Archive for June, 2007
If you go to a Division I school, chances are that football and/or basketball is extremely popular. At my school, football is king, but in other schools, basketball is the hottest ticket in town. In any case, no matter what your school’s sport of choice is, if you can get season tickets, you should! Not only is it very enjoyable (if you’re into sports), but also it can be quite profitable for the average student.
Buying tickets at student price and selling them to the highest bidder on game day (or beforehand) is a great way to make some serious cash. Now, for someone like me, I’d be happier with the tickets and the game experience. However, if there’s a football or basketball game I cannot attend for some reason, then selling the tickets is the way to go. If you are someone who hates football and/or basketball, buy the tickets anyway! Find a friend who hates football and basketball, get the tickets next to each other, and you can make a significant profit. You can sell tickets on eBay, outside the arena/stadium, or at numerous other sites on the Internet such as BuySellTix.com, MyTicketMarket, or TicketsOfAmerica, just to name a few.
Now, you may be skeptical. You may think that there is not really a profit to be made. Consider the Ohio State vs. Michigan game on November 18, 2006. Now, I had tickets to that game, and I attended it (it was the greatest football game I’ve ever seen). However, I know many, many students who elected to sell their tickets. Keep in mind the scope of this game. It was number 1 versus number 2 (in the BCS polls…no comment), both teams undefeated, a rivalry game, and the last game of the regular season with a shot at the National Championship game on the line. Students who were selling individual tickets were making at least 1,000 dollars straight profit. Now, this type of event doesn’t happen every year, but it shows you the kind of impact ticket sales can have. Imagine if someone had two tickets next to each other? They could have made even more. Imagine the people who could have bought season tickets and decided not to, their wallets were crying.
It is important to note that the way student tickets are given differs between schools. Some schools actually give football tickets away for free. Others have online systems for basketball and football ticket sign ups. Some have strict rules with student tickets (most schools will require a student ID for entrance with student tickets). My school recently offered an “upgrade,” where students could pay an extra fee and get their ticket upgraded from a student ticket to a regular ticket. In any case, before considering this investment think about your schools policies, because if you sell a student ticket to someone on eBay, you could have one unhappy customer if they cannot get into the game.
The bottom line is this, even if you hate sports, you should consider buying and selling tickets as a way for some quick cash. Depending on who you talk to, and the demand for the game, you can make some significant profits. Of course, there’s never a guarantee. The game could get rained on, massive snow storms could stop people from coming, the team could have a bad season, the star player could be injured, and much more. As with any investment, there is a certain amount of risk involved. Keep in mind that there are many avenues for selling tickets, and different means to make it a profitable venture. One of my friends is planning on selling tickets next year. He loves football games, and is going to buy tickets for himself. However, he has two other friends who hate football. Well, he’s giving them money and they are going to purchase two season tickets. He’s going to sell them before every game, and he’s going to make some profit off of it. Of course, ethically speaking, I’d never sell tickets to an opposing fan, and I hope he doesn’t either. But then again, I’m pretty ridiculous when it comes to sports.
June 12 2007 | Financial Advice | No Comments »
It’s 8:10AM on a Monday morning. Class starts in 20 minutes and I just don’t want to get out of bed and go, so I decide to roll over and catch a few extra hours of sleep. Little do I know that not only could I miss something potentially important in class, but also my two extra hours of sleep just cost me money.
It goes without saying that people should go to class. Even those boring morning Math lectures should be attended regularly. Statistically, students who go to class always do better than their sleeping counterparts. When you’re actually in class, absorbing the information, you can remember more, and have a better understanding of the topics. Heck, even if you are just a warm body (meaning you’re physically there, but mentally you’re thinking about what you’re going to do on Friday, or last week’s football game), you are still learning more than the person at home in bed. But this isn’t about the academics of it. Not only are you jeopardizing your grade, but your wasting valuable dollars.
Universities charge for tuition (duh). The costs go for facilities, professor salaries, and much more. So when you take a class, that specific class is a percentage of that tuition. If you have 4 classes, it’s 25%, and so on. So, let’s say student John E. Lazy is going to the local state school. Tuition per quarter is about $4,000 USD. John E. Lazy has enrolled in 4 classes. Therefore, each class is roughly costing Mr. Lazy $1,000 USD. Let’s say this one specific class (Biology 101 for example), meets twice a week for two hours. If the quarter lasts ten weeks, then John E. has about 20 classes, or 40 hours. That means, if he skips one class, it will cost him $50. That’s an expensive nap! Also, we aren’t even calculating the books he bought for the class. This is a very simple example, but it illustrates an important point: You (or your parents) are paying for school, it is not free. Public high schools are free, so if someone skips a class, it’s not directly costing them money (maybe through taxes, but we won’t get into that here). When it comes to post secondary, it is a privilege, not a right. What does the local University care if you don’t go to class? They just got 4,000 dollars for a student who’s only going to be using 2,000 worth of resources (assuming you attend half the classes).
This isn’t meant to be preachy, and I’ll be the first to admit I’ve skipped my fair share of classes. But after truly considering how much it was costing me to catch those extra few hours of sleep, and what it was doing to my grades, I started to rethink it a little. I’m determined to get my degree, and I hope I do so successfully and maybe even learn something new. In order to make the most of it, going to class is a must.
June 11 2007 | Financial Advice | 2 Comments »
I recently had a decision to make about on campus living. I’d lived on campus for two years. The first year, I was just a student. The next year, I was an RA (Resident Advisor), which meant that my room and board were paid for as a part of my job. There will always be debate in families concerning students who have the option to either live on campus, off-campus, or stay at home. The decision varies from family to family, depending on preference. However, college finances should always be considered.
On Campus Living
The college experience changes from university to university. However, I know that most students really enjoy living on campus (for a variety of reasons that their parents may not like to hear). Unfortunately, living on campus is expensive! Dormitories (or Residence Halls), can be quite expensive and in most cases cost just as much, if not more than the tuition to the University. Not only that, but also many universities have meal plans that students must pay for in order to eat. Add in the cost of other necessities (such as toiletries) and living on campus can put a serious dent in anyone’s wallet. To many people, the experience of living on campus is priceless, and the friendships that form throughout the course of a year on campus are long lasting. There is also a certain stability available with on campus living (no angry landlords to deal with). Although the cost may be slightly higher, convenience and experience can be enough to drive people to live in the dorms.
Make sure you or you’re child take the time to analyze the housing options. Many campuses have different costs for different types of dorms. While having air conditioning and a ton of space is great, don’t be afraid to save money and go with the more affordable housing that lacks air conditioning and has students packed into rooms like prisoners. Consider where a majority of the student’s classes will be taken. If you or your child is at an extremely large university, whole departments can be on different sides of campus. If one is studying engineering, it wouldn’t make much sense to live close to the humanities buildings. Also, consider the learning environments. Many colleges have specific residence halls designated for certain types of majors, freshman, sophomores, etc. Living with people who have similar interests, backgrounds, or work ethics can be very beneficial. For more information, be sure to consult the housing web sites or booklets offered by your University.
Off Campus Living
Campus is great, but often times, come junior and senior year, students get tired of living with freshman and dealing with their RAs. They can also get tired of paying the expensive housing fees that many universities hand out. For this type of person, off campus living is a viable option. The truth is, that living off campus can save you or your child a significant amount of money. It has to be done right, but it can be done.
Again, doing research is paramount when considering off campus options. Consider proximity to campus. How will you get to class each day? Can you walk or take a bike? Can you take a bus? Will you need a car or a parking pass? How much will gas cost? These types of questions must all be considered. Next, consider roommates. The fact remains that, while everyone has the story of the hellish roommate, having one can greatly reduce costs. If rent is $500 a month for one, it’s only $250 a month for two. Using my college math skills, I determined that $250 is less than $500, so I would certainly be willing to put up with some dirty socks on the floor or some roommates troublesome girlfriend in order to save thousands of dollars yearly. Keep in mind, that when living off campus, bills will be different. Be sure to ask the tough questions concerning utilities. Take the time to understand the terms of the lease. Think about food. Many people are surprised with how much food can actually cost. On campus living is safe with all of the dining halls right there, and meal plans bought at the beginning of each semester or quarter. However, off campus, one actually has to cook things and consider those costs.
I have talked to people who love living off campus. They wouldn’t change it for the world. It is also a great step towards true independence. While living on campus is a great experience, it still has that safety net. Off campus living, if you miss a rent payment, you can get kicked out. Students can learn how to manage their monthly bills in a way that was previously impossible.
Lifestyle changes may also have to occur. When one could previously fall out of bed and make it to class in 5 minutes, that person must now consider the time it takes to get to class from the off campus location. If you rely on a bus, being late is no longer an option. No longer will an RA be banging on your door to quiet you down, you may just have to deal with the cops. In that same vein, no longer will an RA be able to bother your neighbors about their music, so if it’s thumping at 2AM on a Tuesday and you have a 9AM exam, you’ll have to deal with it yourself.
The last off-campus option is always to live at….home. Yes, I know it’s the nightmare of all college students to be stuck at home with their parents. Depending on families, this can be a great choice. Financially, it is the best out of everything, because you are avoiding housing costs altogether. Of course, if you go to school far away, this isn’t an option, but if you live in the same city, it should be considered. No matter what you decide, be sure to make the college experience your own and enjoy it. Parents, make sure to let your kids experience college as well. Consider finances, weigh the options, and I’m sure you’re decision will work out (and if it doesn’t, there’s always next year!).
June 05 2007 | Housing | No Comments »
« Prev