Very soon, if you want a student loan, you can only get it from the government. There is no question if you want to save money for college federal loans are your best bet. But here are some things to keep in mind when you apply for one of those loans.
• First, know how much you will need. Maybe you can get by without the full 55-hundred dollar FAFSA loans.

• But remember; look for grants and scholarships before you take out that loan.

• Don’t use your credit card to pay for school. That can get very expensive.

• Work a summer job and put away money for school,

• And try to find a work study program and part time job to pay for things like rent.

Here is a pretty good website for that:
http://www.westchestergov.com/pdfs/PARENTSKIDS_FundCollege.pdf

To save money on your cost of living you need to know how much you actually make and how much things cost. For instance:
• if you’re salary is $35,000 a year - after taxes- you’ll take home a little more than $28,300.

• If your medical and dental insurance comes off the top, that drops to   $25,300

• You should pay no more than 30% of your income for rent or mortgage.

• And You should pay no more than 15% for food.

• You should put away 10 percent every month to savings

• The best way is to have it taken out automatically before you get your pay check.

Here is a website with a lot of good information if you’re looking to cut back on how much you pay to live:
http://www.kiplinger.com/columns/starting/archive/2007/st0404.htm

The fact is you may be paying for things you didn’t order on your cell phone, but knowing what to do is key.
• if you didn’t order texting but you open a text from someone else -  many companies will begin charging you for texting.

• Some unscrupulous companies will even send you the text message

• First, contact the company and tell them you don’t want it.

• Then send a text message back to the company simply saying, “ do not allow texting”

• If you are constantly charged for too much texting or talking, try http://www.overmyminutes.com.

• Its free, they email you when you are at your limit.

Here is a website that explains it all: http://blogs.bnet.com/businesstips/?p=6172

Something New from Toyota. The company is making a deal with its customers.
In order to win them back they can get free maintenance.
The auto maker wants to give customers two years of free maintenance.
People who already own a Toyota, Lexus or Scion will get the deal.
The company is also offering 0% financing on new car loans
And the company will lease 80% of its line-up.
Toyota has recalled 8.5 million vehicles worldwide since January.

In fact, going green when you travel doesn’t have to be expensive, in fact by using common sense, you can save big time.
• First, when you hit the road, bring a reusable stainless steel water bottle rather than buying bottled water.

• Pack lightly, saves gas.

• When you get to where you are going, walk or rent a bike to see the sights.

• Use public transportation when possible.

• Visit farmers markets in season,

• And take a re-usable bag with you when you do.

• Avoid using disposable cameras.

• And visit a national park.

There are a lot more ideas at this website:
http://www.rezhub.com/GreenTravel/GreenTravelBlog/tabid/349/EntryId/1061/The-Ultimate-List-of-60-Tips-for-Green-Travel.aspx

A lot of you may be buying energy saving appliances to save money and to take advantage of the energy tax credit, there are some things you need to do to make sure you actual get the credit when you file with the IRS :

• First consult the installation company to make sure its *energy star* complaint.

• Keep all the receipts and specifications for it.

• In case of an audit you may need to prove how much you paid and that the air conditioner, doors, dish washer or whatever meets the requirements of the energy tax credit

• Finally be sure to file IRS.” form 56-95” with your 1040. You can download it from the web.

• Here Is a site that can help:

http://www.ehow.com/how_5856880_claim-energy-tax-credit.html

Of course, avoiding credit card debt altogether is the best bet and here are some ideas from http://www.nolo.com
• if you have cash in the bank to cover the purchase - charge it, but pay off the statement in full when it comes in.

• If you don’t have enough money and its not an emergency, then save-up for it.

• If you can’t afford it but need it right away - like a car repair - charge it but set up an automatic deduction to pay it of fast quickly as you can.

• And a good rule of thumb.  Don’t charge anything that won’t exist when the bill comes. Like a tank of gas, a meal, a movie or groceries.

• Pay cash for those things, save the credit for necessities.

Of course you need to be up to date on what your rights are when it comes to that credit card. Those rights have changed.
Here is a website that could help:
http://www.nolo.com/legal-encyclopedia/article-29911.html

  Here are a few more things that can make a difference when you file your taxes because a lot of people try to take these as deductions but they can’t:
1. First, only self employed taxpayers can deduct every dollar they spend on work related expenses.
2. Most of us can only deduct expenses in excess of 2-percent of your adjusted gross income.
3. You can’t take a tax deduction for a roth ira like you can with a traditional ira. Thats because roth’s aren’t taxed when you cash them in.
4. You can’t deduct political donations -
5. And individuals cannot deduct life insurance premiums.  Good luck on your taxes this year.

Here is a site with more information:
http://finance.yahoo.com/taxes/article/108794/11-tax-deductions-you-cant-actually-write-off?mod=taxes-filing

  Fact is, you spend a lot of money on watching the tube even though we broadcast it for free, so be smart - shop a bit and you can get it cheaper. MSNBC says, try this approach:
• Research shows the average American spends a thousand dollars a year on a television.

• By paying cable and even dish costs that continue to go up.

• Try this, there are T.V. shows available for free on the web-check http://www.freetv.com.

• Or ask your cable provider for a lower fee. But make sure you have a competitors offer in hand before you do.

• And finally if you don’t like what you’re being charged, file a complaint with the local cable franchise authority.

Here is a link to a good article on this:
http://redtape.msnbc.com/2009/02/as-you-scan-dow.html

Textbooks follow tuition as the biggest college expense. A single text book can cost more than $200..
So some students are renting textbooks at a third of the price. Barnes and Noble recently started the service at 25 college bookstores. http://www.chegg.com -a pioneer in text rentals - claims to have saved students more than 145-million dollars since 2007.
And now some of the biggest publishers are jumping on the electronic book phenomena and providing I-Books at a much lower cost.

To read more to go: http://www.cbsnews.com where Alexis Christophorous did an in-depth story.