ultimate geek girl

Ok, ok, I know this is a week late (I’m not a slacker, I promise). But here is the followup to my previous Technology for Students post. Here, I’m reviewing some of the computer products I mentioned to give you an even better idea about them.

Computers

Cheap Laptop:

I really like the Acer 3680 that’s only $400 at Microcenter.com. It comes with 512 MB of RAM which should be enough to do basic school work and watch that DVD you just borrowed and is expandable to 2 GB which is enough for the serious gamer. The 14.1″ widescreen is a pretty nice size, as are the rest of the specs: 80GB hard drive, DVD-ROM (reads only) and CDRW combo drive, the 5-in-1 memory card reader, and the Wi-Fi card. It is a little over 5 pounds, which is a little heavy, and doesn’t have a fancy soundcard but hey - can’t have everything right?

Welcome to Soulville is a weekly series dedicated to giving you lifehacks, tech info, and tips and tricks for saving money!

The last few weeks have been dedicated to getting students ready for going back to school, and helping young professionals get organized and ready for a busy fall.

These articles cover everything from dorm living to shopping on the internet… all important activities for young people!

Buying On The Internet: What to Do and What to Avoid

Making the Most Out of Your College Career

Technology for Students

Keeping your Kitchen Organized

Are you knowledgeable enough about phishing* to detect phishing websites? Take the McAfee Site Advisor quiz and find out!

Here are my results:

YOU ANSWERED 8 OF 10 QUESTIONS CORRECTLY
Rating: Safety Guru Nice work! Your practically clairvoyant knowledge of the Web allows you to spot even the most realistic looking spoofed sites. We’re impressed!

Post your results in the comments!

* If you don’t know what phishing is, visit Wikipedia, Webopedia, and/or Computer World and read up on it.

These are 10 ways to trim your budget. These are tried and true, but really do work!

1. Wash only full loads of clothes. Don’t waste your quarters by washing only one or two items. Bonus: Don’t use the dryer to dry your clothes completely - hang them up while still damp to save an extra quarter or two.

2. Take public transit, bike or walk. Not only will you save money from gas or car costs, but you will get some exercise and fresh air!

Buying on the internet can be very beneficial when doing your back to school shopping and any other time of the year. Whether you’re buying books, clothes, electronics or furniture to fill your room/apartment there are plenty of places to buy and many things to consider: price, seller, shipping/pick up costs and quality.

Though there are certainly the bigger name stores (which I’ll mention in each section), I’ll also turn you on to some smaller places to buy things and give you the vital information to protect your money and guarantee you get what you ordered.

Simple enough, eh?

Running your own business or monetizing your blog can be hard work, especially when it is time to get payment for advertisements or services rendered.

I have tested and reviewed several online invoicing tools that may be helpful to you. Each is rated up to 5 stars, with 5 stars being excellent.

1. Blinksale offers a several plans, including a free plan, which allows you to send up to 3 invoices each month. It is marketed as a monthly service, so you can upgrade and downgrade as your needs change. There is no long term contract.