Tag Archives: saving money

August 8, 2011

The Reality of Making Education More Affordable

Filed under: Notes from an Entrepreneur, Post Grad and Career - BookRenter Team
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By VP of Business Development and Founder Colin Barceloux
Colin has a BS in Management Information Systems and a Minor in Information Technology from Santa Clara University where he graduated with Honors in 2003. Colin resides in San Francisco and is an avid snowboarder, basketball enthusiast, mountain biker, and golfer.

Hi, everyone! Just popping into the blog because I wanted to share a chance encounter I had with one of our customers. Last week after work, as I was going to the gym, I was stopped by the front desk worker who noticed my BookRenter.com polo shirt.

She asked if I worked at BookRenter, and I said I did. Immediately she practically hugged me and said how much she loved our company, and if it was not for BookRenter, she would have had to drop out of San Francisco State. She said that recently they raised tuition, and the money she saved renting books went to pay for the cost increase. She was the type of student who I could tell was working a couple of side jobs to pay for school, and using BookRenter had lifted such a tremendous burden on her life. I thanked for her business as she was tearing up.

We push ourselves every day to make a difference in students’ lives and to make education more affordable. The $60 million we have saved students so far is not just a number on our website, but also a reflection of the positive impact we are making on society.

Thank you for allowing us to serve you. If you have a story you’d like to share, we’d love to hear it in the comments.

Twitt
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March 10, 2011

4 Tips for Spring Break on the Cheap

Filed under: College Life - BookRenter Team
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By BookRenter Andy

How are you spending your savings?

My brother and his fellow LA hooligans/bums are currently en route to south shore Lake Tahoe for snowboarding and TikiMan-knows-what-else. That’s right for some students  spring break has arrived. If spring break hasn’t arrived for you, you’re probably already thinking about it (except for you poor souls who get no Spring Break… we’re all sorry for you).

For those who are getting ready to head off for some R&R here are some great sites to help you plan a great breaks without going broke.

  1. Student Universe – this website gets great discounts on flights for students and professors only.
  2. DRIVE. Driving is a pain, but there are so many great places to go if you can’t afford a flight. Need some suggestions? Try Google Maps. If you don’t find a place that looks nice on satellite, hey, at least you spent some quality time on Google Maps.
  3. CouchSurfing.org – if you’ve never used this site, I highly recommended it. People host you for free!
  4. Imagination Spring Break. Remember the Simpsons episode where Flanders gives “Imagination Christmas” to his kids (Yay! I got a jump rope!). Well this is Imagination Spring Break… it’s as good as you want it to be.

Post comments and tell us how you are planning to spend your spring break.

Comment on our blog and be entered in to win one of our weekly coffee giveaways. Each winner will receive a $10 gift card, to Starbucks. Winners will be chosen at random and announced each Wednesday.

Twitt
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June 28, 2010

Understand Student Loans and Which is Right for You

Filed under: College Life, Education - BookRenter Team
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Understand Student Loans and Which is Right for You provided by EduInReview.com

With the economy still struggling, annual tuition increases, and more and more students seeking a college education, taking student loans is becoming a greater reality than ever before. The path to obtaining student loans and other financial assistance for college can be a confusing, twisted maze that can be frustrating and defeating. We can help put you on the straight and narrow toward getting your loans by clarifying the different types of student loans and the best way to get them.

Federal Student Loans

Federal student loans have guaranteed lower interest rates than a private lender and there are no credit checks or collateral required. There are a number of deferment, repayment and consolidation options available after graduation. Subsidized loans will provider a lower interest rate than a Stafford loan.

There are three types of federal student loans that you could be eligible for:

1. FFELP – Federal Family Education Loan Program, which is approved by the government and provided by a privatelender.

2. FDSLP – Federal Direct Student Loan Program is approved and provided by the government.

3. Perkins Loan – This is the best choice for students with the most financial need. This school-based loan places the school in the position of lender. Even better, it comes with an incredibly low interest rate and there are no origination or default fees.

Applying for a federal student loan requires completion of the FAFSA, or Federal Application for Student Aid.

Private Student Loans

These aren’t typically a first choice for parents or students, but rather a back-up plan when other loan options don’t fulfill financial need. These loans are provided by private lenders like banks or credit unions. Completion of the FAFSA is not necessary; instead you’ll complete a traditional loan application and your credit score will be reviewed to determine approval. Interest rates and fees will be based on your credit score.

Parent Loans

These loans do not originate with your mom and dad, but rather lenders provide a loan to the parents of college students to help pay tuition and related fees. Known as the PLUS loan (Parent Loan for Undergraduate Students), parents maybe borrow money to cover additional school-related costs. Eligibility is based upon a credit check and it has fixed interest rates that are not need-based.

Graduate and professional students can also apply for a PLUS loan by submitting the FAFSA (not a requirement for parents); although both will have to sign a master promissory note.

Twitt
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