10 ways to cut your resturaunt bill.
10 ways to ask for a lower price or better deal.
How to ace a job interview.
How to get the promotion you deserve.
How to use leverage to make money on eBay. This is about how to make money on eBay without taking losses. It's a really good idea, I highly recommend this!

These are some of the best articles around the Blog-O-Sphere. I know there are more out there, but I can't include them all. You may want to bookmark this page so you can read some of these later, because there is no way you can retain everything at one time.

Happy New Year!!!
-------------------------------------------------------
Don't forget to bookmark this site and sign up for the RSS feed so you can stay up-to-date on new posts!

Almost everyone falls into the trap of spending a ton of money around Christmas time. You always have that struggle inside of you to decide who to buy a gift for and who to leave off your list. Many times that list can be very long, which equals very expensive. There is an easy solution to this problem though: just remember its the thought that counts!

Just because you feel obligated to get someone a gift (which is stupid anyway) doesn't mean that you have to buy them an expensive one. They will appreciate much more a gift that actually means something than just something that is expensive. Try to buy gifts that either remind someone of a good time you had together or of a special occasion. You could also give them something you made, and you can be as creative as your brain lets you be with that one. It could be as simple as several desktop backgrounds you made in photoshop all the way to handmade furniture. Another good option is to listen closely to what they say and figure out the things they really want besides the obvious things, because if you give them something they didn't specifically ask for then they will appreciate it much more and know that you care enough to listen and figure out what they want.

Some tips for choosing the right gift:

-Think about your relationship you've had with that person and make a list of all the memorable times you've had together, then try to think of something that will always remind them of that time.

-Think of a way to solve one of their needs by making something yourself instead of buying it. They will know you put a lot of time into it and appreciate it more.

-Don't give junk. No one needs anymore stuff to put in their attic or garage.

-Be creative. Don't go to Wal-Mart and buy the first thing you see. Be creative with your gift and if it doesn't have any meaning make up something that makes it seem special.

-Always remember, its the thought that counts

-------------------------------------------------------
Don't forget to bookmark this site and sign up for the RSS feed so you can stay up-to-date on new posts!

There is no such thing as job security. I hate to bust your bubble, but no one has 100% job security. I once heard someone say that the closest thing to job security you can get is overworked and underpaid.

One of the biggest problems with people today is that they are not hard workers. This is not completely their fault, though, as they have it ingrained in them to be lazy. Think about it, most kids these days are spoiled and all they do is watch tv and sit around and waste a lot of time. They are never taught to work hard, and this also contributes to the problem of obesity in America, but that's another post for another time.

So back to job security, the best way to obtain job security is to teach yourself to be a hard worker. You can do this by working hard at everything you do, not just at work. When you work out at the gym, focus and give 100%. Try to not waste time in anything you do, but always try to be efficient. Once you have instilled these qualities in yourself, you will naturally work harder and waste less time without even thinking about it. This will make you more valuable to your employer, thus giving you more job security.

As most of the readers of this blog are college students, you can apply this by being efficient in your studying and getting your homework done quickly and effectively. After all, employers look at your grades to judge how good of a worker you will be, because if you don't work hard in school then what would make them think you would change when you get a job? If you are efficient in your studies you will not only have more time to do other things but your grades will be better and you will have developed a better work ethic, which will eventually lead to job security down the road.

So basically, work hard and don't waste time and you will make yourself so valuable to your employer that they cannot afford to fire you.


-------------------------------------------------------
Like this post? Make sure to tell your friends about the site. Spread the word, and if you really like it leave a donation to help support the site

I'm sure you've all heard of the freshman 15. Supposedly most people gain about 15 pounds in their first year at college. This happens for various reasons, mainly unhealthy eating and not enough exercise. It is not that hard to avoid this, though, and you should definitely try to avoid it since it is bad for your health to gain that much weight so fast.

Many freshman in college are overwhelmed by how many options they have for eating when they get to school. Most schools have a dining hall thats unlimited buffet, along with many fast food joints and other places on campus. It is their first time out on their own without their parents holding their hand, and they eat whatever they want to. This may sound good, but if it equals pizza, hamburgers and ice cream all the time it is not good, and you will not only get fat but also take years off your life. I have found that if you look hard enough there are healthy or at least semi-healthy food options available on campus. When I go to the dining hall (rarely) I get a salad and I try to find something healthy like a sandwich or a classic meal like pork chops and green beans. Only eat one serving. I have heard people say to only put on your plate about half as much food as you want, and while this probably works for some people it doesn't for me. I just try to not go back for more and eat healthy.

Another reason for gaining weight is not getting enough exercise. Many campuses have a bus system that kids use instead of walking, so they lose out on that exercise. Then they sit in class for a few hours, then go back to the dorm where they sit the rest of the night. Most campuses have a gym that students can use for free, and obviously it would be good if you used that. I find that it is out of the way for me to go there, and I am not motivated enough to make myself go on a regular basis. If you don't want to go to the gym, there are other ways to get exercise. Leave early for class and walk instead of taking the bus. Join an intermural sports team, that is a good way to get exercise on a regular basis. Take the steps instead of the elevator, and park further back in the parking lot than usual. This has 2 benefits: you get exercise walking further and your car doesn't get as many dents in it.

Another reason for the freshman fifteen is the college lifestyle. Staying up until 3a.m. and snacking and eating junk is a sure way to make you gain weight. If you have to eat late at night you need to eat something healthy, such as fruit or a smoothie, or a bowl of cereal. Eating chips and ice cream and pizza every night will catch up with you, and one way is by gaining weight. Another bad thing about staying up late is you are tired in the morning. You cannot think as clearly when you are tired, which means your grades are probably not as good. If you think about it, most people are not very productive after midnight. Instead of staying up late every night, only stay up if you are doing work or its the weekend. I have started to do this and went from mediocre grades to dean's list in one semester. Another useful tip is try getting up earlier in the morning. I have found that I am most productive in the morning, and am least productive in the late afternoon. Try going to bed earlier and getting up earlier and doing some work and stuff in the mornings. But do not push your homework until the night before or the morning it is due. Trust me, this makes life to stressful. You will enjoy college more if you do your work ahead of time.

For more on not being lazy and being more time efficient, read this post.

-------------------------------------------------------
Like this article? Make sure to tell your friends about the site. Spread the word, and if you really like it leave a donation to help support the site!

I think that most college students are lazy. I know that I can be at times, but I try to force myself to do stuff, even if its just get up and wash clothes or something. Many students just sit around and watch tv or play video games during all of their free time. I'm not trying to sound like your mom, but that is a waste of time. By wasting time you are training yourself to be lazy, and you will create a habit that will be hard to break later on down the road.

Every successful person that I know is a hard worker and doesn't waste a lot of time. Watching tv and playing video games is not bad if it is done in moderation, but like many other things it becomes bad when you do it in excess. You name a successful person, whether it is Bill Gates, Donald Trump, a professional athlete, or someone else, and I can guarantee that they don't sit around all day and watch tv. Bill Gates would be sitting at home trying to develop a new software, Donald Trump would be trying to tweak his business strategy or buy a new business, and your athletes would be practicing to get better. The fact is, lazy people don't go far in life.

Now, I know that most college students would say that they don't have anything else to do, but this isn't true. You can always find something to do that is productive. Wash your car, clean your house, wash clothes, mow the yard, exercise, start a new project, or do some homework in advance for a change. Or, if you really want to do something worthwhile, start your own business!

Don't train yourself to be lazy, train yourself to always stay busy and work hard. That way when you finally get a life and have a job, you will be a valuable worker and will be able to move up through the company faster. The better your work ethic is, the more successful you will be in life.

Also read 5 ways to be more efficient.
-------------------------------------------------------
Like this article? Make sure to tell your friends about the site. Spread the word, and if you really like it leave a donation to help support the site!

Have you ever signed up for a class and ended up with a terrible professor? I know I have. That was before I discovered ratemyprofessors.com. One of my friends told me about it, and I have used it diligently since then.

What this site does is let students rate professors online in different categories, and also give a brief description of their experience with the professor. I have found this extremely useful when signing up for classes, because I cross-reference every professor before I sign up for their class. It's great because you know what you're getting into when you sign up for a particular class.

Since I have been using this site, I have not gotten a bad professor. Different people have different preferences for classes, which is why I like to use this site instead of just asking friends. You can see a greater variety of opinions on the professors by using this site, and after reading several you have a general idea of how the professor is. Personally, I don't mind writing essays, but I don't like long ones. I try to avoid any professor that consistently gives longer that 6 page essays. I know that this won't happen once I get further into my major, but for now thats one of my goals in signing up for classes.

Also, if you use the site remember to post your opinion of your professors at the end of the semester to help out other people later. I try to always rate my professors, but sometimes I forget.

Have you ever run a spy ware detector on your computer? I hope you have, because I can guarantee you that it is full of spy ware. I have discovered that most spy ware/viruses/trojans/whatever else bad gets on computers gets there through internet explorer. I have started instead using Mozilla Firefox, which is an alternative to Internet Explorer. When using this program, I get about 10% of the junk on my computer that I was getting before.

I also like the layout of Firefox better than Internet Explorer. I find it difficult to use Internet Explorer, and confusing to change settings. Firefox has had many features for a while that IE is just incorporating into their newest release, IE7. My favorite is tabbed browsing, where instead of opening a new window from a link you just open a new tab. This is now becoming a common feature in all browsers, but Firefox has had it for awhile.

Another feature that I like is the bookmarks toolbar. I have my favorite bookmarks to the right of my menu (file, edit, view, etc), so I can easily access them without having to open up the favorites folder and navigate to them. I have my favorite RSS feeds in the bookmarks toolbar too, so I can view them with one click while I am on any webpage.
I encourage you to download Firefox, as it is in my opinion the best browser available right now.

I've been reading a lot on different blogs about whether or not it is a good idea to ditch your land line phone and just use a cell phone. I don't have a land line personally, I just use my cell phone. I move around too much to use a land line. I would have to change my number wayyyy too often, but with my cell I always have it with me, so my friends can reach me no matter where I am on the same number, whether at home or work or vacation or wherever. Another reason I don't have use for a land line is I'm not at home very much during the day. It would only be useful for an answering machine but my cell has an answering machine in voice mail, so that eliminates that too.

To me a land line just isn't practical. Its a waste of money every month when my cell has free nights and weekends, and I'm at work or in class during the day so I don't talk very much. And I text way more than I talk, so I don't really need a whole lot of money. If you're worried about the battery wearing out, get a decent phone, and when you think the battery is getting old buy a new battery. That's a lot cheaper than a new phone.

I charge my phone about once every 3 nights, and it's over a year old and still works fine. The battery seems to last forever. One secret to keeping your battery healthy is to not charge it with it on. I never charge mine with it on, never have and never will. My friends and I have experimented with this, and have discovered that it makes a big difference in the life of the battery. Charging the phone with it on is one of the fastest ways to kill a battery.

When you sign up for a cell phone, just make sure you read the fine print and know what you're getting. Make sure you get enough minutes and texts, because they will stack up the fees if you're not careful. Do you still have a land line? If so, you may want to consider ditching it to save a little money every month.

Do you feel like you‘re not efficient with your time, or that you waste a lot of time every day. I know I do. So I have started searching for ways to be more efficient and get more done every day.

#1. Pre-plan your day.

-When you get up in the morning, think about everything you want to accomplish that day and write it down. Then make a schedule of what you have to do that day and work in everything you want to accomplish so that you have almost your entire day planned out. By sticking to a schedule, you won’t waste time by trying to think what you need to do and by doing stuff that doesn’t need done.

#2. Schedule in time for yourself during the day.

-Take a break from your work, do something you enjoy for a few minutes. Read a book, take a walk, call your mom, meditate, do something besides work.

#3. Reward yourself.

-If you have something big to do like an essay for a class or a project at work, don’t try to tackle it all at one time. Plan out different steps that you can do to work towards finishing the project, like making an outline for an essay, research, etc. Then start early on these, and reward yourself after each step by taking some time for yourself. By doing this you won’t get stressed trying to do it all at once, and you’ll finish it without being under pressure.

#4. Recap your day.

-At the end of the day, think back over your day and what you can improve upon for the next day. Write down mistakes you made, such as checking your email 500 times, and write it down and what you will do to correct it. Review this in the morning when you make your plan for the day. By doing this, you will be constantly developing into a more efficient person.

#5. Eliminate time-wasters.

-Figure out what you do that wastes time every day. For me, it’s checking my email too often and reading message boards. Once you figure out what you do to waste time, fix it. Instead of checking email every few minutes, schedule times into your day to check it. I recommend replying to all the email 2 or 3 times per day, and if you are worried about not replying soon enough, make an auto-response for your email that says something like, “I check my email at 4:30. If there is something that needs dealt with before then, please call ….”. By doing this the person sending the email knows when to expect a response, and you don’t have to waste time checking your email non stop. If you waste time doing other things like reading message boards, use reading message boards as one of your rewards. When you complete a task, reward yourself by reading the message board. Or during your break do it. But don’t constantly be reading them, because they can be very time consuming. Whatever you waste time on, fix it, and you will be more efficient with your time.