SavvySugar

Would You Take a Stanford Class on iTunes?

SavvySugar — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 06:00:10 -0800

Maybe you're wondering if it's even possible to take a class on iTunes. It is now - and not just from Stanford, but from Yale, Wharton, Berkeley, and more. In a relatively new move, prestigious colleges and universities are making lectures, classes, and even written materials available online.

The experience isn't exactly like taking an actual course. For one, you won't be awarded any credits, but considering it's all online and free, it seems a fair trade. You may not have access to everything from the class, but that's not really the point - as Money Magazine's Pat Regnier might tell you. He downloaded Berkeley's American economic history course on iTunes last year and a Yale professor's lecture series on the Civil War.

He wasn't seeking a secondary degree, but the lectures satisfied the urge to sharpen his intellect, without shelling out cash for grad school or a costly MBA. Just check out iTunes, Academic Earth, or OER Commons to find out what's available. So, what do you think? Would you take the time to give your intellect a boost with a little free online education?

What Is the Best Money Management Tool in 2008?

SavvySugar — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 11:30:50 -0800

Financial organization has been a top priority for many of us this year, and the money management tools that make this easier deserve a place in the Best of 2008. These tools do awesome things like showing all of our accounts in one place and depicting our spending habits in pretty pie charts that let us see where we should cut back. In short, budgeting has never been so simple. Which of these tools do you favor over the rest?

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Money Tip: Track Your Spending Online

SavvySugar — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 11:00:19 -0700

Tracking your spending is the best way to learn your money leaks and begin the path of budgeting, which will hopefully make you feel more in control of your money. Forget entering every expense in your spiral notebook; all you need to get started is your computer.

Wesabe is a free website that makes it easy to track your finances. It lets you see all of your bank, credit, and savings accounts in one place and has budgeting tools for organizing your spending. Seeing the big picture of your money in one place makes the budgeting process a no-brainer, and having one place to check in takes much less time than figuring out where you stand by looking at each account separately.

Aside from its money-management capabilities, Wesabe is unique in that it has an active community where members hash out financial issues. The site has groups, similar to the ones on TeamSugar, but they are geared toward specific money questions like debt dilemmas and how to be a smarter spender.

Have you ever used an online money management site like Wesabe?

Giving the Gift of College Savings, Online

SavvySugar — Wed, 10 Sep 2008 15:30:32 -0700

Buying gifts for kids is fun and easy - who doesn't love sorting through all of the cool toys and adorable books geared toward lil ones? If there's a child in your life who will be getting gifts from you often, like a niece or nephew, you may consider giving a gift that takes into account the child's future.

State-sponsored 529 plans are a great way to save for college because they are tax-deferred accounts, and only the interest earned in the account is taxed once the funds are withdrawn and put toward educational expenses. Traditionally, gifting contributions to an account that doesn't belong to your own child have been paperwork ridden and a hassle.

Freshman Fund has developed a system that allows contributions to be made online - no paperwork required - and lets account owners (usually parents) invite others to contribute to a 529 plan. After you've completed your information online, you simply mail in a check to complete your gift.

What do you think of giving college fund contributions as gifts?

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Money Tip: Waste Less by Setting Limits

SavvySugar — Mon, 11 Aug 2008 15:20:24 -0700

Numbers have a powerful way of providing shock-value, and that's what M.P. Dunleavey for Good Housekeeping was going for when she told readers how much it takes to waste $10,000 a year - just $27.40 a day. Little purchases here and there can add up to a much bigger amount, so the best way to get a grip on what you're spending is to hold a magnifying glass up to the big picture.

Dunleavey tested free money management sites Mint.com and Geezeo.com and preferred Mint for its customer-friendly system. After you've plugged in your account information, the site allows you to view recent transactions and breaks them into spending categories. You're even able to set spending limits for yourself - following a budget really has never been so easy, and getting a reality check on what you're spending should help limit the amount of money you waste overall.

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Do Some Research Before Enrolling in an Online Program

SavvySugar — Mon, 16 Jun 2008 06:31:57 -0700

Online degree and certificate programs have become increasingly popular in the last 10 years. They're convenient, inexpensive and allow you to gain an additional notch on your belt while working elsewhere. Despite all the perceived flexibility of such programs, this weekend's New York Times offered some good advice for anyone considering signing on: before you enroll you should understand the commitment that will be involved. Here's more:

How long will it take to get a degree? Before you make the leap, be prepared to spend at least 10 to 20 hours a week, for at least one or two years, on your online learning - and possibly more, depending on the degree.
How much will it cost? The price varies widely, but in many cases tuition fees are comparable to those at brick-and-mortar schools - minus the added cost of things like room and board.
How will it compare to college outside the virtual world? Professionals who opt for online degrees will almost certainly miss out on many of the impromptu lunches, barroom debates and other serendipitous learning experiences that occur on a college campus. You may also be less likely to make lasting personal and professional connections with your online classmates.

Have you ever taken (or considered taking) a class or certificate program online?
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Money Tip: Suggestions and Secrets For Saving on Travel

SavvySugar — Tue, 06 Oct 2009 12:00:22 -0700

Vacations may be fun, but they don't come cheaply. Thankfully, there are a handful of tricks that enable us to explore the globe economically. When shopping for a travel deal, it's wise to shun ridiculously expensive airplane food, be flexible about flight times, and compare apples to apples, but how can you really cut costs?

Kiplinger offers an incredible specific list of 21 Secrets to Save on Travel. Highlights include:

Check TripAdvisor.com for 25 million property reviews from real travelers and professional critics. For details on cozy and often less-costly venues, go to BedandBreakfast.com.

Visit Hotels.com every Thursday for its new last-minute deals. While you’re there, watch for other rate sales and package specials.

Book directly through the hotel's website. Many places offer special online booking and prepaid deals. You can also opt in to hotels’ free rewards programs and receive emails about special promotions and discounts.

For a slightly unorthodox saving tip, read more.

Book blindly for rock-bottom rates. The auction-style booking pushed by William Shatner’s Priceline Negotiator in the popular commercials really can cut up to 50 percent off regular hotel rates (and 40 percent off airfare and car-rental rates). And Hotwire.com’s Hot Rates can knock up to 60 percent off retail room prices. You can specify your length of stay, preferred neighborhood, and minimum star class, but you won’t know the exact hotel or location until after you pay – an especially big risk when visiting unfamiliar areas, particularly overseas. (Blind booking is a safer bet for car rentals; a sedan is a sedan is a sedan. But it’s a big gamble for flights because you won’t know exact flight times or airlines.)

Check out the full 21 Secrets to Save on Travel. What's your secret travel saving tip?

Life Experience Degrees Still Fooling People

SavvySugar — Mon, 14 Sep 2009 06:31:30 -0700

Jefferson High School, Belford High School, and Belford University sound as real as any learning institution - except diplomas from these online "schools" aren't recognized by anyone. The Better Business Bureau is familiar with the names after receiving complaints about the programs, which offer diplomas after paying for and taking a single online test, but these diplomas are far from genuine.

People seeking to improve their lives stumble upon scammy online schools while searching for alternative ways to earn high school diplomas and even medical degrees. Diane Cerulli received a diploma from Belford University after taking an online multiple choice test based on "life experience" and sending in a check for $1,400. She received a letter from the school after completing the test that stated: "You are now a doctor. Diplomas and paperwork will be mailed to you after you pay $1,400 for the degree."

Now, Cerulli understands she was scammed and said, "Today, my rational thinking is in full bloom, and I could get into a lot of trouble if I put a shingle up and called myself a doctor." Common sense should tell us that if something is too good to be true, it probably is, but sometimes hope gets the best of people. Before you shell out a dime, check the Better Business Bureau and the US Department of Education to see if a school is accredited.

Shop Smart This Summer!

Sponsor — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 05:45:01 -0700

Times may be tough, but there’s no need to overlook those little things that help you further your career and keep you organized. The key? Shop smart and take advantage of programs that help you find the best deals. As a Bank of America customer, learn how you can earn up to 20 percent cash back at over 300 online retailers through the bank’s new Add It Up™ online shopping website. It’s easy, too. You sign in with your online banking ID at bankofamerica.com/additup, click through to your desired store - like Staples.com - and use your Bank of America debit or credit card to start earning cash back when you make your purchase. Also, enroll in Bank of America’s Keep the Change program, and every purchase you make with your Bank of America debit card will be rounded up to the next dollar amount. Then the difference is transferred from your checking to your savings account. Learn even more about Bank of America’s match details when you enroll. Go on - get that new printer for your home office.

Three Tips for Organizing Your Receipts and Expenses Online

SavvySugar — Thu, 22 May 2008 09:46:20 -0700

As we spend money we inevitably collect a messy paper trail of bills, transactions and receipts.

Consequently, keeping your receipts orderly and wallet clean is a never ending challenge.

If you're looking to organize your finances you should check out some of the online services that help keep track of your spending and receipts. The options vary per service but a combination of any program with your old school "receipt box" (or the bottom of your purse) can help you better manage your spending and keep track of where your money is going every month. For the simplest ways to get started, read more.

Check Out Your Bank's Options: Most of the banks that offer robust online banking programs feature a system for tracking all your accounts and spending. They usually record and break down every ATM transaction and check you send out and help you analyze how much you are spending and saving monthly. The best programs help you itemize your expenses into separate categories like food, clothing, bills, living etc.
Track Your Online and Offline Purchases: Shoeboxed is a free online service that can automatically track and organize your online and offline purchases. When you make online purchases, you give the company your "@shoeboxed.com" e-mail address and stores will send receipts and e-mails directly to your Shoeboxed account.
Try Sites Designed to Track Spending: Sites like Mint, Wesabe and Spending Profile offer services to track your spending and watch your budget. The programs are all varied and detailed so you can customize them to manage your money in a way that makes sense for you. Due to their popularity, these sites are constantly offering updated versions of themselves, but some people are hesitant about keeping all of their financial information in one online location.