Similarly, with accommodating for space my coffee maker needs to be something that is affordable, at least by my standards, while still capturing what I want. With that in mind I unfortunately decided to rule out getting an espresso maker, mainly because I would have to buy a grinder, since all of the automatic espresso makers run upwards of $500 (YIKES!). As well as the fact that I drink my coffee black and having to purchase milk to go along with the espresso would also add to overall costs. However, I still picked out an espresso/coffee maker combo that could’ve worked for me and probably still could if I was willing to go with something other than a burr grinder, which normally start out at around $50 alone. So with out dragging this out any longer here is the Delonnghi BC0130T Combination machine is where it is at. With programmable brew times, the ability to interrupt before a brew is done to get a cup of coffee, and adjustable strength for both coffee and espresso at $149.95 this is a steal.

Before unveiling my choice for coffee maker, I would like to give two alternatives that are truly inexpensive and probably more suitable for your average college joe. The first being creatively titled Read Set Travel Mug and Cone, and it’s creativity doesn’t stop with the title this innovative mug is all you need to make a cup of coffee. Just place your #2 cone filter and coffee in the cone and pour hot water into it and presto. Now this is not going to be the best way to make a great tasting cup of coffee but if you are looking for a cheap way to make coffee this is the way to go. At $7.89 how can you go wrong?

Also I would like to suggest checking out my old coffee maker the Black and Decker Brew N Go, which you can purchase for $16.99 at Amazon.com. Basically this is a coffee maker that can double as a tea brewer, oatmeal , hot chocolate, or even ramen maker. Simplicity reigns supreme with the Brew N Go, as it has the perfect features for consistently making coffee day in and day out. The Brew N Go comes with a reusable filter, travel mug, and it even shuts off automatically after brewing making it perfect for the dorm. Honestly, I will probably hold on to this to make tea and boil water for food, it has really been reliable.

Finally, we have arrived to the main event, the coffee maker that legends are made of. Although this maker may seem pricey, the Krups KM7000 Pro Grinder Brewer is full of features that normally start appearing on models in the $200 range. At only $130, the Pro Grinder is a steal with a built in conical burr grinder (normally ranging from $50 and up), 24-hour programmable timer, the ability to also use preground coffee, brew strength adjustment, and the list goes on. The only down side I have been able to find with this particular maker is that it doesn’t come with a permanent filter which is disappointing but easily solved since krups uses a #4 cone, which is a universal model. Also I would like to take this time to plug my favorite online Coffee lover’s website Whole Latte Love.com they really go out of their way to have great articles to educate yourself on coffee and espresso makers, as well as offering free shipping, no sales tax, price matching, and usually great sales on the more expensive brewers.

Hopefully this has been helpful in giving you some ideas of what to check out and not just me ranting about the new coffee maker I am wanting… I still haven’t 100% committed to buying this one, although I am 99% convinced, so if you have a better one please suggest it!

Fat Wallet is one of the easiest ways to get cash back anytime you shop online, with a wide range of online retailers ranging from Apple to Walmart. After signing up, for free, you begin earning cash back from visiting the retailers you normally shop at through their website, getting anywhere from 1%-20% back depending on the retailer. You begin to cash out once you have at least $10 dollars and can do so via check or Pay Pal. To date I have earned $69.74, and have had no problems with checks clearing. So next time you need to make a purchase online, no matter if it is a book from half.com or a laptop from Dell, be sure to check out Fat Wallet.

Another amazing site for college students to know about is Fast Web. The site is extremely helpful in gathering available scholarships that you are eligible for. Granted many of them are bizarre and require a good amount of work, if you are determined enough to get money for school this site will be able to help. Fast Web also has a wide range of other features including help for choosing a school, finding internships, and contest to win money. Fast Web is run by Monster (the big resume site) and is really put together well and worth checking out.

So what is the one thing that you have to purchase every semester yet rarely is worth anything to you after? BOOKS! Yea that is right text books are one of the annoying requirements every student must face… except for the select few that seem to scrape by without every purchasing them. Now obviously you will want to tap your resources at college, friends and other students to see if you can find a deal. If all else fails, however, have no fear for Book Finder will come to your rescue. If you are searching for a book they will find it and give you a break down of all the new and used prices on the web…

Some of us love to read literature, others wish that their school did not require such a class… wherever you fall in that broad generalization, the fact remains when finals come around studying literature is something that requires re-reading stories that are hundreds of pages long and with many other tests at the same time. So to improve time spent studying and help with comprehension check out Grade Saver, they offer summaries, themes, analysis, and even quizzes to help prepare yourself. Along with many other features such as paper editing, writing advice, and even loans Grade Saver is a great source for college students.

There are numerous sites that can help in your college life, these are just a glimpse at what is to come and something that will hopefully give you some valuable resources for college. Also this was just an introduction list, more will follow, so if you have any suggestions that I could add the next time please post them.