Below are excerpts from chapter in Shop for a Day with Jaci Rae How to Get Almost Anything for Free or Next to It. Because the chapters are so long, it would be prohibitive to put the entire chapter on the web, so we have opted to put only a page from the selected chapters.
Grocery Store and Dining Saving
No matter how tight your budget gets or how much money you aren't bringing home after taxes, you can count on one thing, you and your family will always need food.
There are many ways to save on food shopping. One of which is to buy what is known in the grocery industry as 'loss leaders.'
Loss leaders are overstocked items the store needs to get rid of to make room for the new stock coming in daily.
Not enough room on the shelves for all of it can mean big savings for you.
Here are a few examples. Cereal has become like gold at $5.00 plus a box. Many times, there are sales during the month that allow you to 'buy one get, one free' or even better five for $10.00. Recently I observed a sale on nearly all boxes of cereal twenty for $20 or $1 a box at Albertsons. Most of these sales don't even require you to buy all five or ten boxes; you can buy one box for one dollar, or two.
These sales are for name brand cereals by Quaker Oats, General Mills and many others. If a store is out of stock of an item you wanted to purchase on sale, most stores will issue a rain check that is usually good for 90 days.
If you drive by that same store every day, you can stop every day and get a rain check every day they are out of stock, if you are ambitious enough. The rain checks can last 30 days to six months and at many stores, you can ask for as many items on one rain check as you like (some stores limit the amount to five or six per rain check).
As an example, my mom needed cat sand, which was on sale. I went to the store for her to buy six boxes but they were out so I asked for a rain check. The rain check was good for 120 days. I went back the next day and went through the same scenario. A week later, between my mom and me, we had quite a few rain checks in hand before the item was in stock again.
This was high-end kitty litter that normally priced at $16.98 per box and at the sale price the cost was $5.98 (if she had coupons, or I could have found coupons at the last minute, the savings would have been more as they allowed coupons to be used with sale items.). That's more than half the amount of the original price. Cat sand goes quickly and while the boxes took up a little space on the floor (but not much in an unused corner stacked neatly); it saved her quite a bit of money.
Whenever I headed over to my Mom's house, I would stop and use one of the rain checks until we ran out. Our total savings on cat litter? Normal price $1,018.80. The price we paid with the rain checks? $358.80! That's a total savings of $660! The cat sand even lasted long enough for the sale to start up again.
Here are a few sites to help you get started on savings and coupons:
This site generally has large grocery cards (many times as high as $500) if you take the online survey.
Make sure to check the sites to make sure the stores they work with are in your neighborhood.
http://freegroceries.shopherefree.net
CoolSavings has many grocery store coupons, free samples and a plethora of other coupons and free stuff for you to peruse.
http://www.coolsavings.com
This is a cool site with many savings and a ton of coupons and other offerings.
http://www.couponmom.com
Freemania is another great site with many free giveaways and savings opportunities.
http://www.freemania.net/samples/food.htm#groceries
1Freestuffplace has more free stuff than you could ever imagine from name brand to the 'what kind was that' items. http://www.1freestuffplace.com
There are a lot more sites to save on and get free groceris, but the chapter is so extensive as stated.
Specialty College Scholarships and How to Apply
When I began college and made it onto the honor roll and Deans List, I had NO clue there were so many weird and wacky scholarships available to just about anyone, not just those gifted in sports or genius level minds.
I received a lengthy sheet of scholarships after joining the honor society that included things such as, 'anyone who was 5'2" tall with blonde hair and hazel eyes" please apply for a $5,000 scholarship and other such things. I wish I still had that list as it took quite a bit of time to rustle up the ones I will input here.
You can do your own research as well to find these strange offerings. I have seen scholarships for people with one blue and one brown eye or if your heritage was part Swedish, part Australian and other such things. Here are a few of the more normal scholarships I found for this book.
I will cut and paste the scholarship information directly from the web sites I found and put it below the web site URL. Unless otherwise noted, please go the corresponding web site to apply for the scholarship. Always check the web sites or with your guidance counselor regarding deadlines as they are subject to change.
All deadlines were current and had been the same for the years prior at the time of printing. All of the information has been taken directly from the scholarship or College sites to keep the integrity intact.
Jennifer L. Duke Memorial Scholarship Fund
http://www.geocities.com/jldukefundapp/
"Jennifer was a beautiful young college woman. She was vibrant and compassionate about so many things. Her love for music lives through each of us with every song we hear. Her dedication to her family lives in each of us as we grow closer and draw strength from each other. Her compassion for other people has become a daily lesson for us all. Her love and abiding faith in God is a testimony to everyone. She dreamed of going to college and spent a great deal of time planning her future. She felt blessed to have the opportunity. Her dreams were shattered at the age of nineteen.
The Jennifer L. Duke Memorial Scholarship Fund was established in 2003 to honor our daughter, sister, granddaughter and niece, Jennifer, and to assist other young women with their desire to obtain an education. This Scholarship will be representative of Jennifer's grace, kindness, and compassion for the human spirit. Thanks to your generosity, and that of many others. The deadline for application receipt was March 3."
Iowa Pork Foundation, President's Scholarship
http://www.webster-city.k12.ia.us/hs/scholarships/others/iowapork/
Go to the web site to download the PDF or Word Document application
Scholarship amount to $500
Application due date: May 1
Return application form to:
Iowa Pork Foundation Scholarship
PO Box 71009
Clive, IA 50325
Incoming college freshman in the fall at any two or four year institution in Iowa.
Iowa resident.
Major in an agriculture related field with an emphasis on swine production.
Maintain a 2.5 GPA
Submit two letters of reference. (Letters may be sent under separate cover.)
Submit one copy of high school transcript.
Deadline: Applications must be postmarked by May 1.
Payment of the $500 scholarship will be made directly to the college or university in the recipient's name during the second semester.
There are a lot more specialty scholarships in the book.
List of Specific Colleges and The Scholarships They Offer
If there is no information listed below the college address, I was unable to obtain any information about scholarships offered by that institution.
Ask your guidance counselor or contact the institution directly and they will be able to assist you further.
Albright College, Pennsylvania
http://www.albright.edu
13th and Bern Streets
P.O. Box 15234
Reading, PA 19612
Phone: 610-921-2381
"The following grants are renewable: Member of National Honor Society - $1,000; Valedictorian/Salutatorian - $1,000; National Merit Finalists, Semi-Finalists - $1,000; National Merit Commended Students - $500; Berks & Montgomery Counties Science Fair Winners - $3,000; Governor's School Alumni - $1,000; Hugh O'Brien Youth Leadership (HOBY) Alumni - $1,000-$2,500; Eagle Scout (for Boy Scouts) and Gold Award (for Girl Scouts) - $500; Legacy - to students whose mother and/or father graduated from Albright - $1,000; Sibling - to each student whose brother or sister concurrently attends Albright - $500."
Alfred State College, New York
http://www.alfredstate.edu
Admissions Office
Alfred State College
10 Upper College Drive
Alfred, New York 14802
Phone: 607-587-4215 Toll free: 800-425-3733
Email: admissions@alfredstate.edu
"Hit the ground running at Alfred State College
10 Upper College Drive
Alfred, NY 14802
Free tuition, room, and board to students with a minimum of a 93 high school average and at least a 1200 SAT or 26 ACT composite score. Students with a 90 or higher average and 1150 SAT or 25 ACT composite or higher receive a free room. Students with an 88 or higher high school average and at least an 1100 SAT 24 ACT composite receive free board (18 meals a week)."
Allegheny College, Pennsylvania
http://www.alleg.edu
520 Main Street
Meadville, PA 16335
Phone: 814-332-3100 Toll free: 800-835-7780
"Financial Aid Availability - Parents of incoming first-year students should complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) between January 1 and February 15 during their son's or daughter's senior year of high school.
When completing the FAFSA, please list Allegheny's Federal Code Number, 003230, in the school section. Academic and need-based financial aid are awarded without regard to students' athletic abilities or sport participation.
Tuition Exchange Scholarship. For more information, contact the Office of Financial Aid, Allegheny College, 520 N. Main Street, Meadville, PA 16335.
Trustee Scholarships
Purpose: To recognize applicants with strong academic records and programs.
Scholarship Amounts: Up to $60,000, distributed equally over four years of study at Allegheny (i.e. up to $15,000 per year). Financial need is not a consideration.
Renewal: Trustee Scholarships renew automatically for up to four years of full-time enrollment at Allegheny or in an Allegheny-sponsored off-campus study program.
Eligibility and Selection: Trustee Scholarship winners are usually in the top 25% of the high school class with an SAT score of approximately 1200 or ACT score of 24. Consideration is also given to distinguished achievements in areas such as: art, communications (newspaper, radio, TV), creative writing, dance, theatre, debate/forensics, leadership, music, religious activities, science or math competitions, scouting, volunteer or community service, or other extracurricular activities.
To Apply: Complete Allegheny's regular Application for Admission by February 15. Trustee Scholarship award winners will be notified via mail regarding their eligibility and amount of award. International- See our International Students section."
