If you’re going to school full-time, you’ll have a limited number of hours each week to work and earn money. So it’s important to learn how to cut costs and live on a budget. Here are some money-saving tips that will help.

* Find the least expensive living arrangement that will meet your needs. In many cases, this is living in a dorm room on campus. But be sure to check prices on apartments off-campus (unless you’re a freshman who is required to live on campus). In some cases they are cheaper, especially if you get a roommate. Of course, if you live close enough to the college to commute from your parents’ house, that would be the least expensive option.

* Get a meal plan and use it. Even if you’re not required to have one, it’s much cheaper than eating out. And if you live in a dorm room, cooking isn’t really an option. If you live off-campus, however, you may be better off buying groceries and preparing your own meals.

* Speaking of groceries, pay as little for them as possible. Buy store brands, keep your eyes open for sales, and use coupons. Even if you’re only buying snacks to have on hand in your dorm room, you can save a surprising amount of money by doing these things. And on a related note: stay as far away from the campus vending machines as possible. You can get the same things from the grocery store for much less.

* Frequent campus events. This will keep you from getting bored and spending a lot of money on entertainment. And as an added bonus, many of them offer free food. That’s one less meal that you have to pay for.

* Instead of going out to clubs or expensive restaurants on the weekend, go to house parties or stay in and watch a movie. You can borrow movies for free from the library, or get a Netflix membership and pay one low price to rent unlimited movies each month.

Saving money is always a good thing to do, but during the college years it’s especially important. By watching your spending, you can stretch limited funds further. And it doesn’t mean that you can’t have any fun. If you save money on everyday expenses, you’ll have more money to put toward having a good time. You can use some of the money you save to do fun stuff, too.

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But there’s another travel need that most travelers often fail to pay as much attention to, and that’s the rental car. Renting a car makes it much easier to get around when you’re traveling, but it’s not always cheap. Travelers often assume that there isn’t much difference in prices of car rentals, but actually, prices can vary greatly.

Just like anything else, it pays to shop around and look for deals when considering car rentals. Here are a few pointers that could save you big bucks.

* Check prices from several different sources. Many travelers make the mistake of only checking with the same sites they use to find the best deals on airfare and hotels, but these frequently fail to provide the best rates on rental cars. Visit the websites of the major rental car companies and see what they have to offer before making a reservation.

* Go with the smallest class of car that will meet your needs. If a compact will accommodate you, your passengers and whatever you need to bring along, that’s the most economical choice. And unless you’re going to be hauling a lot of stuff around, renting an SUV is rarely a good idea. Not only will the rental cost more, it will also use more gas.

* Take fees into consideration. Read over them carefully before making a reservation, and avoid any of them that you possibly can. It’s also a good idea to avoid renting a car at the airport, because extra fees are usually tacked on that you wouldn’t have to pay if you were to rent offsite.

* Find out if your auto insurance covers any cars you rent. Most policies offer the same collision coverage you have on your own vehicle. If yours does, don’t cave in when the clerk tries to convince you to pay for insurance from the rental car company. If it doesn’t, some credit card companies provide insurance on cars rented using their cards. Check with yours before you buy from the rental company.

* Consider paying in advance. Many companies offer a worthwhile discount if you do. But keep in mind that some will charge fees for any changes you make. As with anything, read the fine print before proceeding.

Don’t slack when it comes to looking for rental car deals. If you spend as much time trying to find them as you would on other travel needs, you could save quite a bit of money.

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* Cut down on your electricity usage. Turn lights and televisions off when you’re not in the room, use the power saver settings on your computer, and switch to energy-saving bulbs. It’s also smart to hook your electronics up to a power strip and turn it off at night or while no one is home. You’ll be surprised at how much you can save on your electric bill with these simple steps.

* Cook meals instead of just popping something from the frozen section in the oven (or worse yet, ordering takeout). It will take a little extra time, but it can save you a whole lot of money each month. And if you really don’t have the energy to cook after a long day at work, you can always put something in the slow cooker in the morning so that it will be ready in the evening.

* Make sure your home is properly insulated, and install weatherstripping if needed. This may require a small investment, but it will pay for itself quickly by saving you money on your heating and cooling bills.

* Stop buying cleaners from the store and start using items from the kitchen cabinet. Vinegar is great for cleaning windows and disinfecting surfaces. Baking soda is excellent for scrubbing dishes and sinks and deodorizing carpets. Mix them together, and you have a highly effective drain cleaner.

* Wash your clothes in cold water, and hang them out to dry. If you don’t have room for a clothesline, you can find foldable clothes dryers for both indoor and outdoor use in discount stores. If you have to dry indoors, place your clothes near a heat vent to speed drying.

* Instead of renting movies for movie night, borrow them from your local library. You might not find that hot new release, but most libraries have a good selection of DVDs to choose from. And it won’t cost you a dime as long as you return them on time.

These methods of saving money are quite simple, but they are also much more powerful than most people think. If you’re not convinced, try them for a month and keep track of your savings. When you see how much of a difference they make, you’ll wonder why you didn’t try them much sooner!

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In order to keep your relationship strong and be good parents, however, it is very important to keep the romance alive. Unfortunately, that can be hard to do when you’ve got the kids to deal with, and perhaps a limited budget. But it’s not impossible. Having a romantic evening at home can rekindle your passion for your partner without putting a strain on the bank account. Here’s how to do it.

1. Plan around the kids. If your children are in school, perhaps they participate in extracurricular activities that take them away from home on some nights. If they’re younger, maybe you could take them to spend the night with the grandparents. And if all else fails, you can always schedule the festivities after their bedtime.

2. Cook your significant other’s favorite dish for dinner. It’s much cheaper than ordering out, and he or she will appreciate it more because you took the time to make it. If your partner likes to try new things you could attempt a new dish, but make sure it’s not too complicated. If you have a kitchen mishap, it could put a damper on the entire evening.

3. Dress up just like you would if you were going out to a fancy restaurant. Even though you’re staying home, getting all gussied up for that special someone is a wonderful way to show your affection. So break out the fancy dress and the high heels, or the suit and tie.

4. Get a good bottle of wine for the occasion. It doesn’t have to be the most expensive vintage you can find. The best you can afford will do. Or if you really want to celebrate, pick up some champagne or sparkling wine.

5. Don’t forget the fresh flowers. You don’t necessarily have to spend a lot of money on them. You could even pick some out of the garden and arrange them in a vase. Roses are the universal symbol of love, but carnations, or even tulips or lilies, will do just fine.

6. Put on some romantic music and enjoy one another’s company. After all, that’s what a romantic evening is all about, isn’t it? Even if you can’t go all out, having some time alone together will do you and your partner some good.

A romantic evening doesn’t have to cost a bundle. You can have just as much fun together at home as you would if you went out, and you’ll also have more privacy. You could even make it a once-a-month (or once-a-week) event if you like!

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If your child is ready for college but needs money for tuition, he can take out a student loan. He won’t have to repay it until he is finished with school, but even so, it can hurt his finances for many years. If you want your child to graduate without having to worry about debt, a PLUS Loan is a great way to get the money he needs.

PLUS Loans are available to parents of all dependent students who are enrolled at least half-time in an eligible undergraduate program at an eligible institution. They are also available to graduate students, but undergraduates may not apply for them directly. The proceeds of the loan may be used to pay for a variety of education-related expenses, including tuition, books, supplies and housing. The applicant may borrow up to the yearly cost of attendance, minus any other financial aid received.

One of the great things about PLUS Loans is that they are not awarded according to financial need. The borrower will have to pass a credit check, but even credit requirements are not as strict as they are for most loans. Most parents will qualify as long as they haven’t recently undergone bankruptcy, foreclosure, repossession or a similar adverse action. If a parent cannot pass the credit check, they may still be able to get the loan by getting a co-signer or by demonstrating extenuating circumstances.

Repayment of PLUS Loans is quite flexible. Parents may begin repayment 60 days after the funds are disbursed, or they may wait until six months after the student graduates or is no longer enrolled at least half-time. Borrowers who are having trouble repaying PLUS Loans may request a deferment or forbearance in the event of financial hardship.

PLUS Loans once had a variable interest rate, but today the interest is fixed. An disbursement fee of up to 4% may be charged each time funds are disbursed. Late fees and collection costs may be charged if payments are not made on time.

A PLUS Loan is by no means the first option that parents of college-bound students should explore. If grants or scholarships are available, they should be pursued first, because they do not have to be repaid. But a PLUS Loan can help if these types of aid are not available to the student, or if they do not cover the entire cost of college.

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This is where payday loans come in. A payday loan is a loan that requires the borrower to write a post-dated check for the amount to be borrowed, plus a finance charge. The lender then gives the borrower the money, and when the borrower gets paid, the check is cashed. There is no credit check, and the only requirements are an active checking account and a regular source of income.

So what’s the catch? There are a few:

* Payday loan companies charge insane amounts of interest. The loans they make have an average APR of 400%, but some charge as much as 5,000% interest. And you though interest was high on credit cards!

* If you can’t afford to repay the loan on your next payday, you must notify the lender right away so that the check will not be cashed. If you fail to do so and the check bounces, you could be charged fees by both your bank and the payday lender.

* If you must extend a payday loan, you’ll have to write another post-dated check and pay another finance charge. This can turn into a vicious cycle, and you could end up paying more in interest than you actually borrowed.

Because of the high interest, payday loans are illegal in some states. Other states allow them, but due to strict regulations, payday lenders may choose not to operate in some of these states.

When Should I Get a Payday Loan?

If possible, it is best to avoid payday loans altogether. If you can borrow money from a friend or relative or postpone the expense until after you get paid, you’ll be much better off. But there are certain situations in which a payday loan can be helpful.

Some people take out payday loans to get their cars repaired. If it’s an urgent repair and you need the car to get to work, it’s probably better to go ahead with the payday loan if there is no other alternative. Or if you need to see a doctor and do not have insurance, a payday loan could get you the medical care you need. But if your situation is not an emergency like these, there are probably alternatives that are not as expensive or risky.

Before you get a payday loan, it’s important to consider all of your alternatives. If the expense can wait, or if you can get the money some other way, you’re better off leaving payday loans alone. And if you do end up getting a payday loan, it’s important to pay it off as quickly as possible. If you don’t, it could get you in more financial trouble than you’re already in.

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Lucky for those who aren’t so good at math, there are online calculators that can answer all of these questions and more. You just put in a little basic data, and the calculator figures up the rest for you. To get started, you’ll need the following information:

* Total loan amount
* Loan term
* Interest rate
* Loan start date

With these numbers, the calculator can tell you how much your monthly payment will be. You can use numbers you’ve obtained from lenders, or just play around with different numbers to see how they work out. This is especially useful if you know how much of a monthly payment you can afford, because you can determine how much interest you can afford to pay, and/or how long of a term you will need on a loan of a given size.

Some calculators can also tell you how making extra payments will affect your loan. You can input a certain amount to add to your payment each month, a certain number of extra payments each year, or a one-time lump sum payment. The calculator will tell you how much you can save in interest by making these types of payments, as well as how much sooner you can expect to pay off your loan.

There are also specialized loan calculators that will give you different types of information. There are mortgage calculators that will use your annual income, debts and money available for a down payment to determine how much you can afford to pay for a home. There are credit card calculators that will use your balance, interest rate and minimum payment to determine how long it will take you to pay the card off, as well as how much you will end up paying in interest. And there are loan calculators that will use the total loan amount and interest rate to tell you how much income lenders will expect you to make in order to qualify for the loan.

Using a loan calculator can help you choose the best loan. It can also help you determine how to pay the loan off as quickly as possible. Take advantage of these free online tools and save!

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People make different kinds of resolutions depending on what issues they face in their lives. Some people resolve to lose weight or eat healthier foods. Others resolve to give up habits such as smoking or drinking. And some resolve to get their finances in order.

While getting our finances in order is something that many of us need to do, it’s a rather vague notion. If you don’t come up with some concrete ways to put it into action, your chances of succeeding are low. Here are some more specific resolutions that could help you save money and improve your financial outlook.

* Pay extra on your mortgage. While a mortgage is usually low-interest debt, that small percentage rate can really add up over the years. So if you can pay more than your regular monthly payment, you could save yourself a substantial amount of money in the long run. To accomplish this, you could add a little to your payment each month, or start paying a half payment every two weeks. This could add up to a full extra monthly payment each year.

* Pay off credit card debt. Credit cards usually come with high interest rates, and if you’re only paying the minimum each month, it could take you many years to get the balance paid in full. A resolution to stop using your credit cards and pay as much as possible on them each month could save you thousands of dollars.

* Work up a budget and stick to it. If you’ve never sat down and written out a monthly budget, the New Year is a great time to do so. Before you can improve your finances, you need to know exactly where your money goes each month. Then you can see where there is room for improvement and make adjustments that will leave you with more money to save or put toward debts.

* Conserve energy. Using less energy is not only good for the environment, it’s also good for your wallet. Resolving to turn off lights, TVs and computers when they’re not in use, unplug electronics at night and insulate your home could save you more money than you might think.

* Start clipping coupons. Groceries are a necessary monthly expense, but there’s no reason to pay more for them than you have to. Make a resolution to start using coupons and keep your eyes peeled for sales.

* Don’t buy anything new. We all have to make a purchase every now and then, but in most cases we don’t have to buy new to get what we need. A resolution to buy only used items can save you a great deal of money without making much of a difference in your life.

Finding ways to save money can make your life a lot less stressful. So this New Year, make some money-saving resolutions. If you stick with them, the next New Year might look a whole lot brighter.

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What many people do not realize is that you don’t have to spend a fortune to ring in the New Year properly. As long as your friends and family are there, you can always have a good time even without going to a great deal of expense. Here’s how.

* Host the party at your house if possible. If you do not have enough space, ask a friend or family member if you could have the party at their house. Renting a space can be expensive, especially on an occasion like New Year’s Eve.

* Plan your party for late evening. Everyone will probably be staying past midnight anyway, so there’s no need to get started early. If you have the party late, it will give everyone the opportunity to eat dinner before they show up, so you won’t be expected to provide a full meal. Instead, you can just serve some tasty finger foods. But just to be sure everyone knows what to expect, indicate on the invitations that you will be serving refreshments only.

* If you really want to have a meal, make it a potluck. Have each guest bring a dish, and even a drink if you like. You can supply the paper plates, cups, flatware and napkins.

* Don’t feel obligated to have a full bar. You can have a fun party without stocking every type of liquor. You could serve champagne punch or beer as an alternative, or make it an alcohol-free party if you like.

* Keep the decorations simple and inexpensive. Strings of white Christmas lights make great decorations indoors or out. For a centerpiece, gather some branches and pine cones and arrange them in the center of the table. For added flair, spray paint them silver or gold.

* Skip hiring a band to play at your party and make a nice mix CD for the occasion. Or if you have friends that play, ask them to bring their instruments along and have an impromptu jam session.

* Go with cheap entertainment. Borrow movies from the library for a movie marathon, or have guests bring board games that everyone can play. Or break out the cards and chips and have a poker night.

Who said celebrating the New Year required an all-out extravaganza? The point of a New Year’s Eve party is to have fun with the people who mean the most to us. And you don’t have to break the bank to do that.

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You could order custom invitations, but that’s rather expensive. You could buy a pack of invitations from the store, but that’s not very original. Or you could save yourself some money and have unique invitations by making them yourself.

You can create invitations in no time with a computer and printer. Or if you want to make your invitations extra special, you could make them by hand. Here are some ideas to get your started.

* Look for free invitation designs that you can print online. There are many websites that feature free invitation and greeting card designs as a means of attracting visitors. Just do a Google search, and you’re sure to find several to choose from.

* Invest in some greeting card software. Companies like Hallmark and ArcSoft produce software that features lots of beautiful designs for invitations and other types of greeting cards. You can customize the ready-made designs or create more unique invitations using the templates and clip art provided. These programs require you to pay an up-front cost, but after using them a few times they will pay for themselves.

* If you’re artistically inclined, you could draw or paint the designs for your invitations by hand. Such a work of art is sure to put a smile on your guests’ faces.

* Use scrapbooking techniques to make invitations by hand. With some card stock and embellishments such as stickers, ribbons, lace and die cuts, the possibilities are endless. You could also use decorative hole punchers, embossers and pinking shears to add an extra special touch.

* Add beauty to any handmade card with pressed flowers. You don’t need any special equipment to press your own flowers. Just place them between two pieces of wax paper and insert them in the middle of a heavy book for a couple of weeks. If you’re in a hurry, you can dry them in the oven or microwave or buy flowers that have already been pressed at your favorite craft supply store.

Creating your own party invitations doesn’t have to be a chore. It can be as simple as choosing a design and clicking the print button. And if you want to make your invitations more memorable, there are all sorts of ways you can embellish them. Either way you go, you’ll have unique invitations for less than you would pay to have them printed by a professional.

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