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Brilliant Little Hacks  For  Going Back To School On A Budget

happy woman holding cash and smiling

Brilliant Hacks  For  Going Back To School On A Budget

Paying for the cost of going back to school as an adult can seem daunting. But, the payoff for investing in yo...

Read more

Brilliant Hacks  For  Going Back To School On A Budget

Paying for the cost of going back to school as an adult can seem daunting. But, the payoff for investing in your future is ten-fold! There are many ways to go back to school on a budget, from tuition and textbooks to freeing up cash by couponing. Here are some of our favorite money-saving hacks for going back to school on a budget.

Save A Little Money Here And There

The College Investor suggests 11 everyday items that you can include in your daily spending habits to save money for going back to school. These include grocery coupons, cheaper cell phone service, a free app for money tracking, and more that can help you free up a little money here and there toward your goals.

Try To Avoid Student Loans

We all know the horror stories about student loans. Some of us are living them right now!

As a way to encourage you to avoid accumulating any more debt than you may already have, there are tips on how to avoid student loans during your financial planning for college. Sometimes taking on another job or a side hustle isn’t feasible, but there are other ways to work the system.

  • Apply for FAFSA to see what you might be eligible for in scholarships versus loans as a key piece of your college budget plan
  • Check out state colleges that offer free or lower tuition to residents
  • Always apply for the Pell Grant, TAP-NYS Tuition Assistance Award, and scholarships from the military if applicable
  • If taking on a part-time job or side hustle is possible for you, consider a job that pays regularly in cash (bartending or waitressing are a couple of options)

Save Money On Textbooks

This is crucial. Textbooks can be expensive, and if you’re financial aid can’t cover the cost, don’t feel you need to buy them upfront. Renting textbooks is a more affordable option! Just remember to return them on time to avoid late fees. At textbooks.com, former students buy and sell old textbooks at a fraction of the original price.

To get started, you’ll just need the ISBN of your textbook, and take note of the publication issue to be sure you get the right book.

For even more money-saving tips for heading back to school, be sure to sign up for our email list!

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Must-Follow Life Do’s & Don’ts For Women Going Back to School

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Must-Follow Life Do’s & Don’ts For Women Going Back to School

The Internet is full of “life hacks” for juggling it all, Diva. Maybe you’ve heard of some th...

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Must-Follow Life Do’s & Don’ts For Women Going Back to School

The Internet is full of “life hacks” for juggling it all, Diva. Maybe you’ve heard of some them:

  •     Wake up at 5 AM every day (and never hit snooze!)
  •     Study while you workout so you can knock out two things at once
  •     Forget about music and listen to motivational speeches on your commute

But is all that waking up early and multitasking every aspect of your life really going to help you juggle it all?

As women who have been where you are, we put together a list of real-life do’s and don’ts for going back to school as a woman with enough already on her plate.

DO Wake Up Earlier

Sorry about this one, Divas. It is true: waking up earlier can help you be a better boss at life! In fact, according to Forbes, a 2008 Texas University study showed that “college students who identified themselves as ‘morning people’ earned a full point higher on their GPAs than those who were ‘night owls’ (3.5 vs. 2.5).” The data is in, and it pays to wake up even an hour earlier each day.

DON’T Drink Caffeine All Day

It doesn’t matter if it’s coffee, Red Bull, or pre-workout: having caffeine after about noon is just a no-go.

Researchers from the Sleep Disorders & Research Center at Henry Ford Hospital and Wayne State College of Medicine found that having caffeine even 6 hours before bedtime affected sleep amounts by over an hour. Skip the caffeine and try an energizing 7-minute workout to give yourself a mid-afternoon power boost.

DO Try A Block Schedule

Ever felt like you’re checking email, texting friends, reviewing social media notifications, listening to a lecture and completing an essay all at the same time? You may feel like you’re doing it all, Diva, but multitasking can lead to feelings of overwhelm.

Instead, try a block schedule! With this simple method, you set up blocks of time (in your actual calendar or phone) for certain activities. Here’s an example:

  •     3-3:30 check email
  •     3:30-4:00 draft essay
  •     4:00-4:30 listen to a lecture
  •     4:30-5:00 text, call, and check social media

Everything has a chance to be done at its own time and place! You can relax knowing you’ll get to everything you need to do so that you can focus on one thing at a time.

DON’T Procrastinate

This one’s easier said than done, but there is hope! Waiting until the last minute begs for trouble, stress, and less-than-your-best performance. Set aside even 15 minutes each day before a big deadline to complete one task on a project. Pretty soon you’ll be done!

Let’s say you have a paper due in a week. On Monday, you can find 3 sources. On Tuesday, you can take notes on key points you can use in the paper. Then, on Wednesday, write the thesis and build an outline. On Thursday, write a draft. By Friday, you’ll be breezing through the editing process and hitting “Submit.”

DO Give Yourself A Break

Literally and figuratively speaking, remember to cut yourself some slack! If you know you’re doing your best, try not to feel negative about your productivity. You are worth more than just how much stuff you get done!

Take a break from time to time to watch Netflix, get some sun, or just take a nap. You’re doing great, Diva.