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Renting your first college apartment or house is very exciting, but it can also be exhausting, time consuming and overwhelming. 

There's a real liberation to being out of the dorms and on your own for the first time. You have the freedom to do what you want, go out when you want, cook what you want, study when you want, and so much more. But before you can experience this freedom, you have to find the perfect place to live. Check out these nine tips for a general guide through your journey.

1. Start Looking Early
Start looking the semester before you plan on renting. Get information on all the places in which you might like to live. Attend housing fairs for information about different properties without driving all over the city. Your university may also have an off-campus housing office where you can get housing, landlord, management company and roommate listings. These offices can also give you advice on how to conduct your search. Property management agencies can be helpful but ask about any service fees they may charge.

2. Prioritize 
Consider what's most important about your new place. Do you want to live close to campus or are you willing to drive a little further? Do you want an up-scale apartment or can you compromise for a better price? 

3. Don't Commit Early
Just because you start looking early doesn't mean you have to commit -- and you shouldn't. Once a landlord or leasing agent gets your contact information, they'll call you about upcoming rental-rate deals or specials. If they still have vacancies later in the season, their more likely to cut deals and offer better rates. The national vacancy rate is six to eight percent, according to AllBusiness.com so you can be picky. Landlords will do just about anything to get their vacant spaces rented out. However, the line between waiting just long enough and waiting too long is very fine. You don't want to run out of options because you waited too long.

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Textbook prices have vastly outpaced inflation in the past two decades, according to the Government Accountability Office. Students are definitely feeling the affects of these price increases. However, there are strategies to keeping the cost of books as low as possible.

Most students already know a few tricks of the trade. For example, it's common knowledge textbooks from the college bookstore cost more than through Amazon, eBay and Half.com. Here are 10 lesser-known ways to drastically cut your textbook expenses.

1. Purchase the International Edition
International editions and U.S. editions are eerily similar, except for their prices. The international edition is usually significantly cheaper than the U.S. edition. Any differences often are cosmetic, while the content is identical. Buy international editions at AbeBooks.com or buy and sell them through InternationalEditionTextbooks.com.

2. Rent Instead of Buy
You can save up to 75 percent on textbook rentals and shipping often is free. You'll only pay a fraction of the cost and can return it at the end of the rental period. Your rental period doesn't start until the book is delivered. You also have the option to buy your rental books if you decide to keep the book. You also may extend your rental period if you need the book longer than originally anticipated. Rental companies often will send out a reminder your due date, so you don't get charged an extra late fee. Check out BookRenter.com.

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Financing your college education is overwhelming and stressful, particularly if you don't know what you're doing. With a lot of help, guidance and planning, you'll be set-up for successful financial planning that will benefit you now and after graduation. The hard work you put into planning will definitely pay off.

According to USA Today, the average college student graduates with $19,000 of debt. Making the most of available financial aid now will help cut those high monthly payments that come due after graduation.

Student financial aid comes in many forms and variations. At first, it can be hard to understand what kind of aid you're looking for, how to get it and how or if you'll eventually pay it back. It's vital to understand all these components to ensure you're paying for your education in the way that best suits you and your financial needs.

Thankfully, applying for financial aid is easier these days.

"Everything is going Web-based," said Chris Peterson, University of Northern Colorado associate director of financial aid. "The government has eliminated some of the most frustrating questions from the online version of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), which is the standard application. It's also easier for students and parents to figure out how much a prospective college will actually cost and how much aid they'll receive before applying with Web-based calculators."

Consider the following four facts to help jump-start your financial planning.

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Among the many wonderful things you may learn in college, there’s one thing you may learn the hard way: money management. As a recent college graduate, there are many money saving tips I wish I'd known before heading to college.

College students have enough to worry about: Studying for tests, paying for tuition, making it to class on time and, of course, having fun. How and where you spend your money is probably the last thing on your mind. College is an expensive investment. There isn’t much you can do to control those expenses, but there are ways to control your personal spending. 

Check out these five tips to help reduce those costs and help you avoid eating Ramen noodles every day of the week. 

1. Track Your Spending
The best thing you can do is track exactly where your money goes. Make a list of all mandatory expenses, such as rent, utilities, school supplies and groceries. Once you know where your money is going, it's easier to establish a budget. Make sure you budget a bit for fun or you'll fall off your budget as easily as you'd fall off a diet. Just stick to your plan and form good spending habits early.

2. Avoid Credit Cards
Although having a credit card may sound like a good idea, don't be fooled. Credit cards are one of the biggest problem areas for college students. They may seem like free and easy money to a poor college kid, but the money you borrow must be paid back with a steep interest rate and hidden fees. Fortunately, recent federal legislation makes it far more difficult for students to obtain credit cards without an adult co-signer, but it's still possible to get into trouble. If you must get a card, make sure to sign up for one with a low interest rate that won't balloon after the introductory period. And make sure you pay the balance off every month.

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After months of unemployment, work-at-home jobs can sound mighty tempting. Advertised on Internet job sites and in Penny Saver type newspapers, these jobs promise big money for little or no experience and allow you to work in your pajamas. 

Sad to say, most of these ads are frightfully blatant scams; as are ads promising to help you get a job in the federal government or as a movie extra, mystery shopper or envelope stuffer. The Federal Trade Commission recently filed seven cases against the operators of such deceptive and illegal job and moneymaking scams (see list at the end of this blog).

As a result of this investigation, the FTC has partnered with Monster.com, Bing and Craigslist to help job seekers recognize scams before they cause trouble. Until this campaign gets into full swing, here are six job-scams to avoid, along with a list of specific companies facing FTC charges.

 1. Rebate Processing
A 2009 Better Business Bureau warning detailed problems with work-from-home jobs processing rebates. The ads usually claim you can earn up to $1,000 a day without leaving the comfort of their home. The BBB received hundreds of complaints from victims nationwide who never earned a dime and were, in fact, ripped off for hundreds of dollars in upfront fees.

2. Cash and Product Forwarding
This scam turns your home into a staging post for stolen cash or good. You agree to receive money or items and forward them to your "employer" overseas. In reality, the products or cash are the proceeds of a  fraud. The first time you realize it's a scam is when the cops come knocking in response to victim complaints. 

Photo by Peter Martin Hall

Tuition at even the least-expensive colleges and universities has gone through the roof in recent years, putting a four-year or even two-year degree out of reach for many. Yet every job posting requires a degree -- even if it's not really relevant to the job description. Employers may be using this requirement to winnow down the job pool; and who can blame them. Every job posting brings in a flood of applications so HR directors are looking for ways to prioritize applicants.

Does that mean, however, those without degrees should be relegated to a lifetime of asking, "Would you like fries with that?" Not according to job-posting siteCareerBuilder, which recently released the top paying jobs you can get without a college degree. Take a look at the following results before you begin your job search. (All salaries represent the annual median salary.) 

1. Network Administrator - $49,801
If you enjoy tinkering with computers and wireless-network routers, this may be the job for you. Network administrators are responsible for the maintenance of computer hardware and software that make-up a computer network. This normally includes the deployment, configuration, maintenance and monitoring of active network equipment. It can be extremely complicated or fairly easy, depending on the size of the company and the quality of their equipment.

2.Police Officer - $47,485
Did you run around your neighborhood as a kid, shooting the bad guys and dreaming of growing up to be a cop? Now is a good time to fulfill that dream. Basic training usually takes abut four months and costs roughly $2,000. That would barely pay for one year at many colleges. Be prepared, however, to put up with a lot of jokes about eating donuts.

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College tuition and fees have gone through the roof as government funding has dried up. This comes at a particularly bad time as college-saving accounts have toppled. At the same time, supplemental work for students has dried up as older American's, laid-off from career-track jobs, willingly accept minimum-wage jobs just to bring in some cash. 

College endowments also continue to shrink, making it more difficult for colleges to offer grants and scholarships. Finally, private student loans are harder to obtain, with a drop in about 30 percent of loans as banks raised lending standards.

In response, our federal government has broadened loan programs for students by offering more loans, more money, and better rates while increasing tax breaks for parents. An expanded tuition credit for households with up to $160,000 in adjusted gross income could trim as much as $2,500 from your tax bill. Still, the economic downturn means many families need to rethink how and how much they'll need to borrow. 

Here are five public and private types of college financial aid.

1. Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Your first step is to fill out the FAFSA form colleges usually require before awarding aid, from merit scholarships to need-based grants and loans. The Department of Education begins accepting the application Jan. 1 of each year. Applicants who have filled out aFAFSA in previous years are able to fill out a renewal FAFSA, but information on taxes and savings, for example, must be updated annually. The form includes numerous questions regarding the student's finances, as well as those of his or her family, if the student is a dependent. The answers are entered into a formula that determines the Expected Family Contribution (EFC).

Listen up freshmen. Take a hint from the millions who have trod in your future footsteps before making colossal financial mistakes during your first collegiate year.  You will be let off a very tight leash, very soon, and the new freedoms will make your head spin.  Sleeping in, huge chunks of free time during the day, and professors who love to call "walks" are part of the perks you'll enjoy during university. 

But you'll have a myriad of clubs, shops, and credit card poachers waiting to steal every extra penny.  Maybe Daddy Warbucks funds all your expenditures right now, but if you don't learn how to live responsibly these early years, you'll find yourself fresh out of college with poor spending habits and, as a result, a pile of debt.

Whether Mommy and Daddy have everything covered or you are paying your own way, here are several ways to be proactive with your money over the next four years:

1. Don't join a fraternity or sorority.
While I get the family atmosphere and generational tradition of the panhellenic system, it is beyond me why anyone would want to pay the outrageous membership fees and dues associated with them.  It may give some great networking, but so do the thousands of other clubs and associations your university has to offer.  Because of the time requirements involved in extra curricular activities, I've known many students who've suffered irrevocably poor GPAs made during their first semester.  

To give you an idea of cost, one prominent easy coast university (not Ivey League) offers new membership for $500-$3250 the first semester, $500-$1900 in dues each semester for members living out of the house, and $1600-$5000 for in house members.  Add in the extras for formals, informals, t-shirts and you end up paying huge amounts just for friends.  My university offered an open house each semester advertising academic, service, and social clubs that require smaller dues.

2. Buy the smallest meal plan you need.
I assume most freshmen are terrified they'll go hungry away from Mom's cooking, which is why most young students have hugely inclusive meal plans that they don't utilize.  And the freshmen fifteen is no myth.  Think about the quality of the food you'll eat in the cafeteria and how often you'll actually use it.  Then downsize.  Invest in a small refrigerator and microwave for your dorm if you live on campus for healthier and cheaper snacks.  

3. Consider your living options.
Dorm costs may seem prohibitive, but there are many financial perks to living on campus.  Free laundering rooms, security, transportation savings, included electric costs, and dorm living camaraderie can make residing on campus worth the extra bucks.  Get a roommate though--you'll be lonely and broke otherwise.  If you prefer the solitude of a residence outside of university limits, think about renting a house with several friends.  Depending upon your area, houses are usually the cheaper options as long as several folks go in together.

This summer Apple retail stores are offering free “camps” for kids. The three-hour workshops range from creating movies, music, slideshows and photography.

You must register, as you can imagine space will be limited, but there is no limit to how many your child can attend. Apple stores will supply all the equipment needed, but you can bring your own Mac laptop running Mac OS X or cameras if you have them. Kids are also encouraged to bring favorite photos, movies, and music to use in their projects.

The workshops are recommended for kids ages 8-12, and a signed Camp Permission Statement (PDF) and copy of their registration confirmation is required. Parents must accompany kids under the age of 13 for the entire workshop.

Here are the workshops being offered...