SCRANTON (AP) — A Pennsylvania-based media company has purchased a majority interest in [...]
Source Business - poconorecord.com http://ift.tt/1RWiutD
الجمعة، 8 أبريل 2016
Got a Pen Pal? Your Letter-Writing Habit is About to Get Cheaper
When’s the last time you put a letter in the mail?
I mean a real, live, paper one. In an envelope.
If you’re like most of us here in the instant-gratification digital age, it might be hard to remember when. After all, why go through all the trouble of snail mail when you can contact anyone instantly online?
But this weekend, you may find you have more motivation to get out your stationery to write to a more literal pen pal.
The price of stamps will drop this Sunday, April 10, for the first time in almost 100 years.
The Price of Stamps is Going Down
The price cuts won’t be exactly steep, but it’s not like stamps are very expensive to start with.
Postage stamps will drop from 49 cents to 47 cents — two whole pennies to add to your hoarded stash.
Postcard stamps will sell for 34 cents — a single penny’s drop in price.
And finally, international stamps will now be priced at $1.15, instead of the $1.20 long-distance writers pay now.
Stay in Touch — Buy Cheap Stamps
Even though we don’t need to use physical mail anymore, it can be a thoughtful way to reach out to the people you love. And now, it’s even cheaper, so you have no excuse not to drop a line.
“I’m probably the only one of my friends who still knows the price of stamps, because I mail postcards to my four-year-old niece every time I travel,” says TPH staff writer Dana Sitar.
“I thought Forever stamps were a good deal — but this is even more exciting!”
So figure out if you know anyone’s address and see if you can remember how handwriting works. It’s time to get physical!
Psst: If you’re still not satisfied with these cheaper postage prices, check out how we get our stamps even cheaper.
Your Turn: When’s the last time you sent a piece of physical mail?
Jamie Cattanach is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She also writes creative nonfiction and poetry, some of which has been featured in DMQ Review, Sweet: A Literary Confection and elsewhere.
The post Got a Pen Pal? Your Letter-Writing Habit is About to Get Cheaper appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
source The Penny Hoarder http://ift.tt/22iFWWN
Worried About Higher Netflix Prices? Chill! Here’s How to Get It for Free
You’ve probably heard by now that your precious Netflix account might cost more starting next month.
That’s because many subscribers were grandfathered into their sign-up rates — rates lower than those Netflix advertises now — and that grandfather clause is about to come to an end.
As of May 2016, Netflix Standard plans will cost $9.99, instead of the $7.99 or $8.99 you might be used to paying.
And even though a dollar or two more a month might not seem like much, we Penny Hoarders know that every cent counts.
That’s $12-$24 a year that could go toward your morning coffee, your wireless bill… heck, it could buy a bottle (or two!) of really awesome wine.
Luckily, we have a way to get around the price hike. In fact, if you follow our advice, your binge seshes will be 100% free of charge.
How to Get Netflix for Free
Douglas Clinton figured out a way to get Netflix for free using a cash-back rewards card available through Bank of America.
Since I had a Bank of America account already, I decided to give this method a try months ago. It works!
Plus, the card he uses is a great one, anyway: It rewards you for getting in the habit of paying down your balance every month.
Be sure to check out the original article for full details, but here’s the basic outline of Clinton’s strategy:
1. Open an account with Bank of America and sign up for the BankAmericard Better Balance Rewards Card
2. Make sure to set up direct deposit or keep a balance of at least $1,500 in your account to avoid the $12 monthly maintenance fee
3. Update your Netflix payment information to charge your Better Balance Rewards Card
4. Pay the card off in full each month to reap a $25 reward at the end of each quarter
5. Set up the reward to deposit directly into your Bank of America checking account to get an extra $5 reward
That’s $30 in free cash back every three months — all for developing the good behavior of paying your credit card balance all the way down.
And even though Clinton’s math is based off a monthly Netflix price of $8.67, that $30 still covers your entire Netflix bill: $9.99 x 3 = $29.97.
You just won’t have the extra $4 in your pocket that he was able to enjoy.
So when it comes to the Netflix price hike? Chill out. You’re still getting it for free.
Your Turn: Do you get free Netflix?
Jamie Cattanach (@jamiecattanach) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She’s three-quarters of the way through her second time watching Mad Men, and she’s watched all the seasons of Orange is the New Black a number of times she refuses to admit.
The post Worried About Higher Netflix Prices? Chill! Here’s How to Get It for Free appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Au Bon Pain is Giving Out FREE Iced Coffee on This Day…
It’s almost time for summer!
That means beaches and white pants and adding ice to our daily caffeine fixes.
To kick it off, Au Bon Pain, the national cafe and bakery chain, is giving away free iced coffee and tea on Tuesday, April 12!
Here’s how to grab yours…
How to Get Your Free Iced Coffee or Tea
It doesn’t get easier than this.
Just stop by your nearest Au Bon Pain on April 12, between 2-5 p.m., and you’ll have your choice of a free medium iced coffee or tea.
To sweeten the offer, join the Au Bon Pain eClub.
You’ll get a free travel mug — which gets you discounts on coffee all-year round — plus exclusive offers and a FREE lunch on your birthday.
I don’t know about you, but summer can’t come fast enough.
P.S. Click here for a list of 99 more birthday freebies!
Your Turn: Will you take advantage of this cool deal?
Susan Shain, senior writer for The Penny Hoarder, is always seeking adventure on a budget. Visit her blog at susanshain.com, or say hi on Twitter @susan_shain.
The post Au Bon Pain is Giving Out FREE Iced Coffee on This Day… appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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5 Simple Steps to Creating Profitable Promoted Pin Campaigns on Pinterest
Advertising is different from SEO.
While SEO is almost identical no matter which search engine you’re talking about (and there aren’t too many), advertising is not.
The process of creating ad campaigns on Google will look different from the process of creating ad campaigns on sites such as Facebook or Pinterest.
It’s important to choose one or two channels—and learn the ins and outs of them—rather than try to become an expert in all of the channels available.
How do you know which one(s) to use?
Well, that depends on where your audience is.
In this post, I want to show you how to use promoted pins (ads) on Pinterest effectively.
Pinterest’s demographics consist mostly of women who love visual content. That means that niches like fitness, home decor, and fashion perform really well on this social platform.
If your audience falls into those general demographic categories (or similar ones), chances are that many members of your audience use Pinterest.
It makes sense to build a profile on the site, but it can also make sense to use promoted pins to not only grow your following faster but to also send traffic to your website.
If you’ve never played around with promoted pins, don’t worry. I’m going to show you exactly how to use them.
Step 1: Choose from two types of promoted pins
In order to use Pinterest ads, you’ll need to spend a lot of time working within the ads manager.
You can sign in to the manager with your existing Pinterest account, but you will have to convert it to a business account, which takes all of 3 seconds (still free). It just gives you a few extra features.
The interface to get started is really simple when you create a new ad, which is great. You could probably figure it out without this guide, but I’ll also give you a few other things to think about when making decisions.
First up, you have two options for your promotion type:
If you want to get more pins, repins, and followers, you’ll want to boost engagement. This is a good option if you’re looking to jumpstart your profile growth or if you don’t have an established conversion funnel on your website yet.
Most likely, though, you’ll want to drive traffic back to your website. After all, that’s the main purpose of using Pinterest.
Click the option you want, and you’ll be prompted to give your campaign a title and enter a budget.
Assuming you’re new to Pinterest advertising, start small. You can always increase your budget later.
The final part of this step is to “pick a pin.” Click the red button, which will show you all your previous pins on your account. Click one of those to select it.
Picking an old pin might be a good idea for an engagement ad, but if you’re driving traffic back to your website, you probably want to create a new pin and then come back to the ads manager.
Step 2: Get your targeting right
Targeting on Pinterest is similar to that you find on many other PPC platforms, and it’s pretty simple.
There are two sections you’ll need to fill out: interests and keywords.
Interests is a lot broader, which usually isn’t a good thing for PPC campaigns. However, if you’re just trying to build a following while targeting a general audience, it can work.
You can type an interest you have in mind in the search bar or look through all the options and check off the ones you want.
Remember that you don’t have to choose any interests.
Instead, you probably want to focus on keywords.
Type in keywords you want to target in the search box of this section, then click any of the grey keywords to add them to your campaign (they’ll show up in blue at the bottom).
When someone searches for any of the keywords you select, they might see your ad (depending on your budget and settings).
Searching the site is one of the main ways that users find content, so you can get quite a few impressions on popular keywords.
Other targeting options: Keywords and interests are the main ways to narrow down your audience to include only the users you want.
However, if you scroll down, you’ll see a few more targeting options you might want to use:
- Locations - You can pick over 210 specific places in the United States
- Language - You can target specific languages
- Devices - You can target desktop users or specific types of mobile users
- Gender - You can target males, females, and/or people with unknown gender
When it comes to targeting, your goal is to narrow down the potential audience far enough so that it mostly consists of your target users.
At the same time, you don’t want to narrow it down to the point of having only a few hundred users to target.
Overall, pick the targeting options that reflect the factors that separate your target audience from other Pinterest users.
Step 3: Consider your budget
Initially, you set an overall budget you can afford.
But now, it’s time to set your maximum CPC bid before the ad goes live.
Just like on many other PPC platforms, you won’t always pay this amount. In many cases, you’ll pay lower.
Unless you’re in a rush, it’s fine to set your maximum CPC lower than the suggested range ($1.20 in the picture above), or at least near the bottom of it.
If you’re not getting enough clicks after running the ad for a day or two, then go ahead and bump up your bid.
Step 4: Track and analyze your results
It might be obvious to you, but it isn’t to everyone, so I’ll say it now:
You have to track your results.
If you don’t, you’ll never know whether advertising is actually profitable for you.
On top of that, you’ll never be able to improve the effectiveness of your ads, which leaves a lot of money on the table.
Pinterest does provide you with some useful analytics. It covers all the basic stats such as impressions, clicks, CPC, and total amount spent.
That’s a great start, but it’s missing one really important metric:
Conversions.
There are many different types of conversions that you might want to track:
- Account created
- Sale made
- Signup to email list completed
…and so on.
It doesn’t matter which ones you use (revenue is usually best, if possible) as long as you track something that you can assign a value to.
Even though an email address doesn’t generate profit directly, you might know that each subscriber is worth $10 to you, so you can still assign a value to email signups.
To track these results, you’ll want to use a more robust analytics software—even Google Analytics (GA) will do.
Setting up goals in Google Analytics: If you already know how to do this, you can skip this section. Otherwise, let me walk you through it.
To set up a goal, click the “Admin” link at the very top of your account. Once you select the account you want to track, click on “Goals,” which will let you create a new one.
For the vast majority of cases, you can use one of the templates already created for goals.
You can explore the different options, but most likely you’ll need to use the “make a payment” or “newsletter sign up” options.
Click the “Next step” button once you’ve picked a goal. You can always go back and edit it.
Next, give your goal a name. Be descriptive because that’s how it’s going to show up in other parts of your analytics.
The final step is to tell GA what you consider to be a conversion.
For most of these goals, that’s going to be a destination page. It could be a payment page, thank-you page, confirmation page, etc.
Basically, you just need an address that visitors will only visit after taking a specific action you want to track.
Note that you can change the box before the destination URL to something like “begins with” so that GA tracks visits to dynamic URLs.
For example, say you wanted to track visits to payment pages, and visitors all had different payment links:
- http://ift.tt/25PqfLk
- http://ift.tt/1S1oLqb
- http://ift.tt/25Pqead
You’d want to change the destination to “begins with” and enter “/payment” as the value in the text box.
Finally, assign a value to the goal if you’re able to. It will help you figure out how profitable your Pinterest campaigns are.
Viewing goal results: Once you set them up, you’ll start seeing goals everywhere in your reports.
The basic area is the “Conversions > Goals > Overview” tab near the bottom of the left-hand menu:
That will give you a graph of all your goal completions over time. Obviously, you’ll need to have data before anything shows up here.
But if you go to other reports, you’ll often see a column for goal completions:
Let’s get back to Pinterest results: Now that you have your goals set up, go to “Acquisition > All traffic > Source/medium”. You should see one for “Pinterest / Ads.”
On the far right, it will show you your goals or e-commerce conversions (if you’ve set those up).
Take your tracking to the next level: These results so far are definitely useful. You can connect the amount of money you’ve spent on ads with the amount of revenue or profit you’ve generated through your goals.
But it’s not enough.
What if you have multiple Pinterest ads? How do you know which ones are producing which results?
The answer is UTM parameters.
UTM parameters are those extra phrases you often see added to URLs after a question mark.
Here’s an example, with the UTM parameters in bold:
http://ift.tt/1U2g1zw?utm_campaign=seoguidead&utm_medium=advertising&utm_source=pinterest
You want to create something similar for the link you use in each Pinterest ad.
Mark each ad link with a different campaign name.
Then, once you collect some data, you can go back to GA and go to the “Campaigns” section, which is a main section under “Acquisition”:
As you probably guessed, this will break down your traffic based on the campaign values you just specified.
Additionally, there are columns on the right to show you goal completions—exactly what we want.
Now, you know not only your overall advertising results but also the performance of each individual campaign.
Step 5: Never stop improving
Even really experienced advertisers don’t get everything right on their first try with a campaign.
That’s why tracking your results is so important.
Once you have your baseline results, you can start split testing different promoted pins. Try different variations of:
- The pin picture
- Headline
- Landing page
Even if your first try at a campaign isn’t as successful as you’d like (or even profitable), as long as you get some results, there’s a good chance you can succeed.
Keep trying different variations, tracking your results, and continually optimizing your campaigns until you hit profitability.
Once you do hit upon a winner, keep optimizing as much as you can. Once you think you’ve squeezed everything out of it (in terms of conversion rate), scale up your budget, and spend as much as possible.
The conversion rate will eventually slow down, but that’s expected. Once a campaign is exhausted, it’s time to start again!
Conclusion
Pinterest is a huge social media site, and advertising on it is still relatively new. That means there’s an opportunity for you to take advantage of.
I’ve shown you the 5 main steps you’ll need to complete in order to create and run a profitable promoted pins campaign.
The only thing left to do is give it a go.
If you do, I’d love to hear about how it went.
Leave me a comment below with your results as well as anything that did or didn’t work well for you.
Source Quick Sprout http://ift.tt/1TG6MYT
Atom Bank launches savings accounts paying 2.2% – but only via app
Savers starved of decent interest-paying accounts have the option of a new two year bond paying 2.2%– but it’s only available in limited quantities to iPhone and iPad customers.
Newly launched Atom Bank promises to be the first digital-only bank in the UK, exclusively operating through mobile apps. It’s a fully licenced bank, regulated by the UK Authorities.
Source Moneywise http://ift.tt/1Yj0E8a
How a Commitment to Drinking Just Water Saves More Money Than You Think
Several weeks ago, I made a new commitment. I decided I would no longer purchase any beverages for myself besides water.
Now, note that my pledge is a little different than saying “I’m going to drink only water.” The big difference is that I won’t turn down a non-water beverage that someone else purchases for me. If a friend buys some interesting craft beer with the intent to share it, I won’t turn it down. If someone offers me a soda at their house, I’ll drink it.
The only change is that I won’t spend my own money on beverages (besides water when there is no other option).
I expected this simple move would save me some significant money and I hoped that it would have some positive health impacts as well. I have lost a little weight while doing this which I mostly attribute to the beverage changes, but, for me, the interesting changes happened with regards to the financial savings.
To put it simply, this simple change saved money in ways I didn’t expect.
Let’s start off by looking at the savings that I did expect. My biggest beverage purchases for myself included a container of orange juice at the store each week as well as a beverage purchase at restaurants, though I would also occasionally purchase interesting craft beers. Since I was cutting out all of those purchases, it was pretty easy to figure out what my approximate monthly savings would be from those changes. I estimate the direct savings to be somewhere around $60 per month, give or take a little bit.
Over the course of the first month, I tried to keep track of every situation where I would have bought a beverage and did not, and my count came out to just shy of $67, which is pretty close to my estimate. Remember, this includes all sorts of beverage spending, from buying an orange juice at the store to buying a craft beer with dinner at a restaurant and from buying a soda to go with a meal to buying a six pack of craft beer for the fridge, and everything in between.
However, in practice, I found that those changes led to other changes in my spending, most of which saved me even more money. Note that these changes came naturally as a result of drinking water instead of other beverages.
I stopped buying combo meals. For example, about once a week I would stop at the local Subway for a six inch sandwich. I’d usually spend around $6 because I purchased the “meal deal” there. However, since I committed to no longer buying beverages for myself, the “meal deal” became a lot less interesting. Instead, I simply buy a six inch sandwich and a cup of water, which is less than $4 for lunch. That’s a somewhat bigger savings than simply cutting out the beverage – it just naturally led to cutting out the cost of buying an overpriced side item, too.
I drink more water while I’m eating, which means I eat a little less. This seems unusual, but it’s true. If my beverage at the table isn’t water, I typically don’t drink very much of it while I’m eating. Instead, I’ll save it until after the meal. I think this is because I don’t like to alternate the flavors of the beverage with the flavors of the food. However, if it’s water, which is essentially flavorless, I’ll drink a lot of it during the meal, which means that I don’t eat as much.
The reduced consumption of food caught me by surprise a little bit, but I did notice during my last meal at a restaurant that I ordered a smaller dish than I usually did at a lower price and that the water I also ordered provided all of the sense of being full that I desired.
It also translates at home. If I eat a little less during meals, that translates into more leftovers, which at least once has translated into an extra meal we’ve been able to package up for the next day after dinner. Water consumption literally gave us an extra “leftover” lunch, which is definitely useful in stretching a food bill.
I haven’t had a headache in more than a month. I used to get a horrible headache about once a week, for which I would take four ibuprofen (the over-the-counter medicine that seemed to help the most). Since I stopped drinking other beverages and instead drink water much more often, those headaches have stopped. That jar of ibuprofen remains untouched for several weeks now, which means I’m not throwing more ibuprofen in the cart when I’m shopping.
I don’t know that this is specifically related to drinking more water, but I know that my headaches have basically disappeared at the same time that my water intake has increased, so it certainly feels like there’s a connection.
I stop at convenience stores less often. I didn’t really stop at convenience stores all that often to begin with, but such stops are basically nonexistent in the last month.
The truth is that since I started drinking more water, I feel less thirsty at other times during the day. Let’s say I’m leaving the library – a situation I find myself in a couple times per week – and in order to get home I’m either going to walk, ride my bike, or drive right by a convenience store.
If I’m thirsty, I’m tempted to stop in there and probably one out of every three or four times, I do. I’ll spend a couple of dollars on a beverage of some kind to quench my thirst, and occasionally buy something else.
However, since adopting this water routine, I simply don’t feel thirsty any more. Part of it is that I simply drink more water with meals than I used to, as noted above. I also usually bring a water bottle with me to boot, so even if I do happen to feel thirsty – which happens a lot less often – I have a water bottle already in my bag so I don’t have a need to stop.
I don’t use vending machines. I didn’t realize it, but when I would go to community game nights, I’d usually buy a beverage or sometimes two out of the vending machine there. This vending machine dispenses both soda and snacks, so often while I was standing there looking at the beverages, I’d buy a snack, too.
It was often thirst – or a sense of thirst – that would convince me to go over and look at the machine at all, so since I made the switch, I stopped really looking at the machine at all. I knew there’d be nothing in there I could drink. Instead, I just carry a water bottle with me all the time and refill it when needed.
Because of that beverage avoidance, I don’t buy the snacks, either. I keep a few bucks in my pocket during those community game nights. That’s a win, in my opinion.
I feel more energetic and less likely to put stuff off. This is perhaps the biggest change I’ve noticed since changing my fluid intake. It’s also one that’s hard to specifically quantify.
First, why did this happen? I don’t think it’s because water is some “miracle” or because I’ve “cleansed” myself or anything. I think that when I would drink sodas or sugary beverages, they’d cause my energy (and my blood sugar level) to spike for a little while, and then after that spike it’d fall into a valley for a long while unless I drank another sugary beverage.
Since I didn’t just sit there and drink sodas or sweetened coffees or other such things nonstop, I went through a lot of energy peaks and valleys during a typical day. I’d find myself organizing my days around energy peaks and valleys, which meant that I really wasn’t getting nearly as much done as I should have been.
Simply dropping everything but water changed that. For the first few days, my energy was in a complete valley. It wasn’t good. However, after that my baseline energy slowly started inching upward. Day after day, I felt better and better about tackling anything at any point throughout the day.
And, unsurprisingly, my overall productivity went up. I started getting more tasks done around the house. I started getting more articles written.
Eventually, I channeled some of that energy into little money-saving projects. I sold a bunch of items on Craigslist, items that were just sitting around waiting to be sold but I kept putting it off. I put some weather stripping on a door, which cuts down on air leaked to the outside and will save on our energy bills.
Those are things I would have kept putting off without the additional energy that I attribute to switching to a water-based beverage routine.
Is drinking water some kind of magical solution that will fix all of the problems of your life? Of course not, let’s not be silly here. However, will switching to drinking water instead of drinking other beverages save you a little bit of money and perhaps trigger some surprising savings in other areas? Absolutely.
Good luck.
The post How a Commitment to Drinking Just Water Saves More Money Than You Think appeared first on The Simple Dollar.
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100+ Awesome Scholarships That Will Help You Pay for College
If applying to college is a nerve-wracking experience, then I’m not sure how to explain the fear and dread involved in paying for it once you get in.
But wait, it gets worse: student loans, anyone?
Before you know it, your excitement about getting into college can be totally trumped by anxiety about how to pay for it.
Luckily, thousands of college scholarships can help you pay for school. Whether you’re in high school, college or even graduate school, you’re likely eligible to win a fair amount of money.
You don’t need to get straight As, be in dire financial straits or go to a ton of activities after school every day to win a scholarship. In some cases, a special skill or interest area — like weird ways to earn or save money — can help you win an award to use toward tuition, housing or even textbooks.
Here’s a list of 100 awesome scholarships to get you started on your search. Application rules and deadlines can change, so be sure to read all of the eligibility requirements on the funding organization’s website before applying.
Happy scholarship hunting! (For even more, check out our list of 100 weird college scholarships.)
Scholarships With Multiple Deadlines
Some of these organizations offer awards several times a year — during spring and fall semesters, quarterly or even monthly. Even if you’ve missed the earliest deadline this year, take a look to see whether there’s another one coming up!
1. AfterCollege Succurro Scholarship
Full-time undergraduate and graduate students with at least a 2.5 GPA can apply for this $1,000 scholarship that chooses one winner per quarter.
2. AfterCollege/AACN Scholarship Fund
This fund awards quarterly scholarships of $2,500 to students enrolled at an American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) member institution. Awards can be used toward bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degrees in nursing.
The selection committee gives special consideration to students in a graduate program to become a nurse educator; students completing an RN-to-BSN or RN-to-MSN program; and those enrolled in an accelerated program.
3. CollegeSTEPS Sweepstakes
Wells Fargo sponsors this award, which is open to high school seniors and all undergraduate levels. Applicants are selected throughout the year via random drawing to win 40 awards of $1,000 each.
4. Courage to Grow
This monthly scholarship award of $500 is available to juniors or seniors in high school as well as college students with a GPA of 2.5 or higher. You’ll have to submit a short essay.
Entries are due on the last day of each month.
5. United States Senate Youth Program
High school juniors and seniors who are involved in student government can apply to win up to $5,000. A principal or teacher nomination is required, and this scholarship includes a trip to Washington, D.C. for the Washington Week program.
Deadlines range from July to November, depending on your state.
6. College JumpStart Scholarship
Open to anyone in grades 10-12 or currently enrolled in college, College JumpStart Scholarship offers various award amounts to students who are committed to their educations and their communities. Submit a brief personal statement about your goals and achievements to apply.
You have two deadline options: April 15 or October 17.
7. “No Essay” College Scholarship
Yes, there’s a scholarship you can win without writing an essay! Niche.com offers this monthly drawing, which is open to all students planning to enroll in college within 12 months.
Enter once each month to win $2,000.
8. $1,000 Local Survey Sweepstakes
Tell Niche.com about your neighborhood and be entered into a monthly drawing for $1,000. Submit a new entry each month for a better chance of winning.
9. CaptainU Student-Athlete Scholarship
High school and junior college students who play sports and plan to attend a four-year college can apply for this $2,000 award. You’ll need to be active on social media to have a better chance at one of the quarterly prizes.
10. Ronald McDonald House Charities Scholarships
The Ronald McDonald House Charities offers a handful of scholarships open to all different types of aspiring students. To be eligible, you just have to live in an area where there is a participating RMHC chapter.
The application period for the 2016-2017 award year will open in the fall, and deadlines will vary by scholarship.
11. The Festivus Scholarship
Students returning to school after a gap in their education can earn $250 by winning four rounds of quizzes on common knowledge facts.
Enter by registering at the Common Knowledge Scholarship Fund and entering the fall quiz (begins in early September) and spring quiz (Starts in early January).
12. DoSomething.org Campaign Scholarships
Volunteer your time for any of DoSomething.org’s campaigns (examples include hosting a canned food drive or sharing ways to combat bullying) and you could win $10,000. Submit pictures of your campaign work to be entered.
DoSomething.org also draws a seasonal scholarship four times each year for your second chance to win $10,000.
13. CoffeeForLess.com “Hit the Books” Scholarship
Enrolled college students between the ages of 18 and 25 can enter to win $500. Enter by writing a 500-word essay on why your education is important to you; you might get bonus points if you can work your love of coffee into your essay.
One winner is chosen each spring (apply by January 31) and fall (apply by September 30).
14. Golden Key International Honour Society Scholarships
Golden Key International Honour Society is based upon three principles: academics, leadership, and service. It offers more than half a million dollars in scholarships each year to its undergraduate and graduate members.
Deadlines vary by scholarship.
15. Odenza Marketing Scholarship
If you have at least a 2.5 GPA, submit two short essays on given topics to be considered for a $500 scholarship. Enter by March 31 for the spring scholarship contest; there’s also another round in the fall.
This scholarship is open to American and Canadian students between the ages of 16 and 25.
Scholarships With Single Deadlines
I’ve organized these scholarships by date (with January opportunities first) so it’s easy to see which deadlines are coming up soon.
16. Gates Millenium Scholars Program
The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation awards 1,000 scholarships each year to extraordinary students. The average award is about $12,000, and these substantial awards are designed to last throughout the winner’s college experience.
The deadline usually falls in mid-January.
17. Proof-Reading.com Scholarship Program
Show academic achievement and write a topical essay in MLA format to win this $1,500 prize, which can be used toward full-time undergraduate studies.
The deadline usually occurs in mid-January.
18. Respshop.com Scholarship Prize
If sleep disorders affect your life, write a short essay to enter to win one of four scholarships of up to $1,500. If you’re already enrolled in college, you’ll need to show a 2.0 or better GPA.
Apply by January 31.
19. ARRL General Fund Scholarship
Students with any active amateur radio license may apply for this $2,000 award. Transcripts are required, but students in any field of study may apply.
Deadline: January 31.
20. Carole R. Streeter, KB9JBR, Scholarship
Students with any active amateur radio license and basic Morse code knowledge may apply for this $1,000 award. Preference is given to students in a health-related major.
Apply by January 31.
21. Optimist International Essay Contest
High school seniors can apply for a $2,000 scholarship in each of Optimist International’s 49 districts.
Local club deadlines may vary, but winning local essays are handed off to districts in February.
22. EDSA Minority Scholarship
The Landscape Architecture Foundation awards $5,000 to one student who is either in the final two years of undergraduate study, or working toward a graduate degree in landscape architecture.
Provide a resume, two recommendations, a 500-word essay and work samples to enter by February 15.
23. Jackie Robinson Foundation Scholarship Award
Minority high school students may apply for awards of up to $7,500 per year (for up to four years) to attend a four-year college. Scholarships also come with mentoring, leadership development and internship opportunities.
Apply by February 15.
24. GEICO Achievement Award Program
College sophomores and juniors with GPAs of at least 3.0 are invited to apply for a $2,500 award from GEICO. A resume, unofficial transcript, letter of recommendation and a short essay are required.
Apply by February 15.
25. AWS Foundation National Scholarship Program
The American Welding Society offers more than 30 national scholarships to students in the U.S. and Canada who plan to pursue careers in welding. Awards tend to be for $2,500 or more, and many are open to students in two- and four-year programs.
Students can create one profile online through AWS to be matched with scholarship options. Apply by February 15.
26. Society of Women Engineers Scholarships
By completing one application, women in engineering, engineering technology or computer science in the U.S. or Mexico can apply for a host of scholarships from SWE. Undergraduate and graduate students are both eligible.
Awards range from about $1,000 to $10,000. Apply by February 17 for returning college students, or May 15 for incoming college freshman.
27. SuperCollege Scholarship
High school through graduate school and adult students planning to enroll in the next 12 months may apply for this $1,000 scholarship. Funds can be used for tuition, books, room and board, computers or other related expenses.
Apply by February 29, 2016.
28. Legal Opportunity Scholarship Fund
Entering first-year law students can apply for this award from the American Bar Association. Full-time and part-time students are eligible; 20 winners receive $15,000 over three years of law school.
Deadline: March 1.
29. LULAC National Scholastic Achievement Awards
Anticipated or current undergraduate and graduate students may apply for this $2,000 award. Applicants must have a minimum 3.5 GPA and excellent standardized test scores. This scholarship is not limited to Hispanic and Latino students.
Apply by March 1.
30. ACS Scholars Award
The American Chemical Society offers scholarships to African American, Native American and Hispanic students planning to study a chemically related field before a career in the chemical sciences. $2,500 is awarded to an incoming freshman; $3,000 goes to a sophomore; and $5,000 is up for grabs among juniors and seniors.
Apply by March 1 with official transcripts, standardized test scores, two recommendation letters and your FAFSA Student Aid Report (SAR).
31. American Legion Auxiliary National Presidents Scholarship
High school seniors who show leadership, patriotism, service and financial need, plus academic achievement, may apply. Five $3,500 scholarships are awarded annually, along with five $3,000 scholarships and five $2,500 awards.
Deadline: March 1.
32. American Legion Scholarship for Non-Traditional Students
The American Legion also offers five scholarships each year to students returning to school after an interruption; or who is starting higher education later in life.
Apply by March 1 to be considered for an award of $2,000.
33. Frame My Future Scholarship Contest
High school seniors or current college students can apply for this $1,000 scholarship. Submit a piece of art: a photograph, collage, poem, painting or other creative piece, along with a short essay about your professional goals.
Apply by the beginning of March.
34. Life Lessons Scholarship Program
Applicants must submit an essay or short video about the effect of losing a parent during childhood. The grand prize is $15,000; apply by March 1.
35. Simon Youth Community Scholarship
Exceptional and involved students may apply for a $1,000 scholarship to be used at junior colleges, four-year colleges and trade schools. Every Simon mall in the U.S. provides an award, but only the first 3,000 applications received each year are judged.
Applicants must live within 50 miles of a Simon mall. Apply by March 1.
36. Religious Liberty Essay Scholarship Contest
Write an essay about religious freedom to win prizes from $250 to $2,000, awarded by the Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty. Apply by March 4.
37. AFSA National High School Essay Contest
The American Foreign Service Association sponsors this $2,500 scholarship for students interested in foreign policy. The winner also receives a trip to Washington, D.C. to meet the Secretary of State, and an all-expense paid education trip from Semester at Sea.
Apply by March 15.
38. The National WWII Museum High School Essay Contest
Students in grades 9-12 may enter by writing an essay in response to a promopt rooted in World War II history. Only the first 500 properly-formatted entries are considered for the $1,000 first-place prize, $750 second-place award, or $500 third-place prize.
Apply by March 15 annually.
39. Together We Care Nurse Practitioner Scholarship Program
MinuteClinic (owned by CVS) and Johnson & Johnson offer 30 nurse practitioner scholarships for $2,500 each and five doctor of nursing practice scholarships for $5,000 each.
If you’re enrolled in a nurse practitioner or doctor of nursing practice program with a GPA of at least 3.2, apply by March 16.
40. MillerCoors National Scholarship
College juniors and seniors of Hispanic descent may apply for this $3,000 scholarship. Applicants must be majoring in a business-related field with a 3.0 or higher GPA and attend an Adelante partner school. 20 scholarships are awarded.
Apply by March 18. (There’s also a similar scholarship for engineering and science majors.)
41. Shepherd Scholarship
If someone in your family was or is a member of the Scottish Rite of Freemasonry, you could be eligible for this $2,000 scholarship, which can be renewed for three years after being awarded.
Submit a transcript and up to four letters of recommendation to be considered. Deadline: March 31.
42. SanDisk Scholars Program
SanDisk awards $2,500 (renewable for four years) to students in engineering and computer science. High school seniors may apply, along with college freshman or sophomore students.
A 3.0 GPA is required, and you’ll need to submit an essay plus evidence of financial need, community involvement and “entrepreneurial interests.” Apply by March 31.
43. National Security Agency Mathematics and Computer Science Student Scholarship
The NSA (yep, that one) awards $500 each spring to students in computer science, computer engineering or mathematics. You’ll need a 3.0 GPA to apply; all levels of higher education study are welcome.
Apply by March 31.
44. SuretyBonds.com Small Business Scholarship
Each year, SuretyBonds.com gives away three $1,500 scholarships through its Small Business Student Success Scholarship Program.
Enter by March 31.
45. The Dr. Arnita Y. Boswell Scholarship Award
African-American students with a 2.75 GPA or higher, who also participate in school and community activities may apply for up to $1,000.
Applicants must submit two letters of recommendation, letters from activity organizers, an official transcript, an essay on a provided topic and a photo. Apply by April 1.
46. Davis-Putter Scholarship Fund
This $10,000 scholarship goes to a student active in the social and economic justice movements.
Apply by April 1 by submitting a personal statement, two recommendations, a transcript, evidence of financial need and a photo.
47. Bodie McDowell Scholarship
Junior and senior undergraduates studying communications or journalism may apply, along with graduate students. Awards range from $1,000 to $5,000, and there are three or more awards given each year.
Apply by April 1.
48. Tourism Cares Academic Scholarship Program
High school seniors, undergraduates and graduate students planning to study travel, tourism or hospitality may apply for one of 30 annual scholarships.
Awards range from $1,000 to $4,000. U.S. and Canadian students may apply. Deadline: April 1.
49. AICPA Accountemps Student Scholarship Award
Each year, four winners are selected to win $10,000. You must be a current undergraduate or graduate-level accounting student with a GPA of at least 3.0 to apply.
Deadline: April 1.
50. National Society of High School Scholars Foundation
If you’re part of The National Society of High School Scholars and are interested in pursuing a degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics, then you’re eligible for a $1,000 scholarship.
Requirements include a 3.0 GPA and some evidence of work in any of the STEM fields. Apply by April 1.
51. Letterman Telecommunications Scholarship
This award is only good at one school, but it’s too cool not to mention it. David Letterman created this scholarship at his alma mater, Ball State University.
If you’ve been working on a telecommunications project here, you have no reason not to apply. Grades aren’t a factor and you could be awarded up to $10,000 if you win first place.
Apply by April 4.
52. AFSA Scholarship Program
The American Fire and Sprinkler Association awards 10 scholarships for $2,000 to high school seniors. To apply, read an essay about fire sprinklers and complete a 10-question, open-book, multiple choice test. Each correct test answer gives you one entry into the scholarship drawing.
Apply by April 6.
53. Horatio Alger Scholarship Programs
Scholarships ranging between $6,000 and $21,000 are awarded to high school seniors who demonstrate critical financial need, participation in community activities and a 2.0 or better GPA. Recommendations, essay and transcript required.
Apply by April 15.
54. Appraisal Institute Education Trust Undergraduate Scholarship
Students who are already enrolled part- or full-time toward an associate or bachelor’s degree focusing on real estate may apply for this $1,000 award. You must demonstrate academic achievement.
Submit a short personal statement, two recommendations, your transcript and your resume to apply by April 14.
55. Gene Carte Student Paper Competition
Criminology students may submit one relevant academic paper each year to be considered for this scholarship. The first-prize winner gets $500.
Submit by April 15.
56. NDS Junior Merit Scholarship
Undergraduates In their junior year who plan to work in the dairy industry may apply for this award, which has a first prize of $1,500 and three runner-up awards of $1,000 each.
Leadership, activities, and academic performance are evaluated. Apply by April 15.
57. NDS Sophomore Merit Scholarship
The National Dairy Shrine also offers a scholarship for college sophomores pursuing a career in the dairy industry. First prize: $1,500. Leadership, activities, and academic performance are evaluated.
Apply by April 15.
58. Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Scholar-Intern Programs
Latino students with financial need may apply to receive one of several internship-focused awards, which include a monetary scholarship of around $2,500.
Applications are due in March and April.
59. Signet Essay Contest
Signet Classics awards five scholarships of $1,000 to high school juniors and seniors. Applicants must write an essay about the year’s chosen literary classic from a list of provided topics; teachers then submit the essays to Signet.
Entries are usually due in mid-April.
60. Ayn Rand Institute The Fountainhead Essay Contest
Readers in 11th and 12th grade can write a prompted essay about Ayn Rand’s novel “The Fountainhead” to be eligible for cash prizes to put toward college.
One first-place winner gets $10,000, five more winners receive $2,000 and 10 more receive $1,000 each. Special awards are available for students in the Chicago area and in Colorado.
Enter by April 29.
61. ASHA Youth Scholarships
Exceptional high school students who are involved with American Saddlebred horses, may apply. Academic success, financial need, community service and recommendations are considered.
Awards amounts range, but additional prizes of $2,500 and $5,000 are provided. Deadline: April 30.
62. MoolahSPOT $1,000 Scholarship
MoolahSPOT’s scholarship is open to students from around the world — but your essay and application must be submitted in English.
New or current students in college or graduate school may apply. Submit a 400-word essay by April 30.
63. Freedom of Speech PSA Contest
Current undergraduate, graduate and vocational school students can enter to win up to $3,000.
Apply by April 30 by submitting a 30-second audio or video public service announcement about freedom of speech.
64. Digital Responsibility E-Waste Scholarship
Write a tweet-length statement about electronic waste recycling to enter this $1,000 contest. The top 10 finalists will be asked to write a 500- to 1000-word essay.
Apply by April 30.
65. Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowships
If you’ve got Shakespearean dreams and enjoy writing poetry, you could win big. The Ruth Lilly and Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Poetry Fellowships require 10 pages of poems in order to be considered for one five $25,800 scholarships.
It’s open to all poets between age 21 and 31. Submit by April 30.
66. Actuarial Diversity Scholarship
Interested in being an actuary? African-American, Hispanic, Native North American and Pacific Islander students with a GPA of at least 3.0 may apply for this scholarship.
Awards range from $1,000 for an incoming freshman to $4,000 for an incoming college senior who has already passed actuarial exams. Enter by May 1.
67. The Herbert Lehman Education Fund Scholarship
Students showing financial need, academic achievement and public service who are entering or transferring to a four-year college may apply.
Submit a copy of your college acceptance letter, two recommendations, an essay, transcript, standardized test scores, copy of your FAFSA and a resume to be considered to win $2,000 per year for up to four years.
Deadline: May 1.
68. Optimist International Oratorical Contest
Would you engage with an audience from the podium? Winning speakers at the local level may earn scholarships of $2,500, $1,500 or $1,000 at the district level.
Local club competition dates vary, but districts must submit their winner lists to Optimist International by May 15.
69. Google Science Fair
Google wants you to take that papier-mâché volcano you made back in second grade to the next level. The company is running a global science fair asking participants one simple question: “How can we make the world better with science?”
Participants can either enter as individuals or in teams, and must be between the ages of 13 and 18. Final submissions are due on May 18 and the grand prize scholarship is worth $50,000.
70. ASHFoundation Graduate Scholarships
The American Speech-Language-Hearing Foundation provides up to 20 awards for $5,000 to graduate students of communication sciences and disorders.
Through the main application, students can select to be considered for endowed scholarships for students with disabilities, minority students and international students. Apply by May 23.
71. Copyright Awareness Scholarship
The Music Publishers Association of the United States awards up to $5,000 for an outstanding submission about intellectual property and copyright laws.
Students aged 13 through 25 may apply by May 29.
72. Rocket 55 Scholarship
High school seniors and undergraduates enrolled at least part time may apply for this $1,000 scholarship.
Submit an essay on a digital marketing topic by May 31.
73. Scholarship Detective Launch Scholarship
Free registration for ScholarshipDetective.com and a 140-character statement are all you need to enter this drawing for one of two $1,000 scholarships.
Deadline: May 31.
74. C.I.P. Scholarship
College is Power awards $1,000 to entering or continuing students in full- or part-time programs. The funds can be used for tuition, books, room and board, or other related expenses.
Enter by May 31.
75. PRSSA Lawrence G. Foster Award for Excellence in Public Relations
The Public Relations Student Society of America offers a $1,500 award to one member. Applicants must submit a a letter of recommendation and application signed by a PRSSA chapter advisor, along with an essay about the public relations field.
Apply by June 3.
76. Professional Bowlers Association Billy Welu Scholarship
If you’re an amateur bowler and exhibit academic excellence, you could receive $1,000! Applicants must maintain at least a 2.5 GPA.
Apply by June 15 to be eligible.
77. ASF Translation Awards
The American-Scandinavian Foundation offers a $2,500 award and a $2,000 award for outstanding translations of Scandinavian works by authors born before 1800.
Apply by June 15.
78. Student Translation Award
The American Translators Association invites translations of literary or science/technology works into English, but also considers translation-related projects. A faculty member must write a letter of support for the undergraduate or graduate applicant.
Award: $500. Deadline: June 8.
79. Bruce Lee Foundation Scholarship
$1,000 goes to one student who exemplifies Bruce Lee’s (yes, that one!) passion for education. The scholarship can be used at two-year and four-year institutions along with trade schools.
Deadline: June 10.
80. Delete Cyberbullying Scholarship
This $1,000 award can be used for undergraduate or graduate work. Applicants must submit a 500-word essay about cyberbullying.
Apply by June 30.
81. Jane M. Klausman Women in Business Scholarship
Women studying business or a business-related program may apply for this $1,000 scholarship. There’s no age limit to apply.
Deadlines depend on local Zonta clubs, but club-level finalists must be presented to regional representatives by July 1.
82. Resume Companion Annual Scholarship Giveaway
Enter to win this $1,000 scholarship by creating a resume for a fictional character. There is no GPA requirement for this award. Apply by July 14.
83. Gen and Kelly Tanabe Scholarship
This $1,000 scholarship is a merit-based award open to incoming or current college or graduate students.
Applicants must submit a 250-word essay by July 31.
84. AXA Achievement Scholarship
52 students — one from each state, along with representatives from Washington, D.C. and Puerto Rico — are selected to receive $10,000. High school seniors must demonstrate ambition and drive, determination, respect, and academic potential.
Ten of each year’s winners are selected as national winners with an addition $15,000 scholarship. Applications are usually due in the fall.
85. Second Chance Scholarship
American Fire Sprinkler Association offers five $1,000 scholarships to nontraditional students holding a GED or high school diploma.
The application deadline is typically in late August.
86. National College Match
QuestBridge awards full tuition for four years, plus room and board to one lucky student who shows academic achievement and financial need. You’ll need two letters of recommendation, a transcript, a high school counselor report and standardized test scores.
The scholarship is limited to QuestBridge partner schools, so take special note of the official rules for this award. Apply in the fall.
87. Doodle 4 Google
Ever wanted to create one of Google’s popular daily homepage doodles? K-12 students may apply, but high school students should be particularly interested in the prize: a $30,000 scholarship for the grand prize winner and $5,000 for four finalists.
The application period usually opens in early fall.
88. TakeLessons Scholarship
Current college students can enter to win between $1,000 and $5,000. Write a short essay to apply; the public chooses the best essay before the finalists move on to committee.
Apply by September 30.
89. JW Surety Bonds Scholarship
If your original blog post on one of the topics provided is published, you’ll be entered to win $1,000.
Enter by September 30.
90. The Siemens Competition in Math, Science & Technology
The regional winners of this highly competitive contest receive $3,000, and national winners receive between $10,000 and $100,000. Groups may apply, but national award groups split the prize money.
Students in grades 9 through 12 may enter the first round by September 30.
91. Intel Science Talent Search
High school seniors submit their science research projects to compete for major cash scholarships — the top prize is $100,000.
Applications are usually due in November.
92. Voice of Democracy
This scholarship judges applicants by short essay told via audio. The national first-place winner receives $30,000 for use at any U.S. college or vocational school; scholarships of $1,000-$6,000 are also awarded.
Apply through your local VFW post by November 1.
93. Jack Kent Cooke Foundation College Scholarship
Entering freshmen of a four-year college can apply for awards of up to $30,000. Submit recommendations and an essay by early November.
A 3.5 GPA and standardized test scores in the top 15% are required.
94. Elks National Foundation Most Valuable Scholar Competition
High school seniors can apply for one of 500 four-year scholarships by applying through their local Elks Lodge by December 2. The top 20 finalists attend a leadership weekend in Chicago in April to interview for the top awards ranging from $30,000 to $50,000.
The 480 runners-up receive scholarships of $4,000 each.
95. Stephen J. Brady Stop Hunger Scholarship
Students up to age 25 can apply for a $5,000 scholarship. Each of the several winners also receive a matching grant in their name to a hunger-related charity.
Applicants must demonstrate a history of volunteer work relating to efforts to end hunger in the United States. Apply by December 5.
96. Foreclosure.com Scholarship Contest
Already-enrolled undergraduate students can apply for a $5,000 scholarship. Four runners-up receive $1,000 each. An essay on a specified topic is required.
Apply by December 16.
97. Community College Scholarship
Niche.com offers $500 to current and anticipated community college students. Apply by December 31.
98. $500 Culinary Scholarship
High school students interested in culinary school, along with already enrolled students, may enter to win this $500 award from Niche.com.
Enter by December 31, 2015.
99. $500 Nursing Scholarship
Future and current nursing students may apply for this $500 scholarship from Niche.com. Enter by December 31, 2015.
100. Unigo $10K Scholarship
Submit a 200-word essay about how you’ve defied stereotypes and you could win one of two $10,000 scholarships. You must enroll in college no later than fall of 2019. Apply by December 31.
101. The Penny Hoarder’s $2,000 “Frugal Student” Scholarship
Guess what? We even have a scholarship here at The Penny Hoarder.
Applicants must be enrolled with an active class schedule, and write a short essay about an interesting and unusual way you’ve saved or made money.
Deadline: December 31.
Your Turn: Will you be applying for scholarships this year?
Lisa Rowan is a writer, editor and podcaster based in Washington, D.C.
The post 100+ Awesome Scholarships That Will Help You Pay for College appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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Sainsbury's to axe supermarket Brand Match scheme
Sainsbury’s shoppers will no longer be able to earn the difference if their shop would have been cheaper at Asda, as the supermarket has announced it’s axing its Brand Match scheme.
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These 16-Year-Olds Invented a Card Game for a School Project… and Made $20K
Confession time: I have never gone camping.
Not really. When I told my parents I wanted to as a kid, they said, “For sure!”
… and then rented an RV. That’s about as close to roughing it as they wanted to get.
I predictably grew into an adult too attached to air conditioning and Wi-Fi to get any closer to the real deal than renting a KOA cabin.
But this sweet card game — and the inspiring story behind it — might just make me change my ways.
How a Class Project Sparked the Entrepreneurial Spirit
In the winter of 2015, 16-year-old Maya Gay was faced with a challenge.
She and her entrepreneurship classmates were asked to come up with business ideas, which would then compete in a Dragons’ Den-style competition. Incentives included both cash prizes and considerable bragging rights.
Gay partnered up with her friend Rachel Birrell and worked on a business idea revolving around the pair’s passion: the outdoors.
“I’ve grown up skiing, hiking and backpacking,” Maya says. Her whole family loves to explore the great outdoors, and she plans to hike the Pacific Crest Trail next year.
But at 16, Gay and Birrell didn’t have the resources to create the material-intensive revised camp shoe they initially invented — at least not if they wanted to stand a chance against their competitors.
So they started thinking about people, rather than products, and reminiscing about some of their best outdoor experiences.
“I’d met some really interesting people on the trails before,” Gay explains. “Rachel and I realized the importance of human connections in this technology-focused society.”
And suddenly, Basecamp Cards was born.
How These 16-Year-Olds Started a Business
Basecamp Cards are regular playing cards that feature icebreaker questions to encourage the kind of lengthy conversations that unravel best around a campfire.
“We were brainstorming the process of camp life and realized that everyone brings a deck of cards with them!” Gay says.
Lightweight and versatile, playing cards hold an important place in most backpackers’ kits. But the pair took advantage of the perfect way to improve them: emblazoning them with great conversation prompts.
The cards are designed with beautiful watercolor backgrounds, painted by a friend of Gay’s family. Questions range “from thought-provoking to goofy.” Some samples include:
- Would you rather fight 100 duck-sized horses or one horse-sized duck?
- Win the lottery or find your perfect job?
- What is a skill that you want to learn?
The pair focused on questions requiring a more-than-one-word answer — the kind that might move players to put down the cards and start chatting instead.
To make sure they had great conversation starters, the pair surveyed their fellow classmates during brainstorming sessions — which got a little tricky at times.
“Our classmates got really sick of us asking them whether they wanted to change gender every time they sneezed or not be able to tell the difference between a muffin and a baby,” Gay says.
It took the pair about a month to solidify the questions and design the cards on Adobe Photoshop — neither of the girls had any prior experience.
By the time they received the initial run of 36 prototype decks to submit to the judges, they had already sold out.
They quickly submitted another order — this time for 500 decks.
Basecamp Cards didn’t just win the First Prize of $1,500 and Best Trade Show prize of $500.
It became a real business.
How Basecamp Cards Went from Project to Profit
As sales expanded, Gay tweaked the cards and the business, adding the colorful background and improving the quality of the materials.
And last summer, she bought out Birrell and partnered with her 19-year-old brother, Aidan, instead.
So far, she’s spent $11,000 creating and selling Basecamp Cards… and earned $20,000. She says the cards will only improve in quality… and go down in price.
We love Gay’s entrepreneurial spirit, which she says she owes in part to her parents — both are entrepreneurs themselves and contributed funds for the first run of cards.
And what’s best, she’s used her prowess and creativity to make an affordable, fun product to bring people together in what has become the old-fashioned way: face to face, surrounded by nature, away from screens.
Your Turn: What business would YOU have thought to start while you were in high school?
Jamie Cattanach (@jamiecattanach) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She also writes other stuff, like wine reviews and poems.
The post These 16-Year-Olds Invented a Card Game for a School Project… and Made $20K appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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11 Surprisingly Affordable Healthy Foods You Should Have in Your Pantry
When you live in a dorm or apartment and have to cook meals for one, being frugal is tougher than some might believe.
You can’t stock up on fresh food when it’s on sale because it’ll go bad faster than you can eat it.
A tight weekly budget and even tighter space makes buying in bulk seem impossible, so you feel like you’re stuck with single-serve junk food, carbolicious boxed meals or restaurant meals outside of the house.
But you don’t have to be.
Keep a small shelf or corner of your mini-fridge stocked with these 11 staples, and you can eat healthier than you think.
And you can buy all of this cheap, healthy food this week for less than $30!
1. Brown Rice
Though similar in calories and carbs to white rice, brown rice is a whole grain and a good source of fiber and several vitamins.
It’s also a budget’s best friend.
Get a pound of brown rice for only 89 cents.
If you hate the time it takes to cook, grab a 14-ounce box of pre-cooked brown rice for $1.99. That’s still a pretty good deal, and you can even cook it in a microwave if you don’t have access to a stovetop.
2. Quinoa
Pick up a 30-ounce bag of Simply Balanced organic quinoa for $9.55.
It may seem like a high price for the (superfood) grain. But you’ll cook quinoa the same as rice — and one cup makes about six servings.
So that single, 30-ounce package yields about 22 servings — less than $0.50 per serving.
3. Pasta
In our low-carb era, pasta is not everyone’s best friend — but it’s definitely affordable.
You may want to eat this white-flour-based staple in moderation. And avoid the expensive, fat– and sodium-heavy canned sauces that accompany it.
But toss some pasta with lightly cooked vegetables and some oil, and it can fill out a cheap, healthy meal.
Grab a box of pasta — enough for about seven servings — for just $1.42. The whole wheat variety is the same price, though the texture is tough for some people to swallow.
4. Peanut Butter
For a quick, delicious, nutrient-rich snack or sandwich, it’s tough to beat peanut butter.
A 16-ounce jar of Smucker’s Natural creamy peanut butter is $2.94.
Buying JIF will save you 40 cents, but you’ll also get the added sugars and oils.
Skippy’s Natural variety falls financially and nutritionally in the middle at $2.64.
Each jar promises about 14 servings, so you’re paying less than a quarter per serving for the filling treat.
5. Dark Chocolate
Dark chocolate is a smart way to satisfy a sweet tooth.
The rich flavor means you don’t need to eat a lot at once, so it’ll likely last longer than sweeter candies.
Dark chocolate candies or bars can cost well over $3 apiece and disappear in a day or two.
But dark chocolate chips will run you just $2.64 for a 10-ounce bag.
Since chocolate chips are so tiny, you’ll probably eat less in a sitting, and they’re always good to have around when you’re in the mood for baking!
6. Canned Beans, Fruits and Vegetables
Canned goods are super cheap and easy to store, because they’re made to last.
Stock up on beans, fruits and veggies when you see sales. Even if you prefer to eat fresh options, it’s nice to have these standbys in the pantry to hold you over when money is tight.
What to Do About Fresh Produce
For fresh produce, prices will vary quite a bit by location, region and season. Choose affordable options in your location.
For your staples, look for longer-lasting produce. You may opt for a variety or choose certain produce because it’s healthier.
But you’ll end up wasting money if you can’t eat any of it before it goes bad.
Choose variety when it makes sense — follow sales, use coupons, visit the farmers market and buy “ugly produce” at a discount. Otherwise, save money, and stick with a few strong staples.
And make sure to store them properly so you get your money’s worth!
Here are some average produce prices from the USDA.
7. Spinach
A rich source of several vitamins, iron and calcium, this leafy green is a smart staple because of its adaptability.
You can eat it raw in salads and sandwiches; cook it in a stir-fry, omelet or casserole; steam it as a side; or even blend it for an energy boost in your smoothie.
It’s also fairly affordable. Raw spinach costs an average of $3.83 per pound. The price goes down significantly to $1.90 for frozen and $1.15 for canned.
To save money, you could substitute the nutritionally comparable collard greens, kale or broccoli. All are about a dollar per pound cheaper than spinach, though not quite as culinarily flexible.
8. Apples
“An apple a day…” You get it.
On average, apples are $1.57 per pound. They aren’t my favorite fruit, but they’re my favorite to keep in the house, because of their shelf life.
Bananas cost about a third of what apples do per pound. But what’s the window of eatability for a banana — like, three hours? I waste money throwing bananas away, and wishing I knew how to bake, mostly.
Though I like to grab a variety of melons, berries and other fruits when they’re on sale, apples are my staple.
They’re perfectly snack-sized, sweet enough to satisfy cravings and don’t go bad faster than I can eat them.
9. Lemons
Lemons run about $1.90 per pound. Depending on the price, I like to have lemons or limes in the house to perk up almost any meal.
Citrus fruits are great for sauces, garnishes and salad dressings. Skip the expensive packaged marinades and dressings, and whip up your own with some lemon juice, oil, salt and pepper.
10. Onions and Shallots
At $1.04 per pound, onions are a must-have.
And believe me, I was once a child who wouldn’t even look at a dish if I was told it contained onions.
As an adult, I now know the incredible value onion adds to flavor.
Don’t worry about filling your spice rack with overpriced seasoning blends. Chop an onion and add some salt — you’ll bring out the best flavor in whatever meat or veggies you’re cooking.
The price per pound of shallots runs about the same, if you prefer a milder alternative.
11. Root Vegetables
Keeping a variety of fresh vegetables in your diet can be tough.
I watch red peppers, baby carrots and cucumbers become limp and shriveled too quickly in my (Florida) refrigerator.
But a few smarter choices can help you keep those much-needed nutrients in your diet without breaking your budget.
First, skip the baby carrots. Buy whole, fresh carrots for half the price. They’re just 74 cents per pound, and they’ll last much longer than their stubby, naked, packaged counterparts.
Whole carrots can also fill out a meal as a roasted or sauteed side dish. In a pinch, steam them in your microwave! The same goes for other root veggies, like potatoes, yams or beets.
Your Turn: What are your favorite affordable, healthy staples?
Dana Sitar (@danasitar) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder. She’s written for Huffington Post, Entrepreneur.com, Writer’s Digest and more, attempting humor wherever it’s allowed (and sometimes where it’s not).
The post 11 Surprisingly Affordable Healthy Foods You Should Have in Your Pantry appeared first on The Penny Hoarder.
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