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5 Tips for Saving Money on a Super Bowl Party

By U.S. News & World Report

It’s Super Bowl season, which means a lot of households are planning parties for this weekend. Of course, a big party can mean big expenses, but if you’re smart with your planning, you can save money and even increase the fun without detracting from your party. Here are five strategies to incorporate into your big party.

Host a potluck. Just because you’re hosting doesn’t mean that you need to provide all the food and beverages for your guests. Simply ask guests to bring a simple item — a beverage or a snack food.

Doing this not only reduces the amount of food and drinks you have to provide, but also increases the diversity of items available for people to eat and drink. My family tends to set out a buffet of snack items and beverages for everyone, and if every person brings a beverage or snack, that offers more options without any additional cost.

Make a variety of simple snacks instead of a few expensive ones. There are a lot of great simple snacks out there that aren’t hard to make, so focus on those recipes rather than trying to make one or two “great” dishes that are hit or miss.

We usually put out a vegetable tray with dip, which is easy to pull off, as well as some kind of bite-sized wraps. The wraps are usually either thin slices of deli ham with cream cheese inside wrapped tightly around a thin pickle spear (usually sliced into discs) or a tortilla with refried beans, salsa, cheese and sour cream wrapped up tightly and sliced into discs. We also often make a dip in a slow cooker and pair it with chips. A big bowl of popcorn is also a great idea. We put out our snack plates from the cupboard and we’re done, spending about $10 to $20 depending on how many people are coming.

If you have a variety of simple snacks, it’s likely people will find one or two that they like. If you bet the farm on more complex things — like a Super Bowl party I attended a few years ago where the hosts made some great chicken wings but nothing else — some of your guests will love it, but others will be out in the cold, and you will likely have spent far more money.

Move multiple televisions into the same room. This is an inexpensive way to make the Super Bowl more fun. Having lots of televisions spread around your biggest room is similar to the effect generated by a sports bar. No matter how people are sitting or spread out, they have at least a screen or two with which they can watch the game. No one has to crowd around together and watch in the same direction.

If you’re like us and only own one television, you can use computer monitors to add screens. You may need some help hooking everything up, but you can usually get several displays showing the same channel without too much trouble by using splitters.

How does this save money, though? It keeps everyone more or less in the same room, which means there is less cleanup time and less chance for damage to furniture or other items.

Use cheap plates from the thrift store. This is one of our favorite strategies for parties. We have a set of plates from the thrift store we bought for a pittance that we pull out for these kinds of parties. If one gets broken, it’s no big deal because it only cost us a quarter or so.

After the party, we just collect all these cheap plates, wash them in the dishwasher and put them aside for the next party.

The advantage here is that you never have to buy another paper plate. If you start to run low on these cheap thrift store plates, just buy another set. These plates are also sturdier than paper plates, meaning that food accidents are less likely to happen, keeping your carpet and furniture clean and extending their life.

Bag up leftover snack items, and save them for side dishes. We will often eat leftover Super Bowl party snacks as side dishes over the next few days. Our dinner plates will include things like leftover tortilla roll-ups or Buffalo wings or vegetables from the vegetable trays. Therefore, we only have to worry about the entree and save money on the side dishes.

These simple steps can reduce the cost of your Super Bowl party in a lot of directions — food, beverages, plates and cleanup. Those savings can add up to a lot without taking away from the fun of the event.

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5 Tips for Saving Money on a Super Bowl Party originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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