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Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Why You Should Get A Job

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Having a job while you're in school is a great way to earn some extra income. There are 3 main reasons you should get a job:

1. Increase Your Quality of Living
You can use the extra money  for having more fun while you are at school. It's great to have cash for dates, parties, and school breaks. You'll also be able to afford more and better things such as food and clothing.

2. Pay Your Bills
If you're like most people, "mommy and daddy" aren't paying your whole way through school, you'll need money to pay bills such as rent, cellphone, car insurance, internet, tuition, and books.  Having a job well help keep your bill payments on track.

3. Prepare for your future
If you think you don't need a job because your school/living costs are covered, you are wrong. Even if you are receiving assistance, loans, bursaries, etc it is a good idea to get a job. You can keep this money in a a savings account/savings bonds to help pay off loans after graduation. You can also save up for something like a new car.

It's best to balance your earnings. For example, you could use a little for fun, most towards school costs, and some into savings. But you need a balance that works for you. Start by covering all necessities like tuition, books, supplies, rent, groceries, and transportation. Then you can use any extra money for things like entertainment and shopping. If possible try to keep some for savings. It's important to have a financial plan in mind for after graduation.

In future posts I will help you prepare for and find a job. Best Blogger Tips
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Saturday, February 12, 2011

Textbooks: Tip #1 Buy Used

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Let's face it. Textbooks are outrageously expensive. But there are a few things we can do to save some big bucks.

Tip #1 Buy Used Books

If they are available try to buy your textbooks used. A lot of people think used books are out-dated, the pages have been highlighted to death, and are, overall, in terrible condition. But this is not always the case, you can find up-to-date books that are very-gently used. Here is a list of places you can find them:

  • Campus Bookstores: Some schools allow students to sell their rarely used textbooks back to the school. At first glance they appear new but you can save up to 50%. Whenever I found a used copy of a book I needed, I grabbed it before they were all gone. In every case I never once found a mark, tear, or missing pages.
  • Students: Some students try to sell their books on their own. Look for postings on your school website, Facebook, your student email, and flyers around campus. These books are usually up-to-date editions because they were purchased the prior semester. 
  • Online: When used books were not available on campus I look online. Just remember that you may have to pay for shipping and you will have to wait for delivery. Also be sure that it is the right book (author, ISBN, publication date, edition) and that you trust the seller. There are several places to buy used book. These are the best: Chapters.ca, Amazon.ca, Amazon.com, Textbookexchange.ca.
Please leave a comment if you have any tips or stories about buying used books! Best Blogger Tips
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Saturday, July 17, 2010

New Blog

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The Bookshelf offers short book reviews from my reading list. Every two weeks, or so, I will post about a new book I have read and give it a "Thumbs Up" or a "Thumbs Down". You can see which books I plan to read and past reviews. And, I'd love to hear your opinions too. So please join in the discussions.

You can also get a FREE widget for your website to keep up-to-date with the posts! Click HERE. Best Blogger Tips
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Thursday, May 6, 2010

Recommended Read: Strangers

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Strangers was written by Japanese screenwriter Taichi Yamada and translated to English. The 47 year old main character Harada has recently divorced and is living in his office. On his birthday he decides to visit his hometown that he has not been to in years. While he is there he finds a couple that looks exactly like his parents at the age they were when they died (in their 30's). He spends time with this couple trying to understand who these people are.

Harada struggles with his tragic past and his current loneliness.He finds comfort in this couple with whom he feels like a kid again. But this happiness could only last for so long before it began to take a toll on his health.

I couldn't put the book down. I loved the story, suspense, mystery, and shock-value. At the end of the book the whole story comes together and it leaves you wanting to read more. It's only 200 pages long so it is a fast read. I highly recommend this book to anyone that likes Japanese and Korean films.

Other Books You May Like:
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Saturday, April 17, 2010

Finding Cheap Textbooks

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One of the most expensive parts of going to school can be the cost of books (depending on your program). In my university program my average books costs per semester were $600. One of my books cost $160 and I never used it once. Sometimes I feel that textbooks are a huge waste of money. Most of  my books were rarely used. Professors just used slides from the book and posted them online or didn't refer to the book at all. Anyways, in most cases it is important to buy the books. Here are a few tips to saving money.

1) Buy Used Books: If they are available buy them used. You'll save a lot of money and most times they are in great condition. You can find offers throughout the campus from other students or from your campus bookstore. You can buy used books online too. Textbookexchange.ca is a Canadian site where you can buy and sell textbooks but I have never used this site.

2) Compare Prices Online: This is something I tried this semester and I wished I had done it all along. Most of the books I ordered arrived in a few days and I saved about 30%. One of my textbooks costs $170 in my bookstore and was $116 online. Be sure to use trusted websites. I recommend Chapters.indigo.ca and Amazon.ca.

3) Buy Electronic Texts: I bought one text book from Coursesmart and saved over $100. I got a subscription for 180 days and could access it online anytime. This is perfect for anyone that brings a laptop to school or you can do what I did and just print what you need.

4) Share: If you have are really good friend in your class, you can buy one textbook and split the costs.

Don't be afraid to shop around for textbooks. It takes a little time but you can save a lot. I saved more than $180 on my textbooks this semester.

Related Links:
What can we do about textbook prices?
How Textbook Publishers Manipulate Costs for Students
University Tuition and Fees Calculator
Recommended Read: The Host Best Blogger Tips
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