With tuition fees, course costs, materials, text books, field trips, as well as the rising cost of living, being a student is expensive. While you can save some money by applying for grants, scholarships and loans, it probably won’t be enough. You could take a part-time job, but you don’t want to work so much that you neglect your studies. These are some simple ways you can save money while you study.

Studying online, such as an online MBA degree can be a great way to save money. You don’t have to move, or quit your job. It gives you much more flexible options. If you are interested in online MBA programs get in touch with Northeastern University for some great options. Part-time study would be another option.

Go Second Hand

When it comes to text books for university, second hand is a great option. Check sites like eBay, as many graduates sell their books on when they are finished with them.

Switch Off

This is an easy one that so few of us do. When you leave a room, turn your lights off. Turn your appliances off, instead of on to stand-by. Only have on what you need. It’s a small thing, but over a year it can end up saving you quite a lot of money.

Walk

Save money, and keep fit by walking instead of driving or using public transport. You save on petrol and parking or tickets. For longer distances, book tickets in advance to save money.

Food

Food is one of our biggest expenses, but there are easy ways to save money. Firstly, before you go shopping, plan your meals for the week ahead, and write a list, only buying what’s on the list. Consider buying own-brand, instead of more luxury products. Often, when you’re cooking from scratch, you won’t tell in the end product if the ingredients are cheaper. Lastly, cook in large batches, and freeze any extra. It’s much cheaper to cook like this.

Make Sure You’re Getting the Best Deals

Look at all of the options when it comes to utility and service providers, as you may get cheaper elsewhere. Alternately look at where you can cut back: do you really need all of those minutes on your cell phone contract?

Make Gifts and Cards

When it comes to birthdays and Christmas, get crafting! Homemade gifts can be wonderful and there’s nothing more thoughtful than taking the time to make something for someone. Great adult crafts can include bath products, candles, upcycled clothing and picture frames.

Have Nights In

As a student, it’s tempting to go out every night, but this can be ridiculously expensive. Have the odd night in to save money. Invite your friends round, cook a meal together. Alcohol from a shop is much cheaper than in a bar or restaurant.

Don’t let financial issues stop you studying for the job of your dreams. Just make some cut backs, and be careful. Many people find writing a budget down helps them stick to it.

It is never fun to be in debt, any kind of debt, but still you hear about good debt and bad debt and now you are wondering how any debt is good. Actually, you are with tens of millions of other Americans who feel the very same way and have the very same question in mind. Is there really such a thing as debt that is good? Is there really any difference between good and bad debt when at the end of the day you still owe both and both need to be paid? And, herein lies the answer. Good debt is theoretically supposed to pay for itself and bad debt leaves you holding the bag. Let’s look at a few examples and you will be able to answer for yourself if there really is any difference between good and bad debt.

Case in Point: Obamacare and What It Is Costing Hospitals

There is a growing body of legal professionals who are specializing in health law and policy simply because of the outcry from hospitals around the nation. They are extremely concerned over the turn of events resulting from the Affordable Care Act, aka Obamacare, because instead of lowering ‘bad debt’ they are seeing a huge increase. But, you still may be wondering what the difference between good debt and bad debt is and how any debt for a hospital can be considered to be good.

A Basic Understanding of Good vs. Bad Debt

Since the simplistic definition of good debt is that which is intended to pay for itself, think of good debt as being a hospital’s investment in new technology that will not only improve diagnoses and patient care but will provide a broader reach, bringing in more patients. The revenue from those patients would pay for the technology and that is why it is considered ‘good debt.’ Unfortunately, with Obamacare, patients are still unable to pay the large deductibles and so their treatment still goes unpaid. That technology that should have been good debt is now seen as bad debt because a greater number of patients are unable to make their copays or meet their deductible and the hospital remains unpaid. That’s bad debt.

Bad Debt from a Patient’s Perspective

It doesn’t take a health law degree to see that patients under the ACA are subject to bad debt all the way around. They pay high insurance premiums that have been mandated by law, pay high deductibles before their insurance will kick in and if they can’t pay either, they are left with bad debt on their credit report. Altogether too often Obamacare has sent Americans into a credit crisis where it was supposed to have offered low cost health insurance to all. Obamacare is anything but affordable and so both hospitals and patients are seeing an increase in bad debt.

With a new administration on its way in come January, it is hoped that Obamacare will soon be repealed to be replaced by a truly affordable coverage. Advisors with a health care law degree are pouring over the current legislation and within a matter of weeks will be advising President Trump on ways to provide health insurance to everyone – a coverage that is affordable. That will be good debt. Once paid, there will be no more large deductibles or large co-pays. If you are paying for insurance with coverage, that’s good debt. Paying for insurance that doesn’t provide coverage is bad debt and that’s the difference in a nutshell.

Student debt is often at the top of the list of preoccupations for new students. As a matter of fact, it is estimated that American students owed a total of 1.3 trillion dollars in student debt in 2016 with no signs of slowing down on the horizon. But, are there simple ways students can reduce student debt or steer away from it altogether? Well, as a matter of fact, there are, and in this article, we’re going to explore three tips every student can apply to reduce student debt.

Choose the Right College

Many people make the mistake of going strictly for Ivy league schools thinking that they will ultimately be the best choice for them. However, not all of us may have the money to attend Ivy League schools and the advantage Ivy league schools offer in terms of prestige often has little impact on job prospects.

A better idea would be to go for a lower division school that is specialized in the area of study you’re interested in. This will give you the opportunity to save on tuition while getting an education that will be well respected by most institutions.

Better yet, go for an online education. George Washington University has a great online masters in political science program that is very affordable compared to many colleges. In addition, online political science masters are widely accepted by most organizations. In addition to political science, MBAs, Psychology and Healthcare Administration are all majors that are very popular among online students.

Consider Federal Loans

The federal government has tons of low interest financing options available to students. Direct subsidized loans are usually awarded based on needs while direct unsubsidized ones aren’t necessarily.

Even if you think you wouldn’t be eligible, it is always better to apply for these sort of loans. Every student should consider filing their Free Application for Federal Student Aid to see which type of loans is available to them. However, make sure that you are fully aware of the deadlines to submit your application. Deadlines vary on the State level while the deadline usually falls on June 30th at the federal level.

Try Scholarships and Grants

Again, many students believe that for some reason, scholarships are unavailable to them. However, it’s always better to consider applying for a few of them. Many organizations, such as the private organizations, state government, federal government and certain colleges offer tons of scholarships based on different criteria.

Note that grants are usually awarded based on need and scholarship on merit. However, you can apply for a grant even if you don’t feel you are in need and the notion of merit can vary from scholarship to scholarship. For instance, the David Letterman scholarship at Bell University doesn’t have any specific academic requirements and is awarded based on the student’s character, personality and a realistic expectation that the student will work in the telecommunications industry.

Reducing the cost of your tuition and student debt is easy if you take the proper steps. Whatever you do, make sure that you take advantage of all the financing options available to you, don’t stick to Ivy League schools only and consider applying for grants and scholarships even if you aren’t athletically inclined, academically gifted or in dire need.

Studying is now more expensive than ever. Unfortunately, this only looks set to get worse. Many people are now not going to university, or not carrying on their studies any further than an undergraduate degree, thus missing out on their dream job, because they simply cannot afford it. As a student, however, there are some easy ways for you to make some extra cash, without taking too much time away from your studies. This is especially important if you are studying an intense course such as a master of public health.

Start a Blog

A blog can be a great way to make some money while studying. While it may take some time before it makes any more than a few dollars here and there, in time it could earn you a decent income. Some people make a living from blogging alone, through affiliate marketing and other forms of advertising. A good tip for a student starting a blog is to write about what you know. In the case of a student studying for an MPH degree, a healthcare blog could be great.

Online Surveys

Online surveys won’t ever make you a fortune. But if you join enough sites, and take part consistently, you could earn a noticeable amount. Besides, it’s easy money. You could earn up to $5 for a few minutes answering questions from the comfort of your sofa.

Research

There are opportunities to be a paid volunteer in clinical research projects. Ask at your university if this is something you are interested in, as you know they are a trusted source that won’t put you in any danger. You could even end up being part of a study that saves lives, as well as being well paid for your time.

Freelance

The internet allows you to make money as a freelancer much more easily than ever before. If you can write, look to sites like Upwork, where you can apply for writing jobs. If you are a keen photographer, why not either advertise your skills, or sell your photographs to a stock website.

Craft

Do you have any crafting abilities? If so, consider setting up a store on Etsy, or even putting two money makers together and selling directly from a blog. This is easy to set up. Think of any hobbies you could use to make yourself money. Can you do anything someone would be willing to pay for?

Invest

You’ll need a little money for this one, but if you have got even a small amount saved up, consider making an investment. Speak to an expert and do a lot of research into the stock market before going forward, and never invest more than you can afford to lose. A small investment now might not seem a lot, but made as an undergraduate, it could potentially pay for further study later on.

Remember, scholarships, grants and loans are all options available to help you. Even if you are studying online, for example a public health degree online, you may still be eligible. With some careful planning, and as much saving as you can manage, there’s no reason a lack of money should stop you from following your dreams.

In the era of free YouTube tutorials, Google, and Pinterest, there seem to be nothing but benefits when you decide to take the DIY (Do-It-Yourself) approach. There is a new glory is being able to make, convert, or fix something yourself, without the help of a professional. Everyone will convince you that hiring someone to do something that you can DIY is just a waste of money. But is it really?

Deciding to DIY a few things every now and again can be a great way to learn new skills, develop new passions, live creatively, and usually save some cash. However, at other times life will teach you that doing it yourself is just not worth it, whether it’s because of the liability, the amount of time it takes, or just the quality of the result. At other times it can even turn out more expensive!

Now you’re hesitant whether you should do your own landscaping project or repurpose that chest of drawers that you have gathering dust in your basement? Is it worth cutting a hole in your ceiling to try to fix the electric problems yourself?

Here are some triggers that might have you double guessing whether your DIY resources are enough…

1. There’s a warrantee or insurance on it

If you found a crazy fast motherboard for your desktop and are thinking of switching the parts yourself, make sure that the warrantee that you have isn’t voided the moment you switch something out. Just like fiddling with the wires in your home without the approval of a licensed electrician can render your home insurance useless, even if the electric component is not what is causing the problem. That’s why many retailers recommend using professional repair and installation services for all major appliances and brands. These professionals know exactly how to properly execute the job in a way that won’t damage the item or void the warrantee. Some of these companies even offer their own service guarantee supporting the quality of their work.

2. If You don’t have the tools

Unless you are an avid DIY-er or have unlimited resources, many projects will require a number of tools and some equipment before you even get started. So if you have to rent or purchase several power tools that you would otherwise never get, along with expensive materials, you are probably NOT saving money on this project. The successful DIY projects are the ones for which you already have the majority of the tools and equipment.

3. It requires Specialized Skills or knowledge

OK, you might be able to learn to do your own decent “smokey eye” makeup look, but if you are thinking of building your own house, may luck be on your side. It’s a great idea if you have experience or an education related to engineering and construction. Otherwise, stop and actually consider the risks you are taking by not hiring a professional consultant or builder. Is having your house have huge structural issues and worst-case scenario injuring someone really worth the savings you gained by cutting out the professional help?

Now that you have gone through some of the important considerations for your DIY project, do you still feel like DIY is the only way to go? In many instances, it can be a smart and fun alternative to paying for a ready product or service, bringing people and ideas together, but can also be a hassle and sometimes an utter failure. However, don’t despair if that’s what it comes to. We learn from every decision and in the future we will know our DIY limits.