Shopping Online v. shopping other places

This week I'm working on a project for my Business Statistics class.  My group is doing a survey about whether you buy things more online versus buying things off tv and if you search for deals online versus searching for ideas in the newspaper.

My aunt is someone who loves to shop on TV, but lately she has been shopping online.  She says it's easier to shop online because you can find lots of good deals, rather than sitting and watching QVC late at night. 

Another thing is searching for deals online versus searching for deals in a newspaper.  Back in the day, when newspapers were used more frequently, people would put various deals in the newspapers.  Even last year, for Black Friday, the shopping ads were put in the paper, but now, they are all online.

So let's hear it from you.  How would you rather shop?  Online or off the TV?  And how do you look for deals?  Online or in a newspaper?
Tell us here with a survey called, The Evils of Marketing.

Ultimate $$$$ Saver

Instead of going out to eat tonight, here is a great alternative: Cook hotdogs! Hotdogs are a great source of nutrition. Hot dogs are high in protein and very lean, with virtually zero fat. They have scientifically been shown to reduce kidney, liver, prostate, and heart disease. They are pretty terrific.
Also, GQ conducted a survey among some of the more prestigious women in Hollywood and found that they found men who regularly eat hot dogs to be "dead sexy." They also confessed to eating hot dogs as often as 4 times a week.
Seriously guys, hot dogs are good for your body, and they seem to make the ladies respond well. So get up from your computer and go getcha' a hotdog!

Cutting Down Holiday Spending

With Thanksgiving over and Christmas just a few weeks away, we all know that the holiday spending can get a bit much.  The old saying, "giving is better than receiving" always proves to be true, because this is the time where we tend to spend the most to give to so many people!  For me, I have to get a gift for my mom, my brother, my grandparents, a few of my cousins, my roommate, and the list goes on.  This Christmas season, I've decided that I need to scale down the cost and cut back on my spending. 

The article, "How to Cut Down on Holiday Spending" gave ten tips on how to cut back this year.

1. Create a budget. 
     (It's easy to go over budget when you don't have one...so take some time to create it!)
2. Make a gift list.
     (If you know who and what you're shopping for, then you'll be able to get just those items.)
3. Trim down your gift list.
     (Same as above, only this time it's a little smaller.  Saves money that way!)
4. Start early
     (You can get good deals if you hit the right sales)
5. Shop smart.
     (You don't have to spend a ton of money to give a nice gift.)
6. Shop second-hand.
     (It doesn't always have to be new, sometimes the best things are the oldest things!  
      So check out thrift stores and antique stores.)
7. Make it yourself.
     (It's the thought that counts. Making something from the heart is better than something store-bought.)
8. Don't shop for yourself.
     (Duh!  Quit being selfish!)
9. Skip the Christmas cards.
     (Who reads them anyways?)
10. Skip the pricey gift wrap.
     (Check out the article for some great ideas on cheap gift-wrapping ideas.)


Happy Hunting!

Cutting Tuition to Boost Enrollment

According to CNN Money, students looking for a college might be able to find themselves a deal... by finding religion.

Blake Ellis wrote,

"With church membership dwindling and more families struggling to afford the cost of college, many private religiously-affiliated colleges and universities are slashing tuition and offering incentives to attract new students -- and to stay afloat.

Some Christian colleges are cutting tuition by double-digit percentages, while others are capping the price of admission for all four years or offering huge discounts based on academic performance."

These reduced costs come at the price of reduced financial aid and scholarships offered. Also, cost cuts are made all around the universities.

Now some students worry about how attending a smaller private college might affect their ability to find a good job. In order to combat this some of the colleges are cutting out Bible or Christian from their names.

"Johnson Bible College, in Knoxville, Tenn., for example, changed its name to 'Johnson University' earlier this year to 'eliminate barriers that our students and graduates often face,' the college's president Gary Weedman said in a statement on the school's website."

Overall the idea of cutting tuition is very appealing to students, but one has to decide what is worth reducing in order to facilitate the lower costs.

Check out the article, Want Cheaper Tuition? Find Religion, and tell me what you think. Should MNU apply any of the ideas or concepts presented?

Staycation

Here's another way to save a little green:

STAY HOME!!! My first thought when I think of a nice evening in Kansas City is pretty typical. Go to a nice restaurant downtown, maybe catch a play, sporting event, opera, etc. (Ok, I don't really like opera.) Now this is quickly turning into a Visa commercial.

Gas $20
Parking $10
Dinner $50
Date with Her: Priceless

Unfortunately this adds up FAST, especially for a college kid. I am not saying everyone should just 'cheap out' on date night, but here are a few ideas. First of all, stay home! Try cooking a meal with your date. There are hundreds of possibilities as far as the menu goes, most of which can feed a party of two for around $25. Instead of going to the movies ($10 a person) try renting a movie. If you actually prefer talking to your date, maybe pick up a card or board game. On a whole other level, girls are weird and enjoy a leisure walk. It's the strangest phenomenon: they enjoy walking in no particular direction for no particular reason. Yet, for some women it can make their day! Again, if you like talking to your date this might not be a bad idea. Plus, the price is right!

More Tips for Saving at the Pump

So last time we discussed a few ways to save some money while visiting the gas station. Well, a few more tips never hurt, so for those eager to save Check this out!

Score a gas discount with coupons and deals

Did you know that some gas stations offer coupons in newspapers or online? According to the article, "A quick web search will result in printable coupons for as much as 7 cents off per gallon, but they're scattered across various stations around the country."

Here's a challenge: Check and see if you can find any coupons for gas savings online and let me know!

Also, have you tried shopping for more than just food at discount clubs like Sam's Club or Costco?

You can score savings up to 5 cents off per gallon based on your grocery spending.

Money Saving Tips

So, when I am bored, I liked to look up random stuff.  And since this blog is mainly based upon ideas for being thrifty, I found a website called Money Saving Tips.  I thought this was an adequate site because it has a bunch of random ways to save money.
One idea is to cut coupons.  Now, I do not normally go "couponing" but you can save tons of money by doing that!  One of my friends likes to save coupons and she gets lots of stuff for cheaper than the regular price.
Another idea is to take up hobbies that do not cost money...which can be basically anything you want.
Finally, it said to try to get group discounts.  This is a great idea, because you can save lots of money that way!  For instance, I am going to the Hillsong concert in Springfield, MO.  The individual tickets were about 30 bucks, while a group of 10 or more cost only $18 per person!  I got my tickets with a group of people, so I saved money by buying with a group.
Basically, anything you decide to do you can find easy ways to cut back the costs and save yourself some money!