Daily Aid 58: Preparing for 2009 Part 3 – Making Money
As 2008 rolls to a close, I wanted to take some time this week to share some ideas about how to get ready for 2009. The year ahead holds incredible promise, unfathomable danger, and everything in between, and the best opportunities will be available to those prepared to take advantage.
Making Money Isn’t Rocket Science
Making money is decidedly not rocket science. Look at the generally accepted definition of money:
From Wikipedia:

Money is generally considered to have the following characteristics, which are summed …

Daily Aid 57: Preparing for 2009 Part 2 – Saving Money
As 2008 rolls to a close, I wanted to take some time this week to share some ideas about how to get ready for 2009. The year ahead holds incredible promise, unfathomable danger, and everything in between, and the best opportunities will be available to those prepared to take advantage.
I’m going to save you $16,508.40
Some discretionary expenses are easy to kill. Learn how to brew your own coffee at home and you’ll get better tasting coffee than most restaurants/coffee shops …

Daily Aid 56: Preparing for 2009 Part 1 – taking stock
As 2008 rolls to a close, I wanted to take some time this week to share some ideas about how to get ready for 2009. The year ahead holds incredible promise, unfathomable danger, and everything in between, and the best opportunities will be available to those prepared to take advantage.
Get your budget in shape!
One of the most important things you can do in advance of the New Year is to get your budget in shape. Do a simple one page …

This little eBook is not about how to use Twitter or how to get started with Twitter. It’s not the answer to the question “What is Twitter?”. It’s not about who you should follow or who should follow you. It’s not about being popular, cool, loved, adored, or anything else that was important in the 7th grade.
This little eBook is about how to make the most of Twitter’s power without spending your entire life on it. In other words – how to make Twitter work for you without Twitter becoming …

Daily Aid 55: Financial market stability explained
Student Financial Aid News
From Inside Higher Ed:
Moody’s Investors Service warned Monday that colleges with variable interest rates on their debt may face additional risks in light of problems with credit markets and the economy. The report, “Risks of Variable Rate Debt No Longer Hidden,” notes that 73 percent of private colleges and universities rated by Moody’s issued at least some variable rate debt, and 29 percent of those institutions issued at least 50 percent of their bonds with variable debts.
Commentary
Markets are slowly recovering, which …

Daily Aid 54: Save money by paying less for the same stuff
Student Financial Aid News
I’m anticipating this being a very slow news week as most places have closed up shop until January. That said, the Student Loan Network is very much open for business, especially if you have questions about the upcoming 2009-2010 FAFSA.
From Inside Higher Ed:
The Recording Industry Association of America is abandoning its practice of suing students and others who download and share music in violation of copyright, The Wall Street Journal reported. The shift could alter a …

FAP892: Financial aid trends, jobcast, free stuff, fully loaded show
Click here to download the MP3 file
Happy Holidays
I hope you have a wonderful holiday season and that you spend it safe, happy, and healthy in the company of family and friends.
Weekly Financial Aid Roundup
NJ Class Loans.
Featured Scholarships

Student Loan Network $10,000 Scholarship »
ScholarshipPoints Monthly Scholarship »

Jobcast
The power networking bonus play!
Focus on Financial Aid
Trends in financial aid and where the economy is going.
News You Can Use
Keep an eye on interest rates!
Free Stuff Friday
Dove shampoo free sample.
Escada perfume.
Sarah Jessica Parker perfume.
Restaurant.com Feed It Forward …

Daily Aid 53: How to shop around for student loans
Student Financial Aid News
From the Star Ledger:
The state agency overseeing more than $1 billion in college financial aid will no longer allow students to defer payments until after graduation — a move that could affect thousands of students at a time when it is getting increasingly difficult to secure loans elsewhere.
Before late last month, NJ Class borrowers could defer payments on the loan principle and interest until graduation. In typical years, about 40 percent to 45 percent of the borrowers chose …

Daily Aid 52: Keep an eye on interest rates as they fall
Student Financial Aid News
From Inside Higher Ed:

Rice University is expanding its “no loans” policy so that financial aid packages for undergraduates will not contain any student loans for those with family income of up to $80,000 — up from $60,000. In addition, for undergraduates for whom loans are part of the package, the university is reducing its four-year loan cap to $10,000, down from $14,500.

Commentary
It’s great to see universities, even in tough times, still able to make …

Daily Aid 51: Financial aid trends
Student Financial Aid News
From Inside Higher Ed:
Arne Duncan, the superintendent of schools in Chicago, is expected to be named today by President-elect Barack Obama as his pick for education secretary, The New York Times reported. Duncan is well regarded by advocates of school reform — and is widely praised for changes he pushed in Chicago, where he is a friend of Obama’s. Duncan has not been a player on higher education policy, although it has been widely assumed that the education secretary would be selected …