back to school

Here’s What You Need to Know About Back-to-School Insurance

August 1, 2018 By Amanda Blankenship Leave a Comment

The end of summer is almost here, which means many students will be headed back to school. Depending on the age of your child, you’ll need to research what your back-to-school insurance needs may be, whether it is auto, health, or home coverage. Since the best time to review your insurance plans is before the school year begins, here’s what you need to know.

Car Insurance for Students

Kids in high school may be preparing to take drivers ed and get their licenses this year. If that’s the case for your child, you may want to begin researching car insurance rates or what it may cost to add them to your insurance plan. Some insurance companies will offer a significant discount for ensuring your teenager if you agree to put a lowjack in your car to monitor speed.

You may also want to inquire about student discounts for car insurance as well. There are some companies that offer a discount for students with a high grade-point average.

Students headed off to college may also see a change in premiums and coverage if they go more than 100 miles away from home and bring a car to campus. However, you also stand to save up to 30% if your child leaves the car at home.

Health Insurance

Elementary school-aged children are especially susceptible to colds and cases of flu. Schools are a breeding ground for germs. Because of this, it is important to make sure you have solid health insurance coverage so you’re able to take them to the doctor when needed.

Many colleges require students living on campus are required to have health insurance. Thankfully, your children can remain on your insurance policy until they are 26 years old. If that isn’t an option financially, they can apply for individual health insurance. Students also have the option of receiving care from on-campus health care services. Some universities offer free health care while your child is enrolled full-time.

Home Insurance

College students often bring expensive electronics along with them to school. This can often make their dorm room or apartment prone to burglary. Most home insurance policies will cover these items as long as your child is staying in the dorms but will not cover certain items. Students living off-campus will need to purchase renter’s insurance, or you may consider adding their renter’s insurance to your policy.

Most home insurance policies cover up to 10% of property owned by an insured that is at a residence other than the residence listed on the policy. A $100,000 policy will cover $10,000 of belongings in a dorm.

When students return to school each year it is a reminder for many people to review their current insurance coverage. Taking a good look at your insurance may help you discover gaps in coverage and prevent any losses in the future.

Readers, are you preparing to make any changes to your insurance coverage now that students are headed back to school?

Back to School Savings in September

August 28, 2015 By Will Lipovsky Leave a Comment

Back to school shopping is traditionally a big event, but more families are saying, “Meh,” to it. According to a Deloitte study, 38 percent of K-12 parents say they don’t care so much about back-to-school shopping because they get what they need throughout the year. And 31 percent would rather wait until after school starts to shop. That’s a smart move in my book. Here’s why.

The Teacher Will Tell You What Your Kids Need

This is especially true for Kindergarten students… you can run out and buy every possible school supply your child might need only to find out the teacher just wants them to have crayons and pencils. Teachers will tell your students what they need for class, so wait for that list before buying things you don’t need.

Classroom Donations

It’s also worth noting that teachers may have a request for classroom donations. If you wait until school starts, you can see what supplies the classroom needs and possibly contribute some items. If you go before this, you’ll have to make a second trip to participate in that.

Pounce on Clearance in Mid-September

Prices for school supplies start coming down in mid-September. By the end of September, retailers are clearing the shelves to make room for Halloween costumes and candy, selling school supplies at a deep discount, sometimes as much as 90 percent off. Make do with what you have from last year and only buy what you can’t live without in mid-September. Take another trip at the end of September for the “nice to have” items. It’s also a good time to grab items you’re likely to need next year to put away in storage.
Avoid the Crowd

Let’s face it; shopping with a crowd isn’t much fun. If you can wait to buy what you need, you save yourself a lot of stress… and lots of cash!

7 Inventive Ways to Save on Back to School Shopping

August 25, 2015 By Will Lipovsky Leave a Comment

It’s that time of year again! The kids are exchanging their baseball bats for number 2 pencils. College students are setting up their dorm rooms. With these transitions comes added costs. Everyone needs the proper gear for getting started for a new school year. This post will explain the 7 ways to save on back to school shopping.

1. Sell Last Year’s Items

Alternatively, do you have any supplies from last year you can sell? It can generate revenue for this upcoming year. Consider parlaying the cash just like serial entrepreneurs do when they sell a business. They often move it into the next. This is easily done for textbooks, electronics, and fashionable clothing.

2. Understand There’s Some Wiggle Room in the School Supply List Sent by Teachers

My cousin went shopping for her 3 children last week. It took her 3 stores before she found an orange notebook. In reality, the teacher would probably have been fine with an orange sheet of paper glued to the front of any old notebook. Or even just writing ‘orange’ on the front (as long as the child could read it). Supply lists usually have wiggle room. It’s probably not worth spending an hour in the car just to track down a 50 cent notebook.

3. Weather out the Storm

During my first year of college, I did everything by the book (pun). Meaning, I got all the books my professors told me to get. I got them ahead of time. I got the exact editions they told me I had to get. I found out this was a mistake.

Plenty of teachers/professors over ask when it comes to supplies. Much of what you are asked to buy may end up being a waste. For instance, most textbooks remain the same for years and years. They only make slight revisions and call them a new edition. I was an ‘A’ student in college and buying books a few editions old never held me back one bit. Older editions are usually about 50% cheaper!

My advice is to wait a few weeks before making the major purchases. See if all the supplies are really needed. This also means you may have a better selection. Most stuff gets pretty picked over before school starts – offline or online. Wait until you really need the stuff. This works especially well if you have Amazon Prime. Hooray for 2-day shipping!

4. Use Tech When Possible

When I was in elementary, everyone used to praise me for my excellent penmanship. Today, I couldn’t care less about my handwriting. Technology is taking over and that will continue. This means students should get familiar with technology. This will also save on the cost of notebooks, pens, pencils, backpacks (because they won’t tear from the weight of books inside), etc. Use tech especially if the school provides it. If you must buy the tech, of course that’s more expensive than pencils and notebooks. But it’s more useful to the student as well.

5. Buy Used

A good rule of thumb is to always consider the used market before the new market. What can you buy used? Almost anything. Check eBay and Craigslist. Also check with friends. They may have a perfect set of tennis shoes for your son. When I was in college, I saved a lot by getting textbooks from the upperclassman. They usually sold them to me for about the price of a large pizza.

6. Use Last Year’s Supplies

What you first want to do before buying ANYTHING is to look over your entire house. Check last year’s backpacks, closets, the home office, storage containers, etc. Kids rarely finish school with exactly the right amount of paper, pencils, and notebooks. There will be leftovers. What supplies do you already have on hand? It’s important to know how much stuff you currently have before assuming you need to buy anything. You may have enough leftovers from last year to keep you going for at least a few months.

7. Tax Holiday’s!

It’s fantastic if you are able to plan ahead and shop during a back to school tax holiday! See this complete list of tax holiday’s by state. Act quickly because they typically only last one weekend!

Final Word

Back to school season is stressful enough without getting worried about money. Use these 7 back to school savings tips and you’re sure to save money. Comment below if you know of more ways to save.

Good luck this year!

Microsoft Offers Surface Pro 3 to Students at a $150 Discount

August 5, 2014 By Emma Harrison Clark Leave a Comment

Microsoft is offering colleges students a $150 discount on the surface pro

As summer builds and many college students look toward a new semester, Microsoft has come to market with a decent new student and teacher discount on the the Surface Pro 3. The discount is $150 on all three models, making the Surface Pro 3 a viable option for as little as $649 after the discount. The deal is available until September the 3, 2014.

Teachers and students are likely to consider the 20% off discount as a decent mark-down for the Surface Pro 3, which was keenly anticipated and launched in May of this year to mostly positive reviews. It’s a viable option for students of all disciplines with a range of specifications available under the discount. When the discount is applied, the i5/125GB model comes to $850, the i5/256GB model comes to $1,149, the i7/256GB come to $1,394.10 and the i7/512GB comes to $1,754.10.

It’s a smart move by Microsoft. They’ve obviously seen the explosion of Apple units and the creation of loyal users through education packages and decided to come in with a price point that will make a difference to cash-strapped students. The equivalent offering from Apple is the 11 inch MacBook Air, which is going for $999.

With recent good reviews still floating around the Internet, Microsoft is counting a large number of orders for the Surface Pro 3 line. With it being light, stable and powerful in a variety of environments, it’s a good fit for the student market it’s targeting. PC and Tablet review’s Quick Take assessment on the Surface Pro 3 said it has superb display quality, screen ratio suited to Windows 8.1 and unmatched productivity potential.

However, they also noted that with the keyboard cover being sold separately, the discount might not be what it initially seems to be to some. In addition, there are annoying design quirks, such as the new location of the windows button, which is now easy to trigger accidentally and will unintentionally land the user on the home screen.

“Like its predecessor, the Microsoft Surface Pro 3 is the perfect device for the specific user that needs power in an impossibly thin and light design. It’s not cheap, however, and the added cost of a proper keyboard cover and Office stings.”

10 Ways To Save Money On Homeschooling

September 20, 2012 By Danielle Warchol 13 Comments

More and more parents are deciding that homeschooling is the correct choice for their kids. Those that do decide to homeschool soon discover that it can be an expensive endeavor. It doesn’t have to be that way. There are a number of simple steps that can be taken to reduce the cost of homeschooling. Here are a few that should be consider:

Set a Budget

Homeschooling is a big decision for some parents. You might choose to homeschool your kids for various reasons, but one thing you need to consider is how much you’re willing to pay for materials. While many things can be found online for free, you will probably need to spend some money on books and other materials. The best thing you can do to save some money is to research the cost of certain items and then set a budget for each year. This will allow you to stick to a certain amount (or range) without overspending.

Use Free Online Materials

Each year there are more and more online teaching materials published for free. These can range from textbooks to supplementary materials to traditional classroom projects. Finding free online materials is a great way to provide your kid with a great education for next to nothing!

Keep it Simple

Many classrooms have a lot of extra materials to help kids learn such as flashcards, video games, movies, or audio or computer programs. While these are great teaching materials, they can quickly become very expensive. Do you really need to spend $15 on a set of laminated flash cards? Of course not, especially when you can make some yourself with materials you already own. You can easily make your own worksheets or other materials, as well. It might take more time, but it’ll save you some money.

Attend a Homeschool Curriculum Fair

There are many homeschool curriculum fairs throughout the year, and if you’re homeschooling your children, you should consider visiting. Not only do many of these fairs provide great information about homeschooling materials, but they sometimes offer discounted prices on textbooks and supplementary materials. Of course, remember not to buy something just because it’s on sale or discounted, but it’s worth it to check out some of the deals anyway.

Back to School Sales

Just because you’re children are homeschooled doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of back to school sales! They’re probably going to need just as many notebooks, pens, pencils, crayons, rulers, and glue as any other kid in school. So when that time of year rolls around again, check out the flyers to see what store has the best deals. Also try buying these materials at the end of the school year since they’re occasionally cheaper then, too.

Share with Others

If there are other people in your town or city who also homeschool their children, why not share the cost of some of the textbooks, programs, or materials? Or you can swap materials between everyone. Not only will you save some money, but you’ll get some different programs and teaching materials you might not have otherwise considered.

Discount Programs

Have you ever been to a bookstore and seen special discounts for teachers? Well, don’t just ignore those signs and flyers! You’re considered a teacher, too. In case you didn’t know, both parents and children can receive homeschool IDs. Once you have an ID that marks you as a homeschool teacher, you’re eligible for all those teacher discounts. So go and take advantage of them and save money on books and supplies!

Buy Used

There are plenty of sites online, such as eBay, Amazon, or BookMooch, that allow you to buy used teaching materials. Don’t be worried about being too frugal or not getting the best materials for your children. Used textbooks, workbooks, or other materials are just as good as new ones. They might be a semester or year out of date, but if you’re buying for something like English grammar or European history, you shouldn’t worry since that material rarely changes.

Community Programs

Since your kids are homeschooled, they might be missing out on social interactions or field trips. Consider checking out what community programs are available in your town or city. Some libraries offer book clubs for children while some communities cater to homeschooled kids and offer them free or discounted admission into museums, theatres, or zoos. Not only will your kid get to experience visiting museums and other attractions, but they’ll get some great interactions with other kids their own age. There are always options to consider and these are activities you definitely want to add to your kid’s schedule.

Use the Library

If you really want to save money, use the library. A lot of people forget about the library now that we have the internet at our fingertips. While you can find plenty of great materials online, there are some great books that you can still online find in the library. Consider making the library an important place in your child’s education. Not only is the library free due to taxpayer dollars, but it has almost anything you could ever want for your child’s education. If you happen to live in small town, see if your library has an interoffice program that allows you to receive books from larger libraries.

Are there other ways that you have found that save money when homeschooling your kids?

(Photo courtesy of Lyn Lomasi)

10 Ways to Save Money on Back to School Supplies

August 14, 2012 By Danielle Warchol 1 Comment

Getting kids ready for a return to school can be an expensive endeavor, especially if you have a back to school supply budget. This is especially true if you don’t take the time to figure out exactly what you need (and don’t need) to purchase for the coming school year. Organization is a big money saver, but there are also a number of other steps you can take to reduce the cost of back to school shopping. Here are some to consider:

Compare Prices

Many stores have started having back to school sales. Sometimes it can be overwhelming to decide which store to choose and what to buy. If you’re a smart shopper, you’ll not only have a list of what you need to buy, but you’ll compare prices. Some stores might have a backpack for $15.99, while a different store might have it for $9.99. Obviously you want to go with the cheaper option, right? Whether you use newspaper flyers or online flyers, make sure you compare prices so you know what the best deals are.

Check Before You Buy

Anyone who has spent time buying school supplies knows that sometimes you end up buying more than you actually need. Before you rush off to scoop up the best deals, check around your house or apartment to see if you already have those items. For instance, if your child’s back to school list includes markers or crayons, make sure you don’t have some lying around. After all, is it really necessary that they have a nice new box?

Buy Bulk Items

Let’s say you have three children and they all need five notebooks apiece. Some stores will sell notebooks for as low as $1, but that’s still $15 for all those notebooks. On the other hand, some store or online retailers might offer a package of 10 notebooks for $5. For two packs of 10, you’re only paying $5 and saving yourself a little money. Of course, bulk items aren’t a smart purchase for all school supplies, but for those you go through quickly, it might be a wise investment.

Check Student Discounts

Many retailers love promoting their items through huge discount sales. If you’re looking at key technology or furniture pieces before going off to college or boarding school, it might be wise to wait until these sales. Wouldn’t you rather have 30% off your new computer than pay full price? Of course, many of these discounts and deals are limited time only, so know when to shop and make sure you know what you want. Too much hesitation over an item might mean that you miss out on the deal.

Shop on Tax-Free Holidays

A lot of states have a tax-free holiday during the summer, usually right before the school season gets underway. While you might not think the tax on a 50 cent folder will be that much, tax definitely adds up. If you plan to shop for back to school items during a tax free holiday, you could save as much as 10 or 15%! That’s money you definitely want to keep, right?

Buy Generic

Some people are adamant that they need high quality, brand name items. But does it really matter what brand your ruler or notebook or pens are as long as they get the job done? Generic items are usually cheaper and are perfectly usable throughout the school year. Before you buy those name brand supplies, think about the fact that you’re paying money for the name.

Shop All Year Round

If you’re a smart shopper, you know that deals last all year round. Sometimes there are great back to school sales in January or April, at a time when no one is interested in buying school supplies. Stock up throughout the year so that you can save the most money. Not to mention, you’ll save yourself the time and effort of having to struggle through the crowds when July and August roll around.

Host a Back to School Swap

If there are plenty of other parents with kids in your neighborhood or workplace, think about hosting a back to school supply swap. One parent might have more notebooks than they know what to do with. You might have a couple extra backpacks. See what items you can get through swapping. Not only will it be an interesting social activity, but you might really get lucky and score all those items on your kid’s list!

Take Advantage of Rewards Programs

If you frequently shop at stores such as Staples or Office Max, sign up for their rewards programs. What’s the use of spending hundreds of dollars a year without seeing anything in return? Many of those stores offer points programs and allow you to use them toward future purchases. If you shop there enough, you might have some significant savings on your school supplies.

Coupons

In this economy, everyone is looking for the best coupon deals. While coupons for your preferred stores are great and will definitely save you money, why not bring in a competitor coupon as well? Some stores will honor a competitor who has a lower price – even if the difference is only a dollar! The next time you’re in your preferred store, try this and see if you can get them to lower the price.

(Photo courtesy of stevendepolo)