A smart shopper's guide to purchasing text books.

If you’re like me, then you know what its like to fork over hundreds of dollars just for text books. Although financial aid might be covering some of your book expenses, there is no reason why you should pay so much for books you will have only for a semester. Buying books at book store price and selling them back for flea market price is something that disappoints college students. In order to get a good deal on your text book, as well as sell them back for more than store book price, you have to shop smart.

The first tip is to do your homework early. What I mean by this is find out what textbook you will have to buy.

The next tip is to search for your textbooks. What I suggest doing first is going to your university book store and writing down the ISBN numbers of your book. This is the bar code number on the back of your book. Sometimes the bookstore will cover it up. You can also find the bar code on inside of the first page. Write down the list of isbn numbers and the cost of the books. You will need your isbn numbers when searching for books and comparing prices. This number identifies the exact book. Most numbers have 8 or 10 numbers.

Once you have your barcode, you will need to find the best deals on textbooks. There are several ways to do this.

• Look for textbooks on ebay or half.com. Make a wish list if you have to

• See if other people at your university have the books you need. Many of them will offer a fairer price than the book store. If you’re part of a social networking site, such as facebook and myspace, you can join groups where people are selling their textbooks at your school.

• Contact your professor and ask whether the textbooks are needed. You will be very surprised that you will buy textbooks only to use them a few times during the semester. If that is the case, it might help to borrow from a friend or make a copy of certain pages when needed.

• You might also want to contact your professor and ask if using the previous version of a textbook is o.k. I’ve used previous versions of textbooks for a few classes, and there is no difference between the new version and the old version.

• I highly recommend buying the international editions of your text. International editions are significantly cheaper than the U.S. editions. The abe textbook website has a way to search for textbooks. For general courses like math or science, you'd probably have better luck finding an international edition.

Using these tips will help you immensely. Conversely, selling books through other methods will make you more money. Many times, if you sell your books back at the book store, you’ll make far less than what you paid. I recommend selling books online and with your friends. The following links are a just a few places where you can start your textbook search.

Book Finder

Campus Books

Cheap Text Books (Valore)

Abe Books

Campus Books for Less

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It's peanut butter jelly time!

As I was surfing through blogs on entrecard, an interesting gadget caught my eye. The VAN VACTOR PBJ bagel knife. This was found on the very famous The Peanut Butter Blog. According to the blogger who was skeptical of the product, "
After just one use I was hooked. This knife is amazing! Its wavy blade makes it the perfect tool with runny peanut butter--no more drips all over the outside of the jar or on my plate. It works great with cold, stiff peanut butter from the fridge, too. No need for jelly spoons--it holds the jelly just as well as it holds the runny peanut butter."

Now, this blogger is being given the chance of giving away this amazing PBJ knife for free :) All you have to do is read here

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Winners and Losers (BREAKING NEWS!)

In breaking news, the House has rejected the bill!

The 110 page revised bill issuing a 700 billion dollar bill bail out in three installments will come out with winners, and of course, losers,

Wall Street, financial institutions, CEO’s, Bernakne and Paulson could all benefit from this massive bailout. CEO's of failing companies will be allowed to keep their jobs. If the bailout works as intended, it will enable Americans to get loans for cars, student loans, and the opportunity to open a credit card account. However the confidence that the bill work as hoped is very slim from those on Main Street.

The losers, unfortunately, include those that are facing foreclosure, loosing their homes, or whose homes are less than what they owe. This bill will do little, if anything at all to assist them. According to an article I read on Yahoo, it will also do little to halt the slide in home values. This is said to be one of the root causes of the economic slow down.

This bill will also affect tax payers that will foot the bill. The congress made it clear during their discussions of this bail out those tax payers MUST be protected. The bill will add 700 billion to the national debt. One of the tax payer protections includes that if the bailout fails, tax payers will be compensated in full.

Proponents of the bill claim that the bill could even make the tax payers money. The reality is that very few people believe that the provisions will fix the market. The main criticism is that the bill still does not address or even solve the fundamental problems of why the financial crisis came about in the first place.

The bailout, as mentioned previously, will include 3 installments. The government will be allowed to buy billion of dollars of devalued assets. 250 billion will be available immediately once the bill is passed. The next installment will be released at the authority of the president, and the last installment may be requested by the president if the congress does not act against it.

My thoughts: I hope this bill does not pass because all it does is protect Wall Street and the Bush Administration. If our Founding Fathers were to see the mess we were in, they would be ashamed of us, and all their efforts would have gone in vain. As many protesters have been shouting on Wall Street: "You broke it, you bought it!" It's time these irresponsible companies take responsibility for their actions. Let us hope this bill does NOT pass.

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Guide to finding a legit GPT site.

If you’re like most people, the thought of filling out surveys may seem time consuming and not worth the effort. The fact is, while there are many sites out there that tend to scam its users, there are also those that will value their members’ effort. A lot of skeptics may question the purpose of GPT (Get Paid To) sites. Simply put, marketers are looking to get exposure for their products. In return for that exposure, they pay the GPT website and you get part of that profit. Online marketing has become a major tool in promoting virtually every type of product. Usually you will answer questions on a survey with valid information. They can take anywhere from 5 minutes to 20 minutes.


Before you click “join” on any GPT site, make sure you do your research first. Often times, we are referred by someone who wants to make commission off of what we will make. While there is nothing wrong with this, it’s always important to look into the legality of the site before you join.

One thing to do is to look for payment proof. A site can boast and brag about how they pay so much survey, but it won’t mean anything unless its members get paid, and they are sharing that proof with others who are skeptical. In addition to that, you need to look into how often you get paid. Some survey sites require you to accumulate a few thousand points or a certain dollar amount, while the few good ones don’t require you to build up so much money or points in order to get paid. Payout is something to take into consideration. If you want to make some extra money fast, then it is best to pick out surveys where the min. payout is very low would be the best choice.

Whenever I look to join a GPT site, I look at thesed three things: Proof of payment, the positive things people say, and the criticism they have. If the good outweighs the bad, and I see proof, I am assured that my time is not going to be wasted.


The next thing to look out for is responsiveness of the administrators on the sites. I believe that the GPT sites that are legit are the ones that have established members forums. Often times, whenever a member is experiencing problems in offers crediting, or payment delay, they will ask for help on the forum. The sites which I am a part of all have a membership forum where the administrators are attentive to members’ concerns. If you do decide to join a GPT site, visit the forums first. This will prove to be your best friend during your time on the site.


The next thing you should do is check if the site you want to join is on the GPT boycott list. This is a very helpful tool and its purpose is to inform internet users of possible scams out there.

Once you have found your GPT site, make sure you read the guidelines. Often, if you do not follow the guidelines of a site, your account will be suspended. It will be in your best interest to find out how to fill out offers correctly and what actions will get you banned.


My next post will address tips on how to fill out surveys. Keep on reading!

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Oh my Goodness, I got paid!

I got paid from a gpt site. I'm usually a very skeptical person about almost anything. I got involved with these sites in order to make some extra cash. One thing I ALWAYS do is research a site before I join. It doesn't matter if I hear it from word of mouth, online, or through written word, I am the type of person that needs to SEE the proof. I always make it a habit of looking for real payment proof. If I see over a dozen picture proofs, I feel more confident in joining.

The check that I got from a gpt site is Cashcrate When I joined, the min payout was 10 dollars in order to get a check. I easily made over 20 dollars within the first few weeks just with free offers. Lately the rules have changed and members have to make 20 dollars for payout. It really is not that complicated, especially if you already have experience in filling out surveys.

Anyway, here is my own proof of my paymentnt. I blocked my personal info because I think stalkers are creepy.

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Do you think it would hurt the U.S. economy if we let the financial banks fail

I was just skimming through an article on yahoo, and it looks like congress came up with a plan of action for this bailout. They call it a rescue, but I still call it a bail. In the end, it seems as if Ol' King Henry has gotten his wish after all... that is of course, with a few restrictions.

Yes, the bailout IS going to be passed. Instead of posting a long droning article on the goods, I'll list the key points and then link you to the article. Overall, I am very disappointed at this agreement.

• The plan calls for the Treasury Department to buy deeply distressed mortgage-backed securities and other bad debts held by banks and other investors. The money should help troubled lenders make new loans and keep credit lines open. The government would later try to sell the discounted loan packages at the best possible price

• At the insistence of House Republicans, some money would be devoted to a program that would encourage holders of distressed mortgage-backed securities to keep them and buy government insurance to cover defaults

• To help struggling homeowners, the plan requires the government to try renegotiating the bad mortgages it acquires with the aim of lowering borrowers' monthly payments so they can keep their homes.

• Also, the government would receive stock warrants in return for the bailout relief, giving taxpayers a chance to share in financial companies' future profits.

Here is something that caught my eye from the article which had my stomach in knots. (below)

"Money for the rescue plan would be phased in, he said. The first $350 billion would be available as soon as the president requested it. Congress could try to block later amounts if it believed the program was not working. The president could veto such a move, however, requiring extra large margins in the House and Senate to override."

So that basically means that Congress has the authority to stop payments if the rescue plan proved to be faulty. Even still, the President can stop that from happening. So even if this plan is a total disaster, the Executive branch still has the upper hand. So much for checks and balances.

Seriously, I want to know what you think. Do you think these institutions should deserve a bailout. Do you really think that if we let these banks fail, we let the economy fail. Can't we just let them fail? Why take on a risk of risky business. I'd love to hear your comments. It will help me gain some perspective on this matter.

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I could not resist

...but I had to share this HILARIOUS video. As many of you might guess, I'm Indian. Although I am Indian, I really cannot speak my native language fluently. My native tounge is Hindi and Gujatri. As you know, India has over a thousand dialects. If you've watched in Indian movie, then you're pretty aware that its common that in the middle of the movie, the actors break out into song and dance in the middle of a poppy field.

This video is from a South Indian Movie. This is what us English Speakers hear, and trust me, it is too funny to keep to myself :)

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Remembering Paul Newman

"I'd like to be remembered as a guy who tried - who tried to be part of his times, tried to help people communicate with one another, tried to find some decency in his own life, tried to extend himself as a human being. Someone who isn't complacent, who doesn't cop out." Paul Newman

When a legendary actor passes away, a small part of Hollywood dies too. On September 27th, 2008, Paul Newman passed away at the age of 83 from cancer. Considered to be perhaps one of the greatest actor of the 20th century, Newman has acted in over 65 movies for more than 5o years. Even as he grew older, he still carried his presence with energy, charm, and confidence.

Newman was more than just an actor, he was one of the most important actors that defined his generation. He was an actor, film director, entrepreneur, humanitarian, and an auto racing enthusiast.

Today is certainly a sad day for Hollywood and Newman Fans alike.

To read an in depth article here

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Sansi, a better alternative to oven mits

Today, as I was pouring hot water over my ramen noodles with my fat oven mit, I poured some scalping hot water onto my other hand. Hah! What good is an oven mit if your hand is going to get boiled?

Then I thought back to that handy dandy utensil my mom had in her kitchen. You won't find it in the aisles of WalMart, nor will you get it in a kitchen department store in America. This helpful utensil is only sold in India and over the internet through several online stores.

What on earth am I talking about here? The utensil that would have saved my hand from becoming cooked is a Sansi. That's what my mom always called it. A sansi is a stainless steel picker upper, if you will, of hot items. Now how is this better than oven mits? Well the grip on a pot or pan is much better, especially for those pots and pans that are without handles. Sure oven mits are great for pulling cakes and cookies out of the oven, but a sansi ensures that contents of a hot pot will not be dumped on you.

If you are interested in obtaining one, just visit this site. Don't worry, they are not overly expensive. The most you will ever pay for one is 15 dollars (and I think that's an extreme scenario)

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Train with me online

Folks, its that time, summer has ended, and fall is here. However, just because swimsuit season is over, does not mean our work out regimens have to be. A good, balanced work out not only tones your body, and helps you reduce weight, but it also improves your mood. Studies show that people who regularly exercise show a boost in moods and lower rates of depression. The benefits of exercise are just endless, but to sum it up, you'll be a lot healthier. Sounds like a pretty good deal, doesn't it?

Train with me online is an excellent support site dedicated in helping you meet your weight loss goals. Thousands of members have access to fitness tips, exercise video demonstrations, healthy recepies and even a members forum. Getting into shape may be difficult, but you don't have to do it alone. Think of this website as your own private personal trainer. Members are allowed to save exercises to their profile, thus enabling them to compile a work-out series. The exercises are conveniently organized according to emphasis on body part.

The best part of it all, is, it's FREE! Yes that is right, you do not need to pay a single dime to reap the benefits of this. Sorry if I sound like an ad, but it has helped me figure out what exercises to do. If you're like me, then you want to know if an exercise you're doing is correct. It is a life saver for those who are at loss on which exercises to do, what exercises benefit which body part, and what is healthy in terms of diet. Although it is free, there are a few things you may want to invest in if you don't have them already

• Free weights (for your toning exercises)
• A good pair of gym shoes
• A exercise ball
  
• A yoga mat

Just because you no longer have to look good in a beach dress, does not mean you should stray from your health goals. After all, you have the holidays to look stunning, confident, and most of all, healthy.

Happy fitness!

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