April 16, 2008
Is your grocery bill too high? Not sure how to find the right deals? Word has it that The Grocery Game Web site can help.
April 15, 2008
Want something for free? Try asking.
One staff member at RedBlue shared how she walked into Chipotle, asked for a tortilla and got one. No purchase, nothing.
Try asking for things when you want them; you have nothing to lose, only something free to gain!
April 14, 2008
You never know what kind of deal you'll find at Woot.Com, which apparently makes it all the more fun for a lot of student shoppers. From shirts for $10 (no shipping!) to crazy specialized vacuums, Woot.Com's offers throw a little randomosity into life.
April 11, 2008
Did you receive poor customer service at a restaurant or store?
Speak up!
By politely reporting your experience to top management (ahem, corporate headquaters), you may not only improve the company's
customer service policies but also land yourself some cashola.
We at RedBlue have seen this in action, from a $20 gift card to Victoria's Secret to $3,000 taken off the cost of a car at a dealership.
Sometimes it pays to complain (nicely!).
April 10, 2008
Be car care aware!
Nothing is more important than paying attention to that scrap of metal that gets you to and fro. Funny smells? Odd sounds? Annoying lights on the dash? Pay attention! This is how your car communicates! A good rule of thumb: change engine oil and filter every 3,000 miles or 3 months, and remember that some brake shops will inspect your brakes for free!
Useful sites:
CareCare.Org
Nascar Car Care Tips
April 9, 2008
We at RedBlue know your wardrobe budget is probably minimal, or, like for some us, nonexistant. But we've heard word on the street that a new Tucson business, Trendz Discount Zone, near Best Buy on East Wetmore Road, features oodles of jewelry, clothes and, yes, even flip-flops for $1 to $2 each -- and no, they're not the same cheap-quality things you'd find at Family Dollar or the Dollar Tree. Who knew?
April 8, 2008
Looking for a good time? Let freedom ring instead of listening to the cash register kaching.
Free VHS and DVD rentals:
Tucson Pima Public Library
Free music:
UA Mall during lunch time. Numerous cafes around Tucson. Near-free music? MP3 Sugar, about $2 an album, $0.15 a song.
Free books, including textbooks if you're lucky:
Bookmooch
April 7, 2008
Cell phone love:
Do you work at the UA -- the rec center, the library, any of the colleges? You may qualify for a percentage off your cell phone
bill and any accessories or other related items (15% discount at Verizon). Many cell phone service providers offer a discount; all you have to do is show proof that you work at the UA.
Cell phone bashing:
Demand definitions of all terms before signing that cell phone contract: Something that's labeled as "unlimited" incoming calls, for example, may only
refer to incoming calls from other cell phone users with the same service provider. Get the definitions, and get them in writing and signed by the company before you agree to any terms.
April 5, 2008
Today's tip is for professors and teachers across Tucson: Did you know Bookman's Used Books offers a percentage discount for you because you teach? All you have to do is show your school-issued ID.
April 4, 2008
Terri Riffe, director of the UA's University Teaching Center and author of "Money Matters: First Steps to Financial Freedom for College Students,"
has one major tip for college students:
Save 10% of all money you earn or receive, and invest it (or at least save it, for now).
What does that mean? When you get $50 from grandma, put $5 into a savings account you won't touch until you retire (like ING Direct, which pays considerably high interest compared with other savings accounts)
and/or into a mutual fund or stock.
How much can you save in a lifetime? The Lifetime Savings Calculator will tell you.
April 3, 2008
You know that fee some cafes and restaurants charge you for using your credit card? It's not allowed by their contract with Mastercard and Visa.
Under Visa and Mastercard's contracts, card-holders are not to be charged a fee for using their credit cards, nor are they required to buy a certain amount (minimum purchase).
Read more, and find out how you can report these charges:
The Consumerist.com re: Visa & Mastercard contracts
April 2, 2008
The Student Discount Handbook -- full of coupons for Tucson restaurants and businesses -- may only be handed out once a semester, but
you can go to the online version and print out as many coupons as you'd like.
Student Discount Handbook