Best ways to save $ in school

[C equals]

I love dogs but if you're trying to save money...no pets!

Sorry- it was pointed out to me that the dog food might have been for the student not a pet dog? If this is the case - oops! (I don't think any dental student will go that far to save money.)

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[DrReo]

Does anyone have any numbers of what they saved by using these techniques?

 

[La fea]

Does anyone have any numbers of what they saved by using these techniques?

I am talking in CA. A *nice* meal (dinner) for 2 costs about $80 with tip and everything. But for the same amount, the spouse and I eat 3 meals + snacks for like a week.

 

[cookand]

1. Bring your own lunch
2. Bring your own lunch
3. Brew your own coffee

 

[I-Baby]

Just a thought...Maybe its just me, but aren't these simple things that should have been picked up during undergrad?

 

[JamesOSU]

Store your loan money in a high-interest savings account until you need it

 

[armorshell]

1. Bring your own lunch
2. Bring your own lunch
3. Brew your own coffee

4. Brew your own beer

 

[Daurang]

Store your loan money in a high-interest savings account until you need it

You have been giving some questionable advice. Deduct student loan as office expense? Store money in high interest account? High interest where...in Iceland?

 

[Lily143]

and now store money in high interest account? High interest where...in Iceland?

A couple of the more well known ones are Emigrant Direct, ING Direct, HSBC Direct, etc. They're not so high interest nowadays, but still enough to earn $100 (give or take) per year.

Also, if you're disciplined, you can use credit cards for everything and collect cash back rewards. I collect a couple hundred extra per year by doing this. Every little bit helps.

 

[La fea]

4. Brew your own beer

I wish I knew how to do that.

 

[JamesOSU]

A couple of the more well known ones are Emigrant Direct, ING Direct, HSBC Direct, etc. They're not so high interest nowadays, but still enough to earn $100 (give or take) per year.

Also, if you're disciplined, you can use credit cards for everything and collect cash back rewards. I collect a couple hundred extra per year by doing this. Every little bit helps.

Yes, ING direct and the like, any extra bit helps, even if its $100 a year before its used for tuition.

 

[armorshell]

I wish I knew how to do that.

Easier then it sounds. In a few weeks here I'll have 5 gallons of delicious hard cider better than anything you can buy in the store, total cost: $20. That's the equivalent of $0.37 per bottle!

 

[KOM]

Try not to live 250 miles away from your spouse.

 

[GonnaDoIt]

4. Brew your own beer

5. Drink other people's beer.

 

[KOM]

5. Drink other people's beer.

ding ding ding!

 

[JamesOSU]

I've heard a couple places that getting the drug rep schedule and attending their luncheons during school days can save you some money, plus get you some good lunches, and free pens and/or magnets, haha

 

[eternalxdemon]

Easier then it sounds. In a few weeks here I'll have 5 gallons of delicious hard cider better than anything you can buy in the store, total cost: $20. That's the equivalent of $0.37 per bottle!

I hope you'll show me how you did that!

 

[Daurang]

1. Use bagel scraps leftover for pizza toppings
2. Cut lotion bottles in half to scrape out the last drops
3. Cut toothtaste tube in half to scrape out the last bits
3. Take toothpicks from restaurants to use as dental wedges
4. Use the Sunday cartoon section as bibs for pedo patients
5. neverpayretailagain.net
6. fatwallet.com
7. beingfrugal.net

 

[straightwire]

Just live like a student, not like a doctor...cause you are not one yet. Good luck.

 

[jr8047]

1. buy a moped and park the car.
2. check out milemeter.com and pay for yo' car insurance by the mile (shouldn't be very high since you're driving your bike mostly)
3. tutor high school students in your spare time.

 

[dentstd]

Eat bread dipped in vinegar&olive oil for meals.

Its really not as bad as it sounds.

Can I give you veneers once the acid's eaten away all your teeth?

 

[UCSF2012]

I'm making my own typodonts. Some vinyl polysiloxane here and there. Silicone impression material for the soft gum. Gypsum from the lab. Plywood to replace the plastic base. Articulators from eBay...and viola! A typodont!!!!

 

[jr8047]

You rock!

I donate plasma 2/week and recieve $240/mos..this pays for phone and electric bill.

 

[jr8047]

I'm making my own typodonts. Some vinyl polysiloxane here and there. Silicone impression material for the soft gum. Gypsum from the lab. Plywood to replace the plastic base. Articulators from eBay...and viola! A typodont!!!!

Awesome idea! Very smart..thank you.

 

[Stephie3]

You rock!

I donate plasma 2/week and recieve $240/mos..this pays for phone and electric bill.

i think donating plasma is a great thing, but my sister was doing it a lot for a while and i think it eventually took a toll on her health and immune system.

 

[yayforcoffee]

i think donating plasma is a great thing, but my sister was doing it a lot for a while and i think it eventually took a toll on her health and immune system.

i know you weren't trying to be funny but you made me spit water all over my laptop!

 

[UCSF2012]

i think donating plasma is a great thing, but my sister was doing it a lot for a while and i think it eventually took a toll on her health and immune system.

You guys must really be broke or something. I guess you can drink lots of water or something. Give the blood bank watered-down plasma.

 

[La fea]

This is so mean of me....but you can think of donating other bodily fluids.

This is option not for me though. Have some reservations about it. Don't have kids yet and when I do have them, I'd like to raise them.

This is such a sensitive issue. I don't intend to hurt anyone.
Apologies in advance.

 

[MichaelVicksDog]

Jesus, donating plasma?? Cutting lotion bottles in half??? That's just too much.

Instead of buying a used 05 cls, I'm planning on leasing a 09 for 48 months. The cost of ownership will be about the same since I'll get some interest from not having to drop 35k and also the freedom just ditch it afterwards is great. Just in time for the new joint as I finish dental school. I had initially thought leasing is bad cuz Jay-Z said WE DON'T LEASE WE BUY THE WHOLE CAR but my homey who is an accountant showed me them numbers and now I'm a learned man

 

[DrReo]

Jesus, donating plasma?? Cutting lotion bottles in half??? That's just too much.

Instead of buying a used 05 cls, I'm planning on leasing a 09 for 48 months. The cost of ownership will be about the same since I'll get some interest from not having to drop 35k and also the freedom just ditch it afterwards is great. Just in time for the new joint as I finish dental school. I had initially thought leasing is bad cuz Jay-Z said WE DON'T LEASE WE BUY THE WHOLE CAR but my homey who is an accountant showed me them numbers and now I'm a learned man

With the 2005, at least you will have some equity (what ever it's worth when done, probably not much since benz have gone to crap) when you come to sell it. When will you have time to drive this rig, in all practicality?

 

[Daurang]

Jesus, donating plasma?? Cutting lotion bottles in half??? That's just too much.

Instead of buying a used 05 cls, I'm planning on leasing a 09 for 48 months. The cost of ownership will be about the same since I'll get some interest from not having to drop 35k and also the freedom just ditch it afterwards is great. Just in time for the new joint as I finish dental school. I had initially thought leasing is bad cuz Jay-Z said WE DON'T LEASE WE BUY THE WHOLE CAR but my homey who is an accountant showed me them numbers and now I'm a learned man

This is a thread on saving money; why are you giving us advice on throwing money away?

 

[futuredds08]

Sorry- it was pointed out to me that the dog food might have been for the student not a pet dog? If this is the case - oops! (I don't think any dental student will go that far to save money.)

Um, no. The dog food is for a dog. But it is a small dog and the amount of money we have to spend is very minimal- probably $100.00 every 6 months and that includes food, water, and vet bills. The dog is worth every bit of that in the companionship and entertainment she provides!

 

[loved]

lunch & learn's.

 

[appleonius]

1. don't utilize the AC/heat too much since you'll be living in the library.
2. live at the library.
3. don't buy cable TV. use Hulu or whatever.
4. split the wifi costs with a neighbor.

 

[chund]

Get a Delta rewards AMEX, call and extend your limit. Pay for Tuition, get your loans directly and immediately pay off your bill. Have 50,000 miles/year to go wherever you want

EDIT: or get whichever type of rewards card you like and eat it up... If you are gonna "pay tuition" why dont you be smart and make money off of it??

 

[Daurang]

Get a Delta rewards AMEX, call and extend your limit. Pay for Tuition, get your loans directly and immediately pay off your bill. Have 50,000 miles/year to go wherever you want

The CitiAAdvantage Mastercard and AMEX is better because you get 25,000 miles each after spending $750, for a total of 50,000 miles. Pay your $50K tuition and you now have 100,000 miles. Cancel the card after the miles posted and then wait four months. Reapply and get another 25,000 miles from each card for a total of 150,000 miles or 6-8 free tickets anywhere within the USA. I have redeemed 30+ free roundtrip tickets to Cancun this way.

 

[JamesOSU]

The CitiAAdvantage Mastercard and AMEX is better because you get 25,000 miles each after spending $750, for a total of 50,000 miles. Pay your $50K tuition and you now have 100,000 miles. Cancel the card after the miles posted and then wait four months. Reapply and get another 25,000 miles from each card for a total of 150,000 miles or 6-8 free tickets anywhere within the USA. I have redeemed 30+ free roundtrip tickets to Cancun this way.

holy crap. something to think about

 

[UCSF2012]

If you are gonna "pay tuition" why dont you be smart and make money off of it??

Because schools charge an extra 3% convenience fee for credit card payments. Your choice if you want to pay 3% of 50k.

 

[JamesOSU]

Because schools charge an extra 3% convenience fee for credit card payments. Your choice if you want to pay 3% of 50k.

But I'd pay 3% of $750 (~$25) each quarter/semester to get the 25,000 miles anyday. I think what Daurang was saying was to put $750 on each, pay them off, and pay the rest in cash. I assume so at least.

 

[Daurang]

If you have to pay the 3% convenience fee, then don't pay your because that's $1500 on top of $50,000 tuition. I doubt you'd get a high enough limit to charge $50k anyway. You'd still get 100k free miles churning the cards after four months.

 

[chund]

The CitiAAdvantage Mastercard and AMEX is better because you get 25,000 miles each after spending $750, for a total of 50,000 miles. Pay your $50K tuition and you now have 100,000 miles. Cancel the card after the miles posted and then wait four months. Reapply and get another 25,000 miles from each card for a total of 150,000 miles or 6-8 free tickets anywhere within the USA. I have redeemed 30+ free roundtrip tickets to Cancun this way.

Do they not regulate that in any way?? I will definately do this if possible. But doesn't your credit go down when you open multiple lines of credit? I would think they wouldn't approve you multiple times??

 

[Daurang]

I have done it many times for 30+ tickets to Cancun. I applied for my 6 years old, too, but they denied his application .

 

[chund]

Can you add your miles together from seperate cards? or is 25,000 enough for a round trip to Mex?

 

[Daurang]

You have one AAdvantage account and miles from all sources (VISA, MC, AMEX, SPG, car rental, biz, dining program, hotels, etc.) go into your one account. During the summer hurricane slow season, there are usually mileage sale for only 17,500 tickets to the carribean. Make sure to cancel the card before a year is up.

 

[chund]

I'm in charleston and the nearest hub for any airline is US air in Charlotte. plus they regularly fly to charleston, i just checked it out and in peak season round trip flights to cozumel and St Thomas are only 30,000 miles. I may get their mastercard, only im a little worried about closing the acct and applying again..i've read that applying for a credit card send a credit inquery which can negatively effect your score, which in turn would make it harder to qualify... Any thoughts?

 

[Daurang]

It temporarily reduces your FICO score 15 points but so what? You are not shopping for a new mortgage or business loan or car financing in the next few months so it doesn't matter because the score go back up again. I haven't apply for the USAir Card so can't speak for them. Some cards only give bonus once a lifetime while others give out each time you apply.

 

[chund]

So I take it aadvantage gives them every time? I also looked into that because they have better rates with no annual fee, the problem is AA didn't have the flight i looked up.. But I guess its better to go with what I know I can redeem miles each time you apply