Jim Bahn / Flickr
I share five must read blog posts about saving money every Friday.
Asset protection strategies – How to protect your wealth from lawsuits. (MoneyCrashers)
Beat monotony – Fifteen frugal ways to battle boredom. (Wisebread)
Shrink your rent – How to negotiate lower rent in your current apartment. (Free From Broke)
Bargain traveling – How to book cheap flight and air travel deals. (The Digerati Life)
Money matters - Setting financial goals for couples. (20 and Engaged)
New airline rules – A new federal law allows consumers to cancel a flight booking within 24 hours and get a full refund. Plus, other benefits.
This post is copyrighted by BargainBabe.com. Any other site posting this content is violating the DMCA.
Jonas N / Flickr
I share five must read blog posts about saving money every Friday.
Gift ideas – What are you gifting your child’s teacher this Christmas? Here are 10 possible Christmas gifts for teachers. (Wisebread)
Get it for less – Our very own Bargain Babe shares tips along with others on how to get magazine subscriptions for less. (Mainstreet)
Reduce your rent – Learn to negotiate and lower your apartment rent payments without moving. (Money Crashers)
Protect your finances – Four reasons why you should get a prenup even if you’re not filthy rich. This includes a funny music video – you must watch! (Budgets are Sexy)
Christmas safety – Avoid holiday season risks with these five tips from The Silicon Valley. (The Digerati Life)
This post is copyrighted by BargainBabe.com. Any other site posting this content is violating the DMCA.
As many students find themselves cash-strapped and time-pressed, they are always looking for the quickest, most cost-efficient way of doing things, that’s where textbook rentals come in.
According to eCampus.com, one of the pioneers of online textbook retailing, nearly one in five of all college textbook purchases online today is a rental. Two years ago, online textbook rentals accounted for just 1% of all sales.
“We’re finding that textbook rentals appeal to students because (more…)
Enlightening yourself has a heavy cost. Credit: TounoTouji/Flickr
This post is brought to you by CampusBookRentals.com.
Buying a new textbook from the college bookstore is passe, largely because it’s so pricey. I made the mistake of justifying many new textbook purchases by telling myself I would sell them come finals. But publishers release more updates than Apple, so my $139 Organic Chemistry tome? Still in the attic. Here are six alternatives to paying full price on college textbooks.
Slugbooks - A site that compares textbook prices across four major sellers, Amazon, Chegg, BookRenter, and Half.com. Plus, Slugbooks partners with more than 100 schools across the country to list
taberandrew/Flickr
This post is brought to you by Mint.com, successor to Quicken Online and a great alternative to Microsoft Money.
When is it worth it to “nickel and dime” someone? I’m not talking about saving a dollar here or there by using coupons or waiting for a sale, but the savings gained by negotiating a slightly lower price.
My case in point is two friends who are about to sign a yearlong lease for a loft in a good location in downtown Providence, RI. The apartment comes with two covered parking spots, a major perk in a snowy climate. All apartments come with at least one space because overnight parking is not allowed.
The landlord, a casual friend of my friends, agreed to leave the place vacant in June and July so my friends can move in August 1. The landlord is willing to lose two months rent to secure responsible tenants, I’m guessing.
He could find other tenants, however. Apartment vacancies are dropping in Providence because of rampant home foreclosures in a state that has the fourth highest unemployment rate nationwide. The vacancy rate was 7.6 percent in the third quarter of 2009, according to the Providence Journal. As a consequence, rents are rising. The landlord is asking $1,250, which is a bit high for the city they live in. Average rent for a two-bedroom apartment is $1,003, the ProJo reported.
My friends really like the loft but are considering asking to pay $1,200 a month, which would save them $600 over the year. The savings are significant to my friends. One of them is unemployed and the other is living off student loans while in law school. But they are worried asking for lower rent will damage their relationship with their landlord/friend, or at the very least make it awkward in social situations.
At what point does saving money end up costing more in bruised relationships? Is it possible to keep the business of negotiating rent out of the friendship? Bottom line – should my friends ask for lower rent?
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