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  • May Scholarships of the Month – Part Two!

    May Scholarships of the Month – Part Two!

    It’s the time of the year where many students are preparing their post-secondary applications, and with that comes scholarship applications, too. With that in mind, we wanted to give you an extra dose of scholarships this month. Here are ten more that you can apply for! Check the due date, as some of them need to be in this weekend. Go out and get that free money!

    1. KSA K-W Rangers Scholarship – for girls entering their first year of study at any school. Amount: $2000. Deadline: May 21, 2013.

    2. Helena Marie Saunders Memorial Award – For students in the Administrative Assistant and Secretarial Science program at Grant MacEwan University in Alberta. Amount: $500. Deadline: May 18, 2013.

    3. J. Michael Waldram Memorial Model Forest Fellowship – For students enrolled in a Natural Resources and Conservation program at any school. Amount: $1000. Deadline: May 18, 2013.

    4. Estevan Public Service Local 1120 Scholarship – For students from Saskatchewan studying at any school. Amount: $250. Deadline: May 23, 2013.

    5. Orville Erickson Memorial Scholarship Fund – For students from Yukon Territory studying in a Natural Resources/Conservation program. Amount: $4000. Deadline: May 25, 2013.

    6. A Campus Saint-Jean Award – For students entering their first year of study at the University of Alberta. Amount: $1000. Deadline: May 30, 2013.

    7. Aboriginal Education Partnership Program – For Aboriginal students from Alberta. Amount: Based on need. Deadline: May 30, 2013.

    8. Adrienne Goudie Memorial Bursary – For students that went to a Western Canada high school. Amount: $400. Deadline: May 30, 2013.

    9. Arrata Family Award for New Canadians – For new Canadians that attending high school in Calgary. Amount: $2100. Deadline: May 30, 2013.

    10. Bowness Historical Society Student Award – For students that attended Bowness High School in Alberta. Amount: $500. Deadline: May 30, 2013.

  • May Scholarships of the Month – Apply Now!

    May Scholarships of the Month – Apply Now!

    It’s difficult to believe, but May is already upon us. Chances are you’ve already applied to – or are about to apply to – your post-secondary schools of choice. But what about your finances? Don’t put off thinking about them! Student loans certainly are not your only options when it comes to paying for your education. Scholarships and bursaries can be found in droves – you just need to go out there and apply for them! Check out some of the great scholarships we were able to find for this month!

    1. 2013 ECO Canada Scholarship – For students entering any field of study at any school across Canada. Amount: $2000. Deadline: May 21, 2013.

    2. The Kitchener Sports Association Scholarships (KSA) – For students living in Ontario entering any field of study in any school across Canada. Amount: $2000. Deadline: May 21, 2013.

    3. Education Awards for Brain Tumour Survivors – For students across Canada entering any field of study in any school, who are survivors of a pediatric brain tumour (diagnosed with a brain tumour before the age of 18). Amount: $5000. Deadline: May 17, 2013.

    4. MyUnited Student Award – For students living in Ontario entering any field of study in any school across Canada. Amount: $3000. Deadline: May 17, 2013.

    5. ACLS Foundation Geomatics Scholarship – For students across Canada entering a Geosciences/Geological and Earth Sciences program at any school. Amount: $1500. Deadline: May 15, 2013.

    6. Brock University Council of International Schools CIS Scholarship – For international/Visa students entering their first year of study in any program at Brock University. Amount: $3000. Deadline: May 15, 2013.

    7. Credit Valley Horticultural Society Scholarship – For students in any field of study at the University of Guelph. Amount: $1000. Deadline: May 15, 2013.

    8. The Dr. John M. and Regina Riffel Entrance Bursary – For students in any field attending Campion College in Regina. Amount: $750. Deadline: May 15, 2013.

    9. The Epilepsy Association of N.S. Memorial Scholarship/Bursary – For students from Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick who have been diagnosed with epilepsy. Amount: $500. Deadline: May 15, 2013.

    10. Lupus Canada Scholarship – For students across Canada entering any field of study at any school who have been diagnosed with Lupus. Amount: $1000. Deadline: May 15, 2013.

  • Two Jobs Are Better Than None!

    Two Jobs Are Better Than None!

    My first year of university officially ended on the 21st of April and the time arrived for me to finally think about getting a summer job. As I am an international student with a ears almost as big as my fiscal expenses, I would need to work at least 65 hours per week in order to cover my tuition for the coming school year. That is the equivalent of working one full-time and one part-time job. Now, who would have thought that going to school was the fun part of the year?!

    Luckily, I had already landed one job at a certain casual Canadian restaurant; the second job came soon after at a local convenience store thanks to the efforts of a well-built network of friends. The first thing I was grateful for is that both the jobs I landed required the same base skill set. I worked as a cashier at both the restaurant and the convenience store and my job required me to do the following tasks on a day-to-day basis:
    1) Take customer orders
    2) Manage any and all numerical transactions
    3) Talk to customers and solve their problems
    4) Clean the restaurant/store from time to time
    5) Do not spill anything on the boss’s pants( one of my co-workers had the unfortunate pleasure of doing so)

    Much to my surprise, I had mastered the base skill set in under a week without much difficulty. My first job had me working mostly overnight shifts and, as bad as it may sound, it was actually the ideal situation for me to work. This is because I would work from 11 pm to 7 am every night (or day; honestly working overnight really messes up your perspective of time), go home, have breakfast by 8, take a 2 hour nap and go to my second job (which would start at 11 in the morning and would go on until 3 pm).

    So the days passed and I continued with my daily exploits. I will not lie to you – it was hard. But the work itself was not bad and I enjoyed most of it. I made some great friends and went through some very hilarious experiences.

    So here is my final pieces of advice for anyone who wants to make the most out of working two jobs:
    1) Find two jobs that essentially are similar in nature and require the same basic skill set. Doing so will allow you to improve on those required skills and perfect them.
    2) Find jobs that are close to your house. Doing so will save you a long commute to work and will also save you time that you can utilize to do other things – like sleep!
    3) Make the most out of every situation. As clichéd as this may sound, it does work. Try and make new friends at work. Broadening your horizons will also widen your network of contacts that may help you later in life.
    3) You do not want to physically and mentally over-exert yourself. If you cannot handle two jobs then it is better to just have one. You will avoid making mistakes and potentially being let go from both your jobs this way. Instead, focus your energy on looking for scholarships/bursaries/loans to help pay for school. Also, ask your employer for help as many companies have educational benefit plans for student workers.

    Working two jobs is a strenuous task but it is possible. So if you find yourself in a situation like this sometime in the future then hopefully you shall remember my advice for you!

  • Doing Scholarships the Right Way

    Doing Scholarships the Right Way

    Like getting a ton of free money? Of course you do!

    Those lines might sound like the beginning of an un-reputable online advertisement, but the truth is there are plenty of scholarships aiming to do just that – hand you free money to support your education.

    So how do you score some of this free cash? Start by applying to any and all scholarships that you can. The more you apply to, the higher your odds of receiving an award.

    If you’re not sure of your eligibility for a scholarship, apply anyway. Many scholarships are not given out due to lack of applicants. Even if your eligibility is hazy you may be the lucky winner by default. This was the case when Sandro Rocco, Niagara College Photonics alumni, applied to the Walker Technology Grant.

    “I wasn’t entirely sure if I qualified but I thought – why not give it a shot? A lot of people don’t bother,” he commented.

    “It turned out I was the only person to apply for the scholarship so I won. The award was really helpful and got applied directly to my tuition,” Sandro continued.

    Some students shy away from scholarship applications because they feel their grades aren’t high enough. However, plenty of scholarships are handed out as a result of achievement in other areas, including extracurricular involvement, athletics or charity work. Financial aid and area of interest are also taken into consideration when handing out scholarships.

    Take time out of your schedule to make great applications. Prioritize and spend time on scholarships that are most applicable to your skills and experiences.

    Remember that scholarship application is not limited to your first year of studies. Many students stop applying after their first year thinking that the majority of scholarship funding is reserved for new students. This is not the case, as many awards are reserved for students in their second, third and fourth year of studies.

    Students are sometimes intimidated by the amount of work involved in applying to scholarships, but by using an incremental approach and developing decent time management (yes, it is possible) you will be able to handle the stress and hopefully reap the benefits of scholarship application.

    Many online scholarships allow you to save your work in their own word processors, making it easy to finish one or two parts of the application at a time.

    Having a stock application template done in advance is another easy way to save time and minimize stress while scholarship hunting.

    Have a thorough list of your skills, past experiences, awards and academic achievements on hand as part of your application template. This go-to list will make a world of difference in the quickness of your application process.

    Also, prepare a general and flexible essay that highlights your personal qualifications and that can be tweaked to fit specific scholarship criteria.

    Keep your audience in mind when filling out applications.

    If you are applying to an academic scholarship, be sure to use academic language and keep the tone of your writing as professional as possible.

    In contrast, some scholarship review panels are looking to see a more personal response. For these, don’t be afraid to use a less formal language and be sure to highlight your own opinion, giving judges a better understanding of your personality.

    Just like that summer job, it is never too early to start the search for scholarships! So good luck and happy applying!

  • University = Show Me The Money?

    University = Show Me The Money?

    During your first year of post-secondary education, you might feel like you have a chorus of administrators telling you to SHOW ME THE MONEY! This is probably the least awesome part of your university/college experience, but don’t lose hope! You can pay for your education and still have some dough left over if you manage your money.

    There are some great resources for student loans and scholarships that you can check out, but for now I’m going to share the best money-managing tip that’s saved me some moolah over four years of university.

    Some students may want to work during their first year, while some might prefer having more time to focus on their studies and soak up the university/college atmosphere. Either way, you’re going to want to have some extra cash handy to buy food, clothes, video games, hovercrafts, etc. The best way to make sure you’re not broke by October 1st is to…

    MAKE A BUDGET
    …and follow it! You could aim for a monthly budget, a weekly budget, or something in between. The disadvantage of the monthly budget is that you might get to the end of the second week and realize you don’t have enough coffee coins to last until the 31st. However, the monthly budget is advantageous if you KNOW you are responsible with your money and your self-discipline is strong enough to withstand the barrage of media which daily tells us that we need more stuff.

    Since I am personally quite fond of stuff, I went the way of the weekly budget and it worked fairly well. The disadvantage of the weekly budget is that it could be Monday and you’ve spotted a pair of jeans that you simply MUST have, or the new Halo game just came out and you’re not sure you can live without it. In cases like these, you might be tempted to dip into next week’s budget or blow a month of your carefully pinched pennies. Borrowing from one week’s budget to pay the expenses of another week is acceptable as long as it doesn’t happen too often and you’ve got legitimate reasons. Sometimes you might have to talk yourself out of that cute new top (everyone else is going to buy it anyways) or the pair of nunchucks you thought you just HAD to have (what are you ACTUALLY going to use them for?)

    If the personal pep talk doesn’t work and you decide you absolutely have to have something, just remember: you must eat (canned spaghetti for dinner every night does not count) and you must pay bills (interest rates are killer and cell phone companies are not as forgiving as their cute little mascots make them appear.)

    Here are some things to consider when making your budget:

    • The contents of your bank account!
    • Do you have a meal plan or will you be buying groceries?
    • Will you be working throughout the school year and how much will you make?
    • Do you have job plans for the summer?
    • How will you be paying for your next 2/3/4 years of university or college?
    • Are you eligible for or currently receiving financial aid? (Remember, loans must be paid back. Try saving a percentage of your money to put against your loan so that you don’t finish school and fall into a pit a debt.)

    Don’t be too generous with your budget or you’ll run out of money, but don’t be too strict either because you have to live on more than bread and water rations! Keeping the above six things in mind will help you to structure a budget that should work for you AND your bank account.

    Happy saving! (more…)

  • April Scholarships of the Month – Apply Now!

    April Scholarships of the Month – Apply Now!

    Now that April has arrived, you may have already decided what post-secondary institution you want to attend. You may have even already applied! NOW is the time to apply for your scholarships, too. Many colleges and universities have scholarships that only their students can receive. This month, we highlight some of those scholarships. Having free money to help you plan your budget for school will reduce any stress you may be feeling. So what are you waiting for? Check out some of the scholarships below and get applying!

    1. Ted Rogers School of Management Undergraduate Entrance Awards – For students entering the first year of the Business Management, Hospitality and Tourism Management, Information Technology Management or Retail Management program at Ryerson Unversity. Amount: $10,000. Deadline: April 16, 2013.

    2. Achievement Awards of Excellence – For students in any field entering their first year of study at McMaster University. Amount: $800. Deadline: April 15, 2013.

    3. Agnes L. Green Memorial Bursary – For students entering their first year of study in the field of Education at the University of New Brunswick – Fredericton. Amount: Varies dependent on need. Deadline: April 15, 2013.

    4. Alice Mary Goodfellow Scholarship – For students entering their first year of study in the field of Music at the University of Regina. Amount: $2500. Deadline: April 15, 2013.

    5. Alumni Association of Lakehead University Award – For students entering their first year of study in any program at Lakehead University – Thunder Bay. Amount: $1500. Deadline: April 15, 2013.

    6. Angelo and Frank Agro Undergraduate Scholarship – For students entering their first year of study in any program at the University of Guelph. Amount: $1750. Deadline: April 15, 2013.

    7. Anne Marie Campbell Award for Excellence in Creative Writing – For students entering their first year of study in English Creative Writing at Cape Breton University. Amount: $200. Deadline: April 15, 2013.

    8. B.C. Sugar Achievement Award – For students in any field of study at Simon Fraser University. Amount: $4500. Deadline: April 15, 2013.

    9. Cara/Micheal Syron Scholarship for the encouragement of entrepreneurial excellence (OSOTF) – For students entering their first year of study in the field of Law at the University of Ottawa. Amount: $2000. Deadline: April 15, 2013.

    10. Custody and Caring Scholarship in Forensic Nursing – For students enrolled in the field of Nursing at the University of Saskatchewan. Amount: $1000. Deadline: April 15, 2013.

  • The Cost of Education

    The Cost of Education

    Don’t let college and university be a costly mistake.

    Avoid the lure of a big paycheck for a diploma or degree that you really don’t love.

    It’s hard to make a decision at the tender ages of 16 and 17 regarding the career you’ll have for the next 30 years. Yet this is what parents, teachers and guidance counselors are hoping you would do when it’s time to apply for post-secondary. A Gallup and Sallie Mae survey titled How America Pays for College found that more than half of high school seniors spent more time planning for prom than thinking about university.

    CBC reports that the average cost of tuition in Ontario rose 207% from 1990 to 2007 – it would now cost Ontario students $5,160 a year. It’s the cheapest in Newfoundland and Labrador at only $2,606, and the most expensive tuition fee goes to Nova Scotia where students fork over $6,571.

    With tuition fees on a meteoric rise, pressure is placed on the students and often for the wrong reasons. Parents who are weathering the recession and stock market crisis may advise their son or daughter about choosing professions that offer stability and a large paycheck. Accountant? Programmer? Nurse? Sure, they all sound interesting – why not give it a try?

    Valentina (not her real name) started off going to university to pursue a Bachelor in Public Administration. It became evident that this really wasn’t for her. She then tried switching into Pharmaceutical Studies, only to finally graduate in Sociology. A year after receiving that degree, she enrolled in college for Event Management. Still unhappy, she is now halfway through an Optician program. She feels confident that she has found her true career and even landed a student optician position during her studies.

    College and university can be very expensive, especially if you’re still unsure of what you would like to do. Not everyone can afford to switch around majors like Valentina did. It’s worse still if you stay in a program that you know you’re not suited for. Erica Cervini’s recent article for The Age found that, “If students don’t feel they belong to their university, the odds are high that they will drop out”. The greatest price to pay for education is an incomplete one.

    It’s okay to take your time and not rush into university or college when you’re not sure of what you would like to do. Volunteer during high school, talk to other adults, explore sites like JobsPeopleDo.com or even consider taking a gap year to think about what would you be happy to do. Treat your future career like finding your soul mate. If you meet a big shot executive who makes loads of cash, would you be with him/her if your heart just isn’t into it?

  • The Strange History of Money

    The Strange History of Money

    We all use money every day. It is essential because if we want to buy some food, clothes or services we have to pay money for them. Money is recognized as banknotes and coins. However, many years ago people couldn’t just go to the shop and buy what they wanted. They had to exchange some merchandise or services in order to receive other goods or services. This process is called barter trade. It was a really difficult procedure – the barter often depends on a coincidence of wants. Giving an illustration, the seller of grain has to find a buyer who wants to buy grain and who also could offer something the seller wants to buy. The solution is to trade the wheat indirectly through a third, “intermediate” commodity. An intermediate commodity has to be imperishable and attractive in demand. For example, it could be cattle, salt, shells, wine and so on. Intermediate commodities had their disadvantages; for example cattle, fur and precious stones couldn’t be cut into smaller pieces and it was uncomfortable to keep and transport.

    Due to the disadvantages of intermediate commodities, people had to invent a simpler way to continue trading. This is where monetary or specie commodities come in. At first, specie was in the shape of metal bars, wires, rings or powder. This money was uncomfortable because it was necessary to weigh and to hallmark it. Soon, the weight and hallmark of specie were embossed on the money directly.

    The earliest known coins in the western world came from Lydia in about 650 B.C. They were made of electrum, a natural alloy of gold and silver found locally. Greek cities, The Great Persian Empire and the Roman Empire quickly adopted the new useful technique of metal currency. By the end of the 6th century, coinage was common throughout the regions. However, coins also had many disadvantages. For instance, coins quickly show wear and they usually have small value. This makes it difficult to count lavish sums of coins. Because of these reasons, people invented paper money.

    At first, paper money was used in China in about 650 A.D. In Europe, paper money was first produced in the Netherlands in the 16th century and in the USA in the 17th century. Interestingly, paper money doesn’t have any value in and of itself. It is worthless and essentially just symbolic. In other words, paper money is just a note. It has a purchasing power because the government announces it as money and citizens accept it universally. Nowadays, we often don’t see real money (banknotes and coins) because we use credit cards and debit cards exclusively. Our money is placed into electronic space and it circulates just because of our imagination.

  • Money Management

    Money Management

    Times are rough and life will throw you costly curve balls. You need to know how to manage your money and maximize your saving skills so you are ready for any financial emergencies you may have to face.

    If you’re receiving any kind of financial help, you may be thinking, “I don’t really need to worry, I have help if something were to happen”. The truth is these options may not always be there. Learning how to fend for yourself will make costly times a lot easier to handle and give you a rewarding sense of independence. So let’s get to it by prioritizing where your money goes:

    Housing and Rent
    Food
    Transportation
    Credit and Banking
    Utilities and Telephone
    Health Care
    Pets
    Recreation

    Housing and rent. If you’re working, a good way to budget yourself would be to split your paycheques up to make sure you’ll have your rent ready for the end of the month. If you get paid bi-weekly, every two weeks split your rent into two and save that amount from each pay. So if your rent is $500, save $250 per pay. This is a safe way of ensuring you are saving for rent and can also budget for other things during the month.

    Transportation. Take advantage of bus tickets and bus passes depending on the amount of traveling you do and try to be productive in your travels. If you drive, that applies to you too. Make a plan before you leave and go from point A to point B strategically to save gas. If you’re one of those good people who are always giving lifts to your friends, it’s okay to ask your friends to pitch in a bit of gas money from time to time. Give them the opportunity to be a good friend, too.

    Credit and banking. Bank fees aren’t too bad these days (especially if you are a student) – it’s your credit card you have to be frugal with. Having a credit card at such a young age is one of my biggest regrets. Ince you have got yourself into credit card debt, its really hard to get out. We are living in a material world and it is very tempting to go shopping and buy things we really don’t need and could very well live without. Try your best to be smart in these times. Credit cards are for emergencies only – you don’t want to have to use them unless you really need to.

    Health care. In Canada we are lucky that most things are covered by our government health plan. But some things may not be, such as dental appointments. Many post-secondary institutions offer health plans with your tuition to help cover these types of costs. If you are under a certain age, you may still be covered by the health plan your mom or dad has through their employer. Be sure to check into both of these options.

    Utilities and telephone. Be energy smart: if you don’t need a light on, turn it off. If you don’t need the water coming from the tap, turn it off. I admit I used to leave the water running while I brushed my teeth for three minutes. Once I stopped doing it, I saw a huge difference in my utility bill just from not running my water senselessly for six minutes a day. As for your cell phone, there are plenty of good plans out there – but also plenty of rubbish ones. Make sure whatever plan you’re choosing is really working for you and that you’re not paying any more than the amount you agreed to. If you are, it is time to change your plan or service provider.

    Pets. Dogs and cats are adorable, I know. We all see them and instantly want them. But if you’re in school and working, you usually don’t have time for them. They are costly and require their own food, medical attention, and grooming. Make sure you’re making the right decision for you AND your furry loved ones.

    I hope this has given you a bit of an eye-opening incentive to be smart with your spending so you can live a less stressful life and be ready for any sudden expenses that might come your way. Happy saving!

  • Being Happy On a Budget

    Being Happy On a Budget

    Do you want to be rich or poor after you finish school? You might think the answer is obvious. Very few people actually choose to be poor. Being poor means constantly being careful about money and often giving up a lot of things you might want. It means living on a limited budget, but it doesn’t have to mean the end of fun.

    Most people have to live on a budget at some point in their lives. These days even highly educated people, who have traditionally earned high incomes, often have to survive on very low salaries in positions such as fast-food servers or cleaners. In difficult economic times, it can be hard to make enough money to pay the bills. In that case, how can you ever earn enough to have fun?

    Even on a tight budget, however, life doesn’t have to be bleak. With creativity and careful planning, you can still have fun even while watching your pennies. The most important thing when you design your budget is to remember what’s important to you and to plan around that. After you pay for the basics like housing, food, and clothes, you have to decide how to spend or save the money you have left.

    How you spend money depends on your situation and what you consider important. Living with your parents or with several roommates can help save a lot of rent money, or you can look after other people’s houses. If you live on your own, learning to like inexpensive foods like beans and lentils can help cut down on your grocery bills. Using coupons, looking for sales, and buying food in bulk can also help. If you find interesting recipes and know how to use spices, you can make good food without spending a lot of money. You can also allow yourself to have an occasional steak or restaurant meal to make it easier to stick to your budget.

    Entertainment can still be part of life on a budget. Instead of going to the movies on Friday evenings, you can spend time at a park or the zoo or attend a free cultural event like a concert. You can make gifts for people instead of buying them and you can turn a trip to the dollar store into a fun outing with friends. You can share your belongings with others and borrow from them, and maybe make new friends at the same time.

    Learning to live on a budget might even help you get a good job. Employers who are looking for people to manage budgets, for example, might be impressed if you know how to get the most out of a small amount of money. The leadership and cooperation skills you learn while living on a small amount of money might also be valuable. Even if that doesn’t work, you can still use the skills you’ve learned throughout the rest of your life.

    Living on a budget doesn’t have to mean the end of fun; it can be a beginning of something new and exciting. With creativity and determination, you can make a low income work for you.