A Free Gift to Send to the Troops Overseas

At this time of the year, usually people are in a shopping frenzy. But due to layoffs and lack of jobs this holiday season, many U.S. citizens are using this as a time to give more thoughtful, less expensive gifts this year. So why not take the time to give a free gift and thank someone for their service to the United States?

When my aunts were stationed overseas, they truly appreciated the care packages that we sent them. However, there are so many soldiers who deserve an "appreciation package" that will never receive on this holiday.

Xerox is sponsoring a program that sends thank you cards to troops overseas. It is completely free to the user, and all you have to do is choose a card and a message. It will be randomly sent to someone. Use this five minutes out of your day to send this free gift. I'm sure that someone would appreciate it.

Go to Let's Say Thanks! to send your thank you card. I already did.

-Erica

Where's My Monopoly Money?!

When I was in Argentina, I felt as though the Argentine pesos were "monopoly money" because the vivid colors of the money did not seem real to me. Well thanks to the U.S. economy, there are talks in Milwaukee, Wisconsin of producing their own money, and use this money to help support local businesses instead of those like Wal-Mart and Home Depot. This idea is COMPLETELY LEGAL, which surprised me. As long as the money does not resemble the U.S. dollar it's fine. But what exactly is the incentive for using this money? Apparently, it will have 10% more use than the regular dollar, so instead of 100 U.S. dollars, their money would be 110 *Milwaukee-ian* (made the name up) dollars, making that a great exchange rate.

I think it is a fabulous idea. It reminds me of the system that UGA uses: Bulldog Bucks is a card system that allows students to load U.S. dollars onto the card to use it at local eateries and businesses and around campus at the vending and laundry machines. The only difference is that this will actually be printed money.

For more information, visit this link!

I didn't want to believe it...

When I returned from Argentina, my friends and family kept telling me that we were in a recession. Although I thought that the economy was not as good before I left, I didn't think that a recession could only occur in three months. Well turns out, as of Monday, it was officially declared by the National Bureau of Economic Research that we have been in a recession for a year. Watch the video below.




You can also follow this link for more information.
When did you think that the U.S. was in a recession? Did you feel the effects of it as a college student?

College Woes: To Rent or To Buy? That is the question...

Recently, I have been apartmen/house searching in town for spring semester, and it has opened my eyes to how stressful it can be! From choosing roommates, negotiating leases or picking up subleases, it can be tedious trying to figure out where to live. Although my dream has died (for now) of becoming a homeowner during college, it has become extremely popular and profitable to buy a condo or house(or have your parents buy it), lease out the other rooms, and live there for free (or reduced rent!) Here are some tips on how to rent or buy without regretting your decision!

If you are renting:

1. Look early, so that you can receive the best deals! If you are renting an apartment, you usually have to pay for an application fee, security deposit, etc., but if you can find a sublease (to eliminate these fees) or if you are looking for deals from an apartment complex, start searching in January or February for the next school year. The offices are more likely to help you out with reducing or cutting these fees, because they have a quota to make!
2. If you live in the dorms during the school year, but you are searching for housing during the summer, look for a sublease. Students are more willing to give up that part of their lease, so they will pay for $50 towards the rent or offer other incentives. The later you wait, the better the deal you can receive!
3. If you were quoted a deal from a specific apartment office two weeks ago and you return to find out it doesn't exist anymore, don't back down from it! Apartment complexes are constantly changing their offers, and if they really want your business, they will work with you. If they don't, would you really want to have them manage your living space for an entire year?

If you are buying:

1. Find houses that will resell well when you graduate or decide to leave school. Look for houses in student-specific neighborhoods or houses in areas that can sell to young adults. With the housing situation now, it can take up to 6 months for a house to sell on the market, so you want to angle yourself in the right position for resale.
2. Many houses have been foreclosed in the past year. If you can find a foreclosure that is in your price range and your desired neighborhood, don't shy away from it! Usually, minor work is needed but it can be extremely worth it, profit wise.
3. If you don't have time to buy a fixer-upper, DON'T BUY IT! It is much more important that you live in a comfortable place, because you are a student first!
4. Find roommates through Facebook, Craigslist, or other places to defray your housing costs!
5. Remember that your mortgage payment does not include just your mortgage. It also includes taxes, HOA fees (if you live in a subdivision that takes care of the landscaping, etc.). So think wisely before you decide to buy!
   
6. Watch the Condos video below!
   

My Black Friday Experience and Credit or Debit?

So my friend Brittney and I were supposed to go shopping at J.Crew at midnight, but she turned around at 11:40 p.m. when she discovered the mile-long traffic and the packed parking lot near the store! Craziness! Their 50% percent off all clearance items (btw, it was only publicized to dedicated customers via email like Brittney) was obviously too big of a sale to miss!

Fortunately, my sister and I were able to hit up Old Navy! Their doorbuster sale on Friday included 50% percent off of all denim, so I bought a pair of jeans (and bought a Christmas present too!). They are having doorbuster sales all weekend, but the sales are definitely better in the stores than online. For instance, I found a pair of skinny jeans that I absolutely loved, but they didn't come in my size in the store. I visited the website, and there were only a select few of jeans that were on sale. :(

At The Budget Fashionista, a blog about shopping on a budget, they mentioned a holiday that has recently been created called Cyber Monday! Apparently, online stores post their best prices and deals on Cyber Monday (which is December 1st)! For more information, check out the site here.

I was shocked to hear that Black Friday for some people was deadly! It's sad that people were killed because of other people's frenzy to buy! Read the article here.

The article also brought up an important point. This year, because of economic woes, more people are using their debit cards or cash to buy gifts this year as opposed to credit cards. For college students, it is so easy for us to swipe our cards instead of finding an ATM or using our parents' credit cards. Here are a few good reasons on why credit card (regardless of whether it's yours or your parents) usage should be slimmed down during the holidays:

1. If you make a budget...and you keep to it, it is easier to say no to things when you have run out of cash!
   
2. It's easy to go over your limit...if you don't plan accordingly! Swiping your card takes only one second and little effort, but removing cash from your wallet and assessing how much you have left is a more conscious effort to keep your money. Don't carry too much money on you, because it is the holiday season, but it's important not to go over your budget or over your credit limit to avoid overlimit fees, etc.
3. Avoid the post-holiday blues...because if you spend too much, you eventually have to pay everything back to the credit card company (with interest!). It can take up to months to recover, so spend wisely this holiday season and make sure you can pay EVERYTHING back before you swipe your card!

How was your Black Friday experience? Do you use your debit card or your credit card more? How will your spending habits change during this holiday season?

-Erica

Happy Thanksgiving! Black Friday is tomorrow!

Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Tomorrow is Black Friday, one of the biggest shopping days of the year. The reason why this shopping holiday is called Black Friday is because retailers lose money all year and on this day, they slash prices to gain profits for the profitable opening of the holiday shopping frenzy. Although this year has been especially hard for people with job layoffs, price fluctuations, and a lack of new jobs available, retailers expect a 2.2% percent increase in shoppping, which is lower than normal yet still optimistic.

With Black Friday comes a ton of retailers who are opening their stores earlier to increase their revenues. For instance, J. Crew is opening up all of their stores at midnight and will give up to 50 percent off on all of their clearance items. Old Navy is giving away MP3 players and other items to the first 50-200 customers in the store. Macy's has a special coupon on their website and in the daily newspaper for getting $10 dollars off of any purchase $25 dollars and over.

For more information about other retailers and their holiday deals, visit blackfriday.info.

How are you, as a college student, trying to cut back this holiday? Are you planning on buying more meaningful gifts? Has your Christmas list changed this year because of the economic crisis?

Money Talks Is Back!

After a long hiatus due to a study abroad program in Argentina, I'm back! During my long hiatus, Wall Street woes and job layoffs have affected not only the United States but the world as well. Don't fret though; I will still be providing you with money saving tips, especially during the holidays. In the next couple of days you can expect the following:

Thursday, November 27th- Happy Thanksgiving! Are you ready for Black Friday?
Saturday, November 29th- My Black Friday Experience!
Sunday, November 30th- College Woes: To Rent or to Buy? That is the Question!

More to come!

-Erica