We all know the economy is terrible and that money is tight. And most can agree that not having money really, really sucks. I’m here to show you, however, that saving money doesn’t have to be all that bad. In fact, it can actually be a good thing. Just combine getting cheap with getting off, and you’ve got a recipe for success.

Shower with a friend (or lover) – I’ve recently discovered the joys of showering with a significant other. Not only do you lower your water bill by cutting shower time in half, you can also save money by going halvesies on soap and shampoo. Nothing better than smelling like Old Spice body wash while you’re boyfriend’s hair smells like your coconut conditioner. Plus, you get to save money just by being naked. A win-win, if you ask me.

Turn out the lights – Spend more time with the lights off. You can slash your electricity bill while boosting your sex life. Light some cheap-o Dollar Tree candles for mood lighting and you’re in business.

Wear your boyfriend’s clothes – Or just spend most of the weekend naked in bed. If you spend one day a week not wearing your clothes, you can save a lot of money. Think about it – one outfit can cost anywhere from $50 (if you’re SUPER cheap like me) to $300+ dollars. That could add up to savings to over $1,000 per month!

**Disclaimer: Above statistics are most likely complete bulls**t Read More »

Everywhere you look stores are having sales. And I for one am taking full advantage. Find me something (legal) that can make you feel better than getting a Calvin Klein dress for 75% off and I will eat my hat. Ok, maybe not my hat, but I will eat this Reeces Whip that is sitting next to me.

But the internet just took the whole “getting a deal” high and went one step further. Yup, now you can go shopping for free! Hello, FreeNapkin.com! Don’t let the name mislead you – they’re giving away more than just free napkins! This site is filled with stuff that people want to get rid of. For free.

Need a boat? What about a shelving unit for your new summer sublet? Why deal with actually paying for something when you can just hop on over to someone’s house and get it for free? Save your money for more important things in life like cable TV, shoes (because you never want to get those used), or a nice cushion in your bank account for when you can’t get a job after college.

Why would someone ever just want to give something away? Who cares?! They do, so stop asking questions and take advantage before someone else nabs that sweet free couch you’ve been eyeing!

Ever have one of those weeks, where it just feels like nothing is going right? No money, no job, no plans for the weekend. I can tell you first hand, it sucks. We all get down once in a while and let’s be honest here – this economy isn’t helping anyone’s mood. Sometimes we just want something, anything to make us feel better. Unfortunately, chocolate’s not cutting it, and either is sitting home watching that America’s Next Top Model marathon on the couch. So what’s a broke college kid to do?

How ’bout some new boobs?

Yeah, you heard me right – a new rack could be your solution to the no-money blues. The Sun is reporting that breast augmentation is the latest trend among the jobless. Because spending $10,000 is a great idea when you don’t have an income. The idea is that any advantage on a job interview is a good one, especially when it involves first appearances.

That’s where I get a little lost though; why would a bigger chest signify a more qualified employee?  I understand ironing your shirt or shining your shoes, but implants? Really? Major invasive cosmetic surgery is really the route you want to go to give yourself that little something extra on an interview? Color me confused, because unless you are being interviewed to become the next Playboy centerfold, I really don’t think double Ds are going to help. Read More »

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There once was a time when pornography was deemed dirty, sinful smut that would lead to hairy palms, blindness and a spot with your name on it in the hottest parts of hell. Fortunately for adult content fans everywhere, those days seem to be over. In what has to be the most sexual innuendo ridden article ever (subheadings include “Package Deals,” “Bottom Line,” and “Bang for the Buck”),  Advertising Age revealed that “satellite and cable companies are loosening their chastity belts and getting more aggressive about promoting adult content.”

Looks like we can blame our failing morals and values on our failing economy or, as AdAge.com puts it, “The economy may be in shambles, but satellite and cable companies are making whoopee.” No longer does fear outweigh money – the bills are piling up and cable companies are going in the direction of the many sad and desperate before them.

Yes, porn is about to save cable TV. Read More »

Tired? We are. This week was full of emotional ups and downs. And so much TV we barely had time to sleep. There was a lot of bad (like the economy) and a lot of good (like all those awesome sales caused by the economy). Oh yeah, and midterms.

We’re so pooped now we can barely form complete sentences.

Or is that the boxed wine we just drank…

Anyways, here is a look back at this hellish week.

The Bad:

The not-so-great news from the gyno.

The lack of a social scene on some college campuses.

That douchey Jason and his Bachelor mind games.

The leftover pizza…eaten off the floor.

A university preventing students from getting access to birth control.

The knowledge that Ryan Seacrest and I could never be.

The Good:

Getting ready for SPRING BREAK, baby.

Which can still be awesome even if we’re not goin’ anywhere.

An awesome dance playlist.

Relaxed fit (read: no muffin top!) pants are back.

Alexander McQueen is coming to Target!

That not-so-hot boy can still turn you on.

And, the best of all, there are some seriously hot professors out there. 

U.S. unemployment rate hits new high.

Super special food combos that amp the nutrition.

Who got the American Idol wild card?

Chris Brown pushes real life back to April.

Pepsi…natural?

Paris Hilton gets Lauren Conrad’s sloppy seconds. Seriously, sloppy.

If someone circled my fat, I’d kill them.

Louis Vuitton doesn’t want his goods in crappy music videos.

Canada loves Joshua Jackson.

New uses for your toiletries.

Amy Winehouse looking….good?!

Vince Vaughn engaged?! <Heart Shatters.>

[Photo courtesy of NYTimes.] 

Unless you’re going to college in the South where the lowest temperature hovers somewhere around 50, you’ve been walking around your campus bundled up to your ears in the cold all day, every day. And it sucks.

So as the weeks come closer and closer to spring break, the last thing you want to do is celebrate your spring break in the cold at home. Well, for some of us in today’s economy, there isn’t much of a choice. And maybe it’s not such a bad thing, anyway!

Here are some of my reasons for not doin’ the Spring Break thing this year. Read More »

College is expensive. Really, really expensive. Even with scholarships and financial aid, most of us are left wondering how we are going to pull this off.

Of course, there are several ways to approach the issue:

1. We could go to Mom and Dad (assuming they could help in the first place, or that you want them to – this is a slippery slope to giving them more influence over our futures than some of us our comfortable with)

2. We could take out a loan (but that means lots of scary paper work, co-signers, and debt)

3. We could sell our virginity

3. We try out the newest trend: human capital contracts.

In my opinion the name sounds a lot scarier than it really is. It might just be me, but the words “human” and “contract” ooze creepiness and give me visions of living as a sex slave for the rest of my life. Fortunately for me, thats not the case here. Read More »

Last night, President Obama addressed the current economic crisis, assuring America that “We will rebuild, we will recover, and the United States of America will emerge stronger than before.” That sounds especially promising to the billions of college students across the country, who are faced with escalating tuition costs and skyrocketing student debts, and who are watching as the window of opportunity seems to shrink with news of major layoffs every other day.

However, if you play your cards right, you can find great success after college. Sure, some of us will spend years after college struggling to pay off student loans and going on interview after interview, sometimes for entry-level jobs we are overqualified for but still can’t seem to nab. But some of us are on the brink of making headlines, like these uber-successful post-grad powerhouses have done in recent years.

1. Lin-Manuel Miranda

Lin-Manuel Miranda went to Wesleyan University in Connecticut, a school where tuition runs at over $38 grand a year, plus $10-12,000 for room and board expenses. While attending Wesleyan, Miranda, a native of Inwood, New York City, turned his life experience into a theatrical production that has exploded since his graduation from the University in 2002. Miranda is the composer and lyricist behind the smash hit musical In the Heights, which was produced at Wesleyan, picked up for off-Broadway, and transferred to the Great White Way in 2008. Miranda, an actor-slash-rapper who originated the lead role, Usnavi, in his own show, picked up a Tony award last spring and is currently slated to reprise the role when it hits the silver screen. Read More »