Follow this Blog at the new website and win iTunes Gift Cards

Thanks for a following College+Life Blog on this site.
We've moved to a new home blog.collegebookrenter.com

Please join us at our new location.  Leave comments on the different posts and you could win an iPod gift card.  You will receive an entry for every comment you leave and an additional entry when you subscribe.

Good Luck

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• Enjoy Your CBR Blog and Win iTunes Gift Cards (collegelife.wpengine.com)

How To Rent Books Easier

Lynn Moore, VP of Customer Service for Collegebookrenter.com, was asked the following questions concerning ways to make renting books easier this fall.

What is your role at CBR and how long have you been there?

I am the Vice President of Customer Service. I have been with CBR since May 2010. Before moving to CBR I worked with for our “sister” company South Eastern Book Co.

What changes and improvements have you seen since you’ve been there?

There are so many it would be hard to name them all! This company has grown by leaps and bounds over the last year. We have grown not only in size, but in experience. Over the last year, our staff has grown to include reps with years of previous customer service experience from large, national companies as well as reps with book knowledge. Our book inventory has expanded and helps us serve our customers better.

How does Customer Service help your renters?

We strive to help each of our customers. We are available to help customers create accounts, process orders, track shipments, and much, much more. We are available by phone, email, and chat via our website.

If there was just one crucial point to learn from this interview, what would it be?

Read the website carefully and choose the rental term or purchase selection that best suits your needs. Make sure all shipping and billing information is correctly entered so that there is no delay in service.  

What advice would you give to first time renters?

Take the time to read the policies on the website. They are there to help make the rental experience a good one. Look at the refund policy and know that if you do have to drop a class, send the book back within the return limits so that you qualify for a refund.  Make sure to use our return labels available for your account to return your books. We offer free UPS return shipping directly to our warehouse. Using your return label ensures that your book comes back to our facility… and it’s FREE!

Any additional comments?

CollegeBookRenter.com was created to help students save money. College is expensive enough and we want to try to ease some of that burden. Our goal is to always help our customers. Currently we are here Monday-Friday 8am-5pm. We also have additional rep coverage from 7am-7pm. These reps are available to assist customers with orders outside of our normal business hours. For help with a special problem or an accounting issue, please call during our regular business hours. We are here 7am-7pm, managers are here 8am-5pm. Extended hours are to help serve customers on the east and west coasts.  

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You Can Rent Almost Anything

The rental business is one of the fastest growing industries - and for good reason.  Zilok, an online rental site, claims you can rent anything.   You can rent a violin in Lakeway, TX for $20 a day or $28 a month.  If you are in Seattle, WA, you can rent a Toyota pick-up for $80 for the weekend.

Top three reasons to rent:

1. You have champaign taste with a beer budget. 
Say you're going on a weekend trip and want to take some nice photos and experiment with some new equipment.  According to SpotCoolStuff, renting makes sense if you can't afford the quality of photography gear you want or you'd like to try out a piece of equipment before buying it. 

Even if photography isn't your cup of tea, you can try out other high tech devices like iPhones or a Mac Book Air for $10 for a three day rental period at Rentavo.

2. You're fickle.

How many times have you decided to take up a new hobby or adventure, only to find out it just wasn't right for you? 

Say you've decided to take up hiking and camping.  You go to REI and spend hundreds on tents, boots, stoves, back packs and other supplies. After a few hours in the woods you discover you would rather be golfing, shopping or watching the "Law and Order" marathon instead of trying to boil water on a stove the size of a bar of soap.

Save yourself the heartache and heart-stopping credit card bill. Before you spend $350 for a Big Agnes Emerald Mountain SL2, try one out at Mountainside Gear Rental for $29 for the weekend.


3. You absolutely cannot be seen in the same outfit more than once.

You can spend $363 on a TIBI Mod Bollywood dress you're going to wear just a couple of times, or you can rent it for $50 and be the talk of the party.  "What, this old thing?" can become your new mantra.

Throw in some Kate Spade "Bernie" Sunglasses for only $14 a week, then send them back and wait for the next best thing to come along.

Renting has not only changed the fashion and recreation industries; lucky for people like you and me, it's changed the textbook industry as well.


For example, the Lucas "Art of Public Speaking", ISBN 0073385158 can be purchased new in a campus book store for over $90.00.  You can rent the exact same book from online rental sites like College Book Renter for $36.75 per semester.  The new McConnell "Economics 19e", ISBN 0073511447 costs $170 in the bookstore new, $145 used (if you can get one used), or you can rent it from CBR for only $65.  

Do the math.


The moral of the story for the practical college student: rent before you buy. Save a lot of money so you can spend more on new hobbies like photography or outdoor activities. Heck, if you rent the equipment, you'll even have some money left over to put in your savings account...or gas tank!

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• Zilok - Rent anything, On-line! Rentals from Businesses and Individuals. (us.zilok.com)

College Book Renter's Ramen Noodle Recipe Winner

Image via WikipediaCBR Ramen Noodle Recipes Winners
Congrats to Stacy Giltner - best recipe presentation and story telling.  We didn't have a category for this but were very amused with Stacy's story.  First Place went to Sheryl Schulte.  Contact marketing@collegebookrenter.com
with your mailing address' and we will send your iTunes gift cards.

Stacy Giltner 

Luck has it that there is one packet of ramen that the equally starving roomie (aka lump on couch) has not spotted. Flavor appears to be red with a picture of a sturdy cow. For the non-finicky palate of the starving college student this just means a cow can eat it, so can this student. Preparing ramen is a tricky ordeal as the kitchen is scanned for a clean pot, a bowl, and possibly a spork. The flies lead the starving college student’s eyes to the pile of dishes that have been abandoned ages ago in what use to be a sink buried under fuzz and debris. Cooking the precious package of ramen has now been ruled out. This clever student brainstorms the next plan – sifting through old Taco Bell bags scattered around the living room. The first bag of many is an immediate gold mine of hot and mild sauce packets. The ramen package is busted open and the taco bell bag becomes a serving platter for this delectable treat. The hard ramen is first dipped into the red sauce and then dipped into the seasoning. This crunchy little treat must be enjoyed quickly before the roomie awakes and sucker punches the student for not sharing this morsel.

Desiree Massey-Fink

Best Ramen Noodle Recipe Contest

Ingredients: Two packs of Ramen Noodles, 1/4 cup of Stir-fry sauce, stir-fry veggies. Chicken, beef, or shrimp(optional), soy sauce

Directions: Boil ramen noodles as directed on package (do not add packet of spices), meanwhile in a skillet start cooking the protein of your choice (meat or fish) and when those are done take out of pan, set aside and keep any flavor drippings in pan for the veggies, cook veggies until tender. When the ramens are done, drain water and add to the skillet of veggies and protein. Add stir fry and soy sauce and mix together. add salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy

Sheryl Schulte Taco Salad 1 package beef ramen noodles
1/2 pond ground beef
1 small tomato, chopped
1/2 cup onion chopped
1 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
Thousand Island dressing Mix all together and enjoy..keep refrigerated!!!

Kate Reeves Raman Noodle, Mozz Cheese, and Texas Pete Hot Sauce!

Ashly Winkle 

Ramen Noodle Salad Ingredients
1 (16 ounce) package broccoli coleslaw mix 2 (3 ounce) packages chicken flavored ramen noodles 1 bunch green onions, chopped 1 cup unsalted peanuts 1 cup sunflower seeds 1/2 cup white sugar 1/4 cup vegetable oil 1/3 cup cider vinegar 
Directions
In a large salad bowl, combine the slaw, broken noodles and green onions. 
Whisk together the sugar, oil, vinegar and ramen seasoning packets. Pour over salad and toss to evenly coat. Refrigerate until chilled; top with peanuts and sunflower seeds before serving

Priscilla Barnes

Best Ramen Noodle Recipe Contest 
By: Priscilla Renne Barnes
Mexicano Rameno
Mexicans add a little spice to everything, and ramen noodles are no exception. 
Ingredients: 
• Chicken Ramen Noodle package
• Salsa Huichol 
• Chicken flavored bullion powder form (caldo de sabor a pollo by Knorr)
• One squeezed lime

*Amounts added to preferred taste
* Hot sauce and chicken bouillon can be found at most Wal-Mart locales

Wilmalynne Botley With boiling ramen noodles add an egg mix egg while in soup to separate egg then add sauce mix lawrys garlic salt and ground black pepper about 1 tsp of each. And it's perfect.

Alycia Drube Be careful to only use the amount of water as you want broth. While noodles are boiling add in an egg (egg drop soup style). If noodles aren't done boil it down a little, thicker is better. Then add packet of flavoring and a couple squirts of Sriracha sauce. It smells funny but tastes DELICIOUS!

Faith Jordan 

My mom makes this amazing salad but I have no idea where she got the recipe from. The salad part is just romaine lettuce and chopped green onions, the salad dressing is just 1/2 cup oil, 4 tbsp vinegar, one packet of the seasoning from ramen noodles mixed together. The topping is toast almond slivers in a skillet with seasme seeds, after add two packs of the crumbled ramen noodles (uncooked). mix it all together when you are ready to serve so the noodles wont get soggy from the dressing.

Related articles

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Best Ramen Noodle Recipe Contest

Image via WikipediaWin a $15 iTunes Gift Card for the best Ramen Noodle Recipe.

The Ramon Noodle has been associated with starving college students for decades.  This  delicacy has been prepared several million different ways all over the world. According to Wikipedia -  "In 1958, instant noodles were invented by Momofuku Ando, the Taiwanese-Japanese founder and chairman of Nissin Foods, now run by his son Koki Ando. Named the greatest Japanese invention of the 20th century in a Japanese poll,^[1] instant ramen allowed anyone to make this dish simply by adding boiling water."  Out of necessity students all over the world have take the basic noodles to new heights by adding whatever ingredients they could scavenge and created their own works of art. 


Post your recipe in on Face Book  before Noon,  Monday June 20th CST.  A winner will be decided by a panel of CBR chefs and connoisseurs.

Interview with a Student, Father, Husband, Full-Time Employee and Army Veteran

Image via WikipediaI recently got to interview Jameson Owens, a non-traditional student via email to get a better perspective on the challenges, sacrifices and hurdles of everyday living.  After reading this Blog, you will appreciate your own college experience a little better. Jameson attends Murray State University in Murray, KY.

Please give a brief personal history:

I spent just over 10 years in the Army. I had it good. I was financially stable with a great and supportive wife and 5 kids.  I got to travel all over the world.  I was completely unprepared for the outside world when I finally got out, especially the way things are today.  So after about 2 years of working at a cable company and driving a bus for the city, I felt it was time to go back and finish up what I started so many years ago.  I took advantage of the GI Bill to obtain my degree in Occupational Health and Safety.  With the stress of attending full time, I still have responsibilities at home.  I still had to support my family.  So working part time for peanuts driving a bus was getting harder to do due to my academic schedule so I began to look for a 3^rd shift position.  I now work nights as a security guard full time.

How long will it take to complete your degree?  

It will take about another 3 semesters plus a summer of internship to completely finish up.  

     

When did you start?

I have been working on getting my college education off and on since 1994.  I took a long pause from about 1996 or so to do the “young and dumb” thing and then the Army.  I took a few classes while I was in, but as busy as Army lifestyle can be, I took another break.  It wasn’t until Fall of 2009 that I enrolled in Murray State to finish it up.

By having the responsibilities of providing for a family while in college, what obstacles have you encountered? 

Some of the main obstacles would include being able to handle things at home.  I really like my yard to be nice.  It has suffered.  I still get out there to mow when it’s needed, but there are other landscaping things I want to do that have been put on hold.  Another thing is house and vehicle maintenance.  I do the things when I have the time.  Thankfully, my family has stepped up to help a lot.  Another obstacle would include being available to take the kids to extra curricular activities.  I usually can get to a football game or soccer game while it’s in progress but getting there on time is rare these days.

What sacrifices have you made? 

Aside from missing or being late to sports, probably one of the biggest sacrifices is being able to spend the quality time with my wife and kids.  Sleep is a big sacrifice as well as trying to stay in shape.  With a family, it’s not just me that makes the sacrifices.  My wife works full time as well.  It’s not too bad while the kids are in school, but during breaks, my kids are burdened as well.  My two oldest have taken a giant step up to help care for their younger siblings.  They have managed to get around some of those obstacles as mentioned in the previous question. 

If you learned just one thing that you would like to pass on to others that will face a similar journey, what would you tell them?

Get that college education as early as you can.  If you wait as long as I did, it will be harder to do everyday.  Even if you have a good job without your degree, you should take the time to get it.  That job may not be guaranteed for life. 

  

Looking back since starting college, what would you have done differently?

If I had to go back and do it again, I would have at least tried to finish my degree as soon as possible after high school.   

What advice do you have for young parents in college to stretch their budget?

I used to live out in the county when I started back to school.  Driving back and forth 4-5 times a day with today’s gas prices is crazy.  If you can, move into town as close as possible to your school.  It doesn’t have to be permanent, just until you finish school.  I now live across the street from mine so I walk to class.  Not only does it save money in gas, it helps you somewhat stay in shape if you don’t get the chance to exercise.  On top of that, I live less than 5 miles from my job.  I could ride a bike to work if I wanted.  2^nd, it is not necessary to have the best things in life, 55 inch flat screen TV, 3 or 4 game systems, etc.  There isn’t really a big need to buy brand name groceries all the time.  The Walmart or Kroger brands are cheaper (sometimes) and sometimes the same as quality and taste.  Some things I think taste better.  Of course that is a personal preference.  Pasta is cheap. Also, with the size family that I have, we tend to do a lot of crock pot meals.  There are so many different ways to stretch a budget.  I had to learn that the hard way.

Thanks Jameson and good luck finishing your degree.

We would love to hear from any of our readers and followers who have great advice on how to take care of a family, job and college all at the same time.  Please leave your comments.

CBR Late Textbook Return Fees

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeCollege Book Renter has been getting several inquiries about questions concerning late fees.

If your textbook(s) is not returned and or a UPS Return Label has not been generated by the last day of your rental period, then your credit card will be charged a 15 day extension fee.  However, if you generated a UPS shipping label by the last day of your rental period,  your account may show a late status because of an automated response.  CBR will allow processing time before charging you.  This past Memorial Holiday demanded more processing time and left some students wondering about possible charges.

If your textbook(s) is not returned and/or a UPS Return Label has not been generated by the last day of your 15-day extension, then your credit card will be charged the list price of the textbook(s) minus the 15-day extension fee. You will be notified via email of these charges!

Here is the easy to follow  return process:

       CollegeBookRenter.com makes returning textbooks easy and free!

1. Log on to your Collegebookrenter.com account using your email address and password.
2. Under Rental History click on the Rental Return button, select the book(s) and reason, and click Print Label.
3. Print off the two pack slips for your order and the UPS shipping label.
4. Tape the UPS return shipping label to the package being used to return the textbook(s).
5. Make sure one copy of the pack slip is placed in the return package. Keep one copy for your records.
6. Drop the package at any UPS location and the rest is history.

Do not mail your textbooks back to CBR in a USPS Priority Shipping Box or you will be charged for the shipping cost.

We hope this helps you get your books back on time and save some more bucks.

DIY Father's Day Gift Ideas

Image by Getty Images via @daylifeFather's Day doesn't have the same glitz as Mother's Day but the DIY gift you make Dad will mean more to him than a new Odyssey Backstryke Sabertooth Putter....maybe.

My favs have always been a handmade greeting card and a kiss on the cheek.  However here are a few suggestions:

• You can't go wrong with cooking Dad's favorite meal.
• A cube of paper that you decorated by drawing on and Blinging
• A coffee tumbler that can be decorated
• Photo album of your favorite pictures of  Dad and the family
• Do a project with him like having Dad help you build a bird feeder for his backyard 
• Homemade fudge.  If you don't know how, buy some and wrap it up like you made it.

A DIY gift means you took the time to give of yourself and that you're thinking of Dad.  You could give him a DIY present and an Odyssey Backstryke Sabertooth Putter.

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Anyone Needing Financial Aid for College?

With college tuition going up by 5 to 10% per year, it's become increasingly difficult to find loans, grants and other forms of financial aid.  Check this site out for some great info -  89 Financial Aid for College Tips by StudentLoansForCollege.org.


Financial Aid can also come in the form of scholarships.  There are hundreds of thousand of dollars of unused scholarships laying around that go unused every year.  Start digging now. Most have been awarded but will go unused by the start of the fall semester.

My favorite financial aid is the "work/study" program.  My wife runs a museum on Murray State University's campus.  She has student workers through out the year to come in to help her with lots of duties.  They always have time to study while they wait for programs to end and lock up.  It's not a bad deal, actually getting paid to study and the university wants to help them.

Related articles

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brandflakesforbreakfast

brandflakesforbreakfast

The Joys of Summer School

Summer school can be hectic and stressful but you can get much needed hours quickly.  Some students need remedial instruction and others are looking for advancement.  Either way, you have to be ready for some furious action.

If you're using summer school for advancement and finishing school quicker, you could save money over your college career on many levels.  You'll start your new working career sooner and save on tuition, because rates climb every year by 5 - 10%.  If you need remediation, you get to take a class over to raise your GPA, and that can get expensive but it might be worth the effort if you land your dream job.

Your textbooks are cheaper in the summer if you rent them since the term is much shorter than a quarter or semester.  If you buy them, you'll pay the same and still face the risks when you  try to sell them back .  You'll appreciate the savings if you have other bills to pay.

The down side to taking classes this summer is "all work and no play".  You pay for the work instead of working for a paycheck....but the big paychecks will be sooner instead of later.

Is College Getting Too Expensive? - Jeff Cohen: The Textbook Guru

Is College Getting Too Expensive? - Jeff Cohen: The Textbook Guru

Free iTunes for Finals Winner

Image via WikipediaCollege+Life Blog and CollegBookRenter.com just held our first Sweepstakes drawing.  The Sweepstakes was from Thursday May 12th through 1:00 CST today, May 16.

The Winner is Carolyn Barnett from Tennessee.  She won an iTunes Gift Card.

We will have several more sweepstakes so stay tuned and keep on following our Blog.

Website of the Day

Everyone is always looking for ways to save money.
I found this site today - http://www.survivingthestores.com

They Have Coupons for everything.

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Sell and Return Your Books

Need Cash?  Need to Save some cash?

The sooner you return your textbook rentals and sell your other books the better.  If you have books to sell after finals be the first to sell them.  Local bookstores will pay higher prices for books they need for the next semester, after they fill their quota, the price drops.  Online buyers like College Book Renter and WeBuyTextbooks usually purchase your books at premium prices year round.

If you have rental books, send them back before you have to pay extensions or penalties.

Here is a new Promotional Coupon code - Summer5  for our facebook and Blog followers: Save 5% on CBR rentals through June 17, 2011.

Now, go ace your finals.

Good Luck

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Last Minute Mother's Day Gift Ideas

Image via WikipediaIf you haven't planned for Mother's Day, here are a few last minute ideas.

• Have Mom over for a home cooked meal or get the family together for a pot luck supper.  Check out $5 dinners for recipes and coupons.
• Take Mom out for a round of Putt Putt golf either with the family or for some one-on-one time.
• Make a DIY gift we discussed in a previous blog, check them out.
• Send a magazine gift subscription
• Set up a virtual family reunion.  For a simple telephone conference call, you can go with a free service like FreeConference.
• Box of chocolates, let your budget decide on the brand.
• Send a donation to the Red Cross in honor of your Mother to help the 2011 flood victims.

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• 5 Homemade Mother's Day Gifts Ideas Mom will Love (savings.com)

Spring Cleaning - It's A Good Time to De-Clutter

This Blog post comes from our good friend Jeff Cohen.  His Blog can be found at http://www.thetextbookguru.com/.

Jeff Cohen is CEO of CampusBooks.com and blogger at TheTextbookGuru.com. He dishes out tips and insider advice about education, textbooks, and saving money.

April showers bring May flowers, and with them, the buzz for Spring Cleaning. It’s a good time to de-clutter, and with today’s online tools and a little creativity, it’s even a chance to make a little extra cash for summer plans. Whether you’re heading out of the dorms or staying put, here are five unexpected ways to get rid of your junk.

1. Sell the stash of broken electronics

We all have it: that drawer, box or bin of broken or outdated electronics, from cameras to cables. Electronics are hard to get rid of, but consider the last time you used them and the space that tangle of technology is taking up.

Sort through the electronics jungle and decide what can go, but don’t just toss it: you can sell even broken electronics, like cell phones, cameras, and iPods for parts on eBay. You may only get $20 for your cracked camera, but non-functioning iPhones can get hundreds. Either way, if you don’t need it fixed, some cash is better than none.

No luck selling? Your last resort shouldn’t be to toss, but donate. The EPA can help you find out where.

2. Team up with your neighbors

Whether you’re moving out of a dorm or stable in a neighborhood, don’t neglect the value of a good yard sale. Pick a weekend, spread the word to your neighbors, and advertise the sale on Facebook and local bulletins. Get Rich Slowly has a great checklist for getting the most out of your garage sale, and the more people you have involved, the higher chance you have of people stopping by.

On a campus? Team up with a student org to host a college-wide yard sale, like USC is hosting this week.

Just remember: YOU’RE not allowed to buy any more junk!

3. Sell back your books

Be honest: are you going to read that neglected copy of War and Peace this summer, or will it just collect dust? While some people like holding onto books for decorative value or bragging rights, they’re an easy item to sell back. Check out our tips, and make sure you’re getting a good price.

 4. Use your networks

Especially when moving out of a dorm, there is more often than not someone else moving in. Use Facebook and Twitter to reach out to your friends and contacts, letting them know what you’re trying to get rid of.

Facebook Marketplace is an app that connects you to your network, but you can get even more personal and create a group for your own circle of friends.

Graduating seniors, reach out to freshmen moving out of the dorms and into apartments, where they’ll need their own furniture for the first time. Odds are, from textbooks to microwaves, someone could use what you’re giving up, and will give you a good price.

Craigslist is also a solid go-to, as long as you are smart and safe about your online dealings. Never put your address in the initial post, and be careful!

5. Help Out

This tip is more about making some spring-cleaning cash, and less about your own clutter. Offer to help your friends, neighbors and networks move. Especially in college, when everyone is moving out at around the same time, having enough hands is always a challenge. Offer to help move for a free lunch, a few dollars or that piece of furniture you’ve had your eye on. In the same vein, if you’re moving out, barter with your friends for help in exchange for taking some of your unwanted items off of your hands. It’s a win-win situation.

Are you a star eBay seller, or had good luck on Craiglist? Offer to put other people’s items up for them, in exchange for a meager amount of the sale. It will only take you a few minutes and garner you a couple more dollars.

The biggest thing about clearing clutter is getting organized and creative. Do you have your own tips? Share them, and good luck!

Why Buy Textbooks When You Can Rent Textbooks?

Textbook rental companies are one of the fastest growing market segments in the country.  The reasons are simple and I will explain them in this blog. 

I’ve talked with thousands of college students across this great country of ours.  I have a daughter in college; my wife is about to finish her Masters degree and runs the museum (Wrather West Kentucky Museum) on Murray State University’s campus and I work for a company that operates the third largest textbook rental company, College Book Renter.  Until the last couple of years, students have had limited options for acquiring their course materials.  When it came to books, they had only three choices, buy new, used or try to pass without a book at all.  At the end of the semester, the only happy students I met while selling back their books, where the ones that never used them, didn’t go to class and needed the cash to party.

I’ve met some students who got pretty angry when they were trying to sell books back to their bookstore only to find the store was not buying them back for several reasons.  Maybe the book has gone “old edition” or the professor had not turned in his adoptions for the coming semester.

When the bookstore is going to need your book for the next semester they will pay around one half of the list price providing it is acceptable condition.  If the store doesn’t need your book but it can be used at another school you will receive a lesser price depending on how old it is.  This is why the textbook rental market has sky-rocketed.  You save up to 85% of the purchase price and eliminate the guess work at the end of the semester.  Just return it to the rightful owner.

If you’ve done your due diligence, you will know that sometimes the out of pocket expense can be less by purchasing and selling back if you’re willing to take the risk.  If you’re like most students and have other bills to pay, you will most likely want to save on the frontend and not take the gamble of losing all of your investment.

When you factor in everything, all in all, it's almost always better to rent than to buy when it comes to textbooks.  

How To Cram for Finals

Image via WikipediaWhether you are a prolific studier or a "wait and cram at the last minute", you will need a plan to prepare for finals.www.collegebookrenter.com
According to ehow.com you need 4 basic steps:

1. Feed Your Brain - Some foods are better for brain power than others,  e-how recommends bananas, walnuts, spinach and other foods.  Snacks will provide sustained energy.
2. Focus on the Big Picture - Pull out your notes and textbooks.  Focus on the main topics and themes of the semester.
3. Don't Waste Time - Strengthen on what you know and don't focus on what you know you won't be able to learn before the final.
4. Sleep - Everyone recommends 8 hours per night but we know studying or cramming may mean all-nighters.  You still need to sleep in  4 hour intervals at a minimum. If you have testing all day you better have enough rest and energy to get to the finish line.

There are lots of related websites, articles and blogs devoted to the topic but most of the content is pretty much the same.  Check out links below.

Related articles

• 7 Tips for Coping with Finals (psychcentral.com)
• Cramming Facts vs. Learning Experience (bigthink.com)

Some Summer Jobs are Better than Others

If you are looking to trim some of your college debt and increase your disposable income, summer jobs are the way to go.  These summer jobs can also be awesome experiences and create memories for a lifetime.  If you can swing it, you might as well land the best paying and most fun.  I would think painting a cruise ship in the Caribbean might be more fun than painting a barn.

Here's a list from http://www.summerjobfinder.com/ and a few of my own:

• Jobs at Summer Camps
• Working at a Dude Ranch
• Alaska Seafood Processing Jobs (and fishing boats)
• National Park Jobs (City, State, and National Parks)
• Forest Fire Fighting Jobs
• Hospitality Jobs (Beach Resorts, Spas, Hotels, Casinos)
• Nanny and Au Pair Jobs
• Alaska Summer Employment
• Jobs at Theme Parks
• Outdoor Jobs
• Cruise Ship Jobs

Here are some additional ideas from Tisha Tolar at http://www.leavedebtbehind.com/make-money/the-best-summer-jobs-for-college-aged-students/.

The Crazy Coupon Lady

Want to save some major bucks and get FREE stuff?  You've got to check out The Krazy Coupon Lady. She is all the rage online and on TV. According to her Featured Shopper of the Day, Amber purchased -

• Four Boxes Ritz Crackerfuls
• Four Degree Deodorants
• Three Allegra meds
• Two KY

All for $1.50 from Target

According to their website  "At KCL, we teach you how to collect and redeem coupons with precision! We’re a great site for both extreme couponing (v.) veterans and novice coupon users, or as we’ll affectionately refer to you here, “Coupon Virgins”. We’ll teach you to talk the talk in our Coupon Lingo, walk the walk in Coupon Basics and we’ll even help you get organized with your Coupon Binder before we send you out on your own!"

Graduation Gift Ideas

Here are my top 10 graduation ideas:

1. U-Haul rental
2. Mont Blanc fountain pen
3. Stationary
4. iPad
5. Lowes Gift Card
6. Cash, it's the right color and it fits
7. Piece of Luggage
8. Case Pocket Knife
9. Wrist Watch
10. Personalized Leather Portfolio

Here is the top 10 list from Kim Grasty in our Marketing office:

1. Netflix Subscription
2. Gamefly Subscription
3. Herman Miller Aeron Chair
4. Flat Screen TV
5. Monogrammed Travel Luggage
6. Cuisinart Brew Central 12 Cup Coffeemaker
7. iLuv iMM173 Dual Dock Alarm Clock for iPod and iPhone 3G
8. 101 Things To Do with Ramen Noodles Cook Book
9. Fatboy Original 6 Foot Extra Large Bean Bag Chair in Pink
10. Blinged-out Pandora Bracelet

How Do I Return My College Book Renter Textbook?

Image via Wikipedia

CollegeBookRenter.com makes returning textbooks easy and free!

• Log on to Collegebookrenter.com account using your email address and password.
• Select the textbooks you want to return and click on the "Print Return Labels" button.
• Print off the two packing slips for your order and the UPS shipping label.
• Tape the return shipping label to the package being used to return the textbook(s).
• Make sure the packing slip is placed in the return package
• Drop the package at any UPS location and the rest is history!

For more information go to: https://www.collegebookrenter.com/returnpolicy.cfm