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If you have kids or grandkids in college, or even if you’re in college yourself, you know about the high cost of higher education. But for real sticker stock, visit the campus bookstore.

Overall, the cost of college textbooks has tripled since 1986, reports the federal Government Accountability Office, to about $900 a year per student. To save money, consider these options:

• Buy online. Compared to the on-campus bookstore, you can sometimes save at online bookstores such as www.amazon.com and www.barnesandnoble.com. Also, comparison-shop at textbook-specific search engines such as www.cheapesttextbooks.com, www.booksprice.com, www.campusbooks.com and www.bigwords.com. You can search at those sites by the book’s title, author or ISBN number.
• Rent. Many students use their books for only one or two semesters, a fact that has prompted a growth in rental services such as www.chegg.com, www.bookrenter.com and www.campusbookrentals.com. Expect savings of 33 to 80 percent compared with buying the books new.
• Go electronic. Students who want to carry a light load—physically and economically—should check out websites such as www.coursesmart.com and www.cafescribe.com, which offer downloadable electronic versions of popular titles.

As gas prices continue to rise, we’ve scoured the internet to find tips to help save you money at the pump. Here are our Top Ten Fuel Saving Tips with helpful links and sources.

Check your speed
Eliminate jack-rabbit starts and accelerate slowly when starting from dead stop. Don’t push pedal down more than 1/4 of the total foot travel. This allows carburetor to function at peak efficiency.

Drive steadily
Slowing down or speeding up wastes fuel. Also avoid tailgating - the driver in front of you is unpredictable. Not only is it unsafe, but if affects your economy, if he slows down unexpectedly. One steady pace is far more efficient.

Car pool
When all riders chip in for gas it’s a lot cheaper. Sharing rides also reduces traffic congestion, gives the driver easier maneuverability and greater “steady speed” economy. For best results, distribute passenger weight evenly throughout car.

Consider walking or biking for short trips
Not only will you save on gas, it’s a healthy alternative.

Lighten up
Don’t haul anything you don’t absolutely need. Remove the bicycle or ski racks between trips and take the flags off (it’s not really the extra weight that hurts your gas mileage; it’s mostly aerodynamic drag). Be sure to check your trunk, glove box and front and back seats for belongings that you really don’t need on a permanent basis. This won’t save you a fortune (unless you have a habit of driving with the full trunk all the time) - but with gas prices rising, it does save enough to consider an automotive clean out, and it doesn’t cost a dime.

Keep your tires properly inflated
Buy a quality tire gauge and check the pressure of your tires before you start. Remember to check while they’re cold and do it at least once a month. When your tires are under-inflated, they require much more horsepower to rotate, thus consuming more gas. Most cars have a label that lists proper tire pressure, usually on a plate attached to the drivers door. Your owner’s manual has the original tire specifications and required inflation pressures also, as long as you haven’t changed tire sizes, these are the numbers you want to target.

Get back to nature
Consider shutting off the air conditioner, opening the windows and enjoying the breeze. It may be a tad warmer, but at lower speeds you’ll save fuel. That said, at higher speeds the A/C may be more efficient than the wind resistance from open windows and sunroof.

Take care of your car
Particularly important is proper maintenance, including engine tune-ups, wheel alignments, tire pressure checks, and filter replacement.

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OpenTravelInfo.com

Snopes.com Gas Tips

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While it seems to be all but a sure thing that all three Xbox 360 SKUs will be getting a price cut on September 7th, if you need a bit more reassurance, you can now take comfort in this apparently authentic Best Buy ad provided by a helpful tipster, which should be making an appearance in paper form just in time for the big day. Just like Radio Shack’s, this one lists the Arcade, Pro and Elite for $199, $299, and $399, respectively, and, unsurprisingly, there’s no mention of a motion controller with any of ‘em.

You can throw the reminders in the Cuisinart or chuck them into a garbage can, but that won’t make the debt go away. Debt hovers like a carrion bird over a dying beast, with annual rates of 20% or more compounded monthly, month in and month out. You can’t wish it away. But you can pay it down with determination, our free debt-fighting resources, and the good graces of a few wealthy relatives (see tip No. 5). Here are nine ways to get out of debt:

1. Pay more than the minimum
First, break the habit of paying only the minimum required each month. Paying the minimum — usually 2% to 3% of the outstanding balance — only prolongs the agony. Besides, it’s precisely what the banks want you to do. The longer you take to repay the charges, the more interest they make, and the less cash you have in your pocket. Don’t play their selfish game.

Instead, bite the bullet and pay as much as you can each month. If your minimum payment is $100, double that to $200 or more. Examine your normal expenses — you can find the money. (For a gazillion ideas, check out our Living Below Your Means discussion board.) Skip eating out at lunch, and bring it from home instead. Eliminate desserts. Give up happy hour. We all have “luxuries,” and you know what yours are.

Make a few sacrifices, and you will find the extra dollars needed to increase your debt repayments dramatically. Those increased payments will save you hundreds, if not thousands, in interest payments. Plus, you will get out of the hole you’ve dug for yourself much more quickly. Is it fun? No. But it sure beats living a hand-to-mouth existence, fearing bills each month.

2. Snowball your debt payments
Take a long, hard look at all your credit cards. Pay particular attention to the one with the lowest interest rate. Have you reached the maximum limit on that card? If not, consider transferring a higher-interest bill to that one. Many credit cards permit this, and it’s positively Foolish to trade an 18% debt for one at 12%.

If your entire balance is too large to fit on one low-interest card, pay at least the minimum amounts due on all of your cards except one. Funnel the majority of your debt repayments into that one credit card, and pay it off as quickly as possible. When the balance on that card reaches zero, move on to the next with the same aggressive repayment plan.

Lather, rinse, and repeat. This method of repayment is aptly called “snowballing.” As your debts decrease, the amount of money you have to attack them increases. Your payments snowball until all of your debt is pummeled. Pretty neat, eh?

Another way to transfer higher-interest debt to a lower-interest card is to take advantage of the promotional offers many banks use to entice you to their line of credit. You’ve seen the come-ons. “Transfer all your credit card balances to us, and pay just 5.9% until next January.” It could be worth it. Moving to 5.9% from 18% interest could mean substantial dollars to you. And the money saved in interest could then be applied toward the principal each month, thus reducing your outstanding debt balance even further.

Take care, though, before you act. Examine the offer closely. Look for the hooks. Will the interest rate after the introductory period be higher than you’re paying now? If so, you may have to switch again at that time. That, in turn, could give rise to another surprise. Banks have caught onto the charge card hoppers who switch from card to card to take advantage of the low introductory rates. Many of these offers now stipulate that if you transfer balances from the new card within a 12-month period, the normal interest rate will be applied to all outstanding balances retroactively. That proviso could be a bitter pill to swallow for someone short on cash, and it certainly doesn’t help the debt repayment schedule. Read the fine print, Fool.

3. Cash out your savings account
You could cash out your savings and investments and use the proceeds toward debt repayment. Yeah, no one wants to do that. But sometimes it’s just Foolish to do so. Even when debt interest is at 12%, your investments would have to pay more than 18% before federal and state taxes to equal that outflow of dollars. We doubt the dollars in your savings account are earning anywhere near that rate of interest. Pay off the debt, and it’s the same as getting that 18% return without any risk on your part. The higher the interest rate on your debt, the more attractive repayment versus investment becomes.

4. Borrow against your life insurance
Do you have life insurance with a cash value? If so, borrow against the policy. Yes, you’re borrowing your own money. But the interest rate is typically well below commercial rates, and you can take your time repaying the loan. Do repay it, though. If you die before it’s repaid, the outstanding balance plus interest will be deducted from the face value of the policy payable to the beneficiary. While that seems a small price to pay to get out of debt now, it could be burdensome to your loved ones should you sleep the eternal sleep before paying it back.

5. Finagle family and friends
Perhaps your family or friends could float you a loan. Who else knows, trusts, and loves you like they do? Unless you’re really the black sheep of the flock, chances are you’ll get a very favorable interest rate. They may even tolerate a late payment or two. But if you want to maintain the relationship, it’s best to keep things on the straight and narrow by using a written agreement. You should clearly establish the interest and repayment schedule in writing to avoid misunderstandings and hard feelings. And it goes without saying that you must be scrupulous about adhering to that schedule. Otherwise, you can forget the family reunions and birthday presents.

6. Get a home equity loan
Do you own your own home and have equity that’s accumulated through the years as you’ve paid off the mortgage? If so, now’s the time to consider a home equity loan (HEL) line of credit for the maximum amount possible.

A HEL gives you two ways to save. First, by using the loan proceeds to pay down your debt, you trade something like an 18% loan for a 6%-7% loan. Second, if you itemize deductions on your income tax returns, HEL interest is a deductible item under most circumstances. In a 25% marginal tax bracket, the 6% loan really has an effective rate of 4.5%, and that’s probably the cheapest interest rate you’ll see on personal indebtedness.

The danger here is falling into a common trap. Many get an HEL, pay off existing debt, and then ring up the charges on the credit cards all over again. Now they have the HEL to repay on top of the credit cards. The hole just got much deeper. Fools use the HEL to pay off the credit cards, and then keep them paid off until the HEL is repaid.

7. Borrow from your 401(k)
Do you participate in a 401(k) qualified retirement plan at work? Most 401(k) plans have a feature that lets you borrow up to 50% of the account’s value, or $50,000, whichever is smaller. Interest rates are usually a point or two above prime, which makes them cheaper than that found on credit cards. Thus, 401(k) plan loans may be a Foolish option to debt repayment. Not only is the interest typically much lower than that on credit cards, the best part is you pay it to yourself. That’s right, every dime in interest paid on a 401(k) loan goes directly into the borrower’s 401(k) account, not the lender’s.

But there are drawbacks. First, the loan and interest will be repaid with after-tax dollars, but the interest will be taxed again when you withdraw money from the 401(k) years later. Additionally, you must repay this loan within five years. If you leave your employment prior to full repayment, the outstanding balance becomes due and payable immediately. If it’s not repaid, that amount will be treated as a distribution to you. You’ll be taxed on that amount at ordinary rates. And if you’re under the age of 59 and one-half years, you will also be assessed an additional 10% excise tax as a penalty for an early withdrawal of retirement funds. Accordingly, ensure any 401(k) loan can be repaid before you leave your job.

8. Renegotiate terms with your creditors
OK, you’ve done all you can. Savings are gone; relatives have been tapped out; you don’t have a home or 401(k) to borrow against. You feel like you’re against that proverbial wall. The money just isn’t there. Is bankruptcy the only way out? No way. Try pulling an ace out of your sleeve prior to taking that step. What ace? The threat of bankruptcy, of course.

Let your creditors know your situation. Tell them that if you are unable to renegotiate terms, you’ll have no other recourse but to declare bankruptcy. Ask for a new and lower repayment schedule; request a lower interest rate; and appeal to their desire to receive payment. Faced with the prospect that you may resort to such a drastic step, creditors will do what they can to protect themselves against a total loss.

Indeed, many will negotiate away the farm before they’ll write off your debt. As lawyers love to say, everything is negotiable. Therefore, what do you have to lose, except time? It’s worth a try. And if you don’t wish to do this yourself, organizations exist that can do it for you.

9. As a last resort, file bankruptcy
What if you decide you can’t pay down your debt using any of the methods listed above? What should you do? The absolute last resort is bankruptcy. Within Fooldom, we firmly believe everyone has a moral obligation to repay their debts to the utmost of their ability. There are times, though, when repayment may be impossible. In those cases, bankruptcy may be the only available course of action. Nevertheless, be aware of the significant drawbacks.

Your credit record will contain this information for 10 years, thus ensuring you will have a tough time obtaining credit you can afford during that period. Additionally, as odd as it seems, it costs money to file for bankruptcy. Attorney and court filing fees cost in the hundreds of dollars, and they must be paid to obtain the relief sought. Finally, bankruptcy laws have gotten a lot tougher in recent years, so you may not qualify for complete relief.

There are two types of personal bankruptcy relief: Chapter 7 and Chapter 13. Chapter 7 is straight bankruptcy that allows the discharge of almost all debts. Those that aren’t discharged are alimony, child support, taxes, loans obtained through filing false financial statements, loans not listed in the bankruptcy petition, legal judgments against the petitioner, and student loans.

While Chapter 7 relieves you of the responsibility of repaying most creditors, you may have to surrender much of your property to help satisfy the debt. However, different states have different laws that grant you exemptions on certain types of property, such as a certain amount of equity in your home, a low-value vehicle, small amounts of jewelry and other personal property, and tools you use in your trade or business. These exemptions usually aren’t huge, but they do mean you won’t have to start over with absolutely nothing.

Chapter 13, sometimes called the “wage-earner plan,” is different. You keep your property but surrender control of your finances to the bankruptcy court. The court approves a repayment plan based on your financial resources that provides for repayment of all or part of your debt over a three-to-five-year period. During that time, your creditors are not allowed to harass you for repayment. You also incur no interest charges on the indebtedness during the repayment period. When all conditions of the court-approved plan have been fulfilled, you emerge debt-free from the bankruptcy.

This article is adapted from a David Braze article. It has been revised.

Story from: fool.com

Rumblings from a world increasingly hungry for oil and grain caused a 5.3% jump in food prices during 2007 — the largest increase in almost two decades. This year, prices are expected to grow by at least that much.

Among the commodities putting the biggest pinch on consumer’s grocery budgets is wheat, which hit a record high of $24 this week on the Minneapolis Grain Exchange, a 480% increase from this time last year. Soybean prices are 77% higher over that same time period; corn is up 23%.

“There is a global increase in demand for food commodities, driven by a rapidly growing middle class in India, China and other developing countries seeking protein,” explains Jack W. Plunkett, CEO of Plunkett Research. “Growth in demand is outstripping growth in supply.” Hardship has further contributed to the scarcity of certain foods. A drought last year in Australia reduced the availability of milk, while poor wheat harvests in several countries hurt world-wide supply. And beef prices have jumped since the U.S. enacted its largest ever beef recall — 143 million pounds — earlier this year.

Skyrocketing oil prices, which regularly top $100 a barrel these days, have also added to the expense of producing, packaging and transporting foods. “Think of it as paying more per calorie burned,” says Plunkett.

The resulting higher costs are swiftly passed down the production food chain to grocery store shelves. “It’s like when the price of oil goes up, and you see a difference at the pump in the next day or two,” says Al Ferrara, national director for consulting firm BDO Seidman’s retail and consumer product division. Constantly produced fresh items like milk (up 19% in 2007), eggs (up 33%) and bread (up 11%) are more apt to reflect changes on a nearly daily basis.

With a little legwork, savvy shoppers can keep their grocery bills at pre-2007 levels — if not lower. Here’s how:

Stockpile
Most items are discounted just once during a 10-to-12-week sales cycle, says Teri Gault, founder of shopping site The Grocery Game. Seasonal items (think barbecue sauce in summer, soup in winter) show up every one to two weeks, while highly-competitive categories (cereal, soft drinks) cycle in every three to four. While it’s not necessary to buy, say, eight jars of peanut butter, it’s better to buy one jar while your favorite brand is on sale now than one at full price after you run out in two weeks.

Explore the store
Saving at the supermarket requires more effort than a quick dash and grab. Some of the best deals aren’t obvious unless you take the time to price compare, says Phil Lempert, founder of Supermarket Guru. Cheese, for example, can be purchased from the cheese counter, the deli and the dairy case. “New York cheddar is New York cheddar no matter where you buy it,” says Lempert. “But the price may be cheaper in one section than in another.”

Keep an eye out, too, for sales. There are twice as many unadvertised sale items in the store as there are in the weekly circular. But be cautious. The longer you spend in stores, the more susceptible you are to sneaky supermarket tricks that entice you to spend more. Make a list, and stick to it.

Try store brands
It’s unlikely you’ll notice a quality difference between ShopRite’s frozen chopped broccoli and Birds Eye’s, says Lisa Lee Freeman, editor in chief of Consumer Reports’ ShopSmart magazine. In fact, most store labels are produced by the same manufacturers that make the brands you know and love. (The maker of Birds’ Eye frozen vegetables, for example, also makes store-label frozen veggies.) But there’s a big difference in price. A 14-ounce package of the store-brand broccoli is 44% cheaper than the brand name. Of course, some store-label products make better deals than others.

Buy “must go” foods
“Ask the staff at your supermarket what time they mark items down,” says Tawra Kellam, founder of frugal living web site Living on a Dime. Stores routinely discount dairy, baked goods, produce and meat by 50% or more as these items approach their sell-by date or become less attractive (think bruised apples or crushed bread). Make no mistake: These items are perfectly safe to eat, even several days after purchase. “You’re not buying old food,” she says. “There’s a big difference between the sell-by date — which is what the stores are required to go by — and the expiration date.”

Shop on Sundays
It’s the best day to buy groceries. Armed with the fresh batch of coupons from your Sunday newspaper and the weekly sales circular, you can maximize your savings. Consumers who combined the two reported saving an average $678 annually, according to a recent Consumer Reports survey.

Think outside the supermarket
Supermarkets aren’t the only place to go for groceries. Here’s where to look:

• Drugstores and pharmacies for milk, over-the-counter medications and personal-care items. “At supermarkets, there’s no coupons for milk, and there are rarely sales,” says Gault. “Drugstores are hoping you’ll grab some milk, and on your way to the register, some higher-priced stuff, too.” At CVS in San Francisco, a gallon of skim milk is $3.99; at Safeway, it’s $4.59.
• Superstores for snacks, cereals and cleaning supplies. The added bonus: Target, Wal-Mart and Kmart are likely to accept competitor’s coupons and match sale prices.
• Online Amazon.com is gaining traction as a grocer, thanks to its free shipping policy and discount prices on bulk quantities, says Lempert. At the Hy-Vee grocery chain, a box of 100-calorie Oreo packs is $2.89. At Amazon.com, a bulk pack of six is $16.25 — a 6% discount.
• Warehouse clubs for alcohol, prescription medications and pantry staples. You can easily recoup the annual membership fee, says Freeman.
• Discount grocers for anything. Aldi and Save-A-Lot primarily sell products bearing their own label, instead of brand names. There’s less selection, says Kellam, but prices are usually at least 20% lower than at the supermarket.
• Surplus stores for dry goods. Chains like Amelia’s, SharpShopper and Grocery Outlet cut prices by up to 70% on damaged, near-expired and expired food obtained directly from the manufacturer. The deals are excellent, but you’ll have to be extremely cautious, says Lempert. “I am not a big proponent of going past the expiration date,” he says. Check for quality before you buy.

Check unit prices
Buying the bigger size isn’t always the best deal. The Federal Trade Commission found that bigger sizes of tuna fish, peanut butter, ketchup, coffee and frozen orange juice were often pricier per unit than smaller counterparts. Crunch the numbers before you buy.

Become a coupon connoisseur
Take your Sunday morning coupon clipping one step further. Join your supermarket’s loyalty club because many offer bonus sales. Grocery chain Fry’s, for example, automatically doubles the value of its members’ manufacturers’ coupons. Also check online coupon sites — because technology limits you to one print-out coupon per computer (as opposed to buying five weekend papers) manufacturers are often more generous with the coupon amounts. Try The Grocery Game, Coupons.com and Red Plum.

Story from: SmartMoney.com

The $10-A-Week Challenge

St. Petersburg, Florida – From drinking evaporated milk to using bread slices as hot dog buns, there are a few creative tricks that can help you eat for a whole week on just $10.

Dietitian Sarah Krieger helped Tampa Bay’s 10 News Reporter Janie Porter and Photojournalist Ben Reiff shop for groceries at Save A Lot in St. Petersburg.

All told, Ben spent $10.35.

And all this week, it’s up to him to stick with a meal plan that cost less than most people pay for one dinner!

Friday, Krieger is answering your questions about the challenge. Just click on the comments section at the bottom of this story, and Krieger will respond throughout the day. Comments posted Friday night will be answered by 9 a.m. Saturday.

Ben’s also blogging about his experience

Ben’s Meal Plan

Day 1
Lunch: 2 hot dogs
Dinner: spaghetti & garlic bread
Total: 85 cents

Day 2
Breakfast: cereal with evaporated milk
Lunch: 2 hot dogs
Snack: banana
Dinner: “Eggs in a Basket”
Total: $1.38

Day 3
Breakfast: cereal with banana & evaporated milk
Lunch: scrambled eggs & toast
Dinner: “Poor Man’s Pasta Primavera”
Total: $2.18

Day 4
Breakfast: cereal with evaporated milk
Snack: banana
Lunch: 3 hot dogs
Dinner: vegetarian omelet & toast
Total: $2.10

Day 5
Breakfast: cereal with evaporated milk
Lunch: eggs & toast
Dinner: “Turkey Frank Parmesan”
Total: $2.17

Do you think you can eat on just $10 a week? Join Ben in the challenge, and share your progress in the comments section below.

Shopping for sales is one of the simplest ways to save at the grocery store. How do you save money? Tell us about it in the comments section below.

Budget101.com offers countless articles for the thrifty-minded, including more ideas on how to eat on $10 a week. It also features a free search engine that can help you search for current sale items at grocery stores in your zip code.

For tips on eating out on the cheap, check out the Cheap Eats section of our partner website, Metromix.

Story from: tampabays10.com