2013 Back-to-School Deals Guide Helps Parents Keep Shopping Costs...

Los Angeles, CA (PRWEB) August 08, 2013

Unfortunately, going back to school can come at a huge cost, with families to spend an average of $634.78 on children’s apparel, shoes, supplies and electronics, according to the NRF 2013 Back-to-School Survey. Unsurprisingly, financial concerns impact the back-to-school shopping experience, with one in three parents planning to keep their costs below $100 per child this year, according to a separate survey by Capital One. In response to these findings of high cost and budget concerns, personal finance site GoBankingRates.com teams up with BeFrugal.com and RetailMeNot.com to highlight the top back-to-school promotional offers that help families save.

"Getting carried away with back-to-school spending is really easy to do, especially when your children want to keep up with the Joneses’ kids," said Jennifer Calonia, editor for GoBankingRates. "It's important for parents to avoid going over budget by shelling out retail price for every notebook, designer top and new pair of shoes. By taking advantage of these seasonal deals, parents and teachers can save hard-earned money without cheating kids on the necessities."

Below is a preview of some of GoBankingRates’ favorite back-to-school discounts from BeFrugal.com and RetailMeNot.com:

Clothing

Old Navy: Shop the school uniform sale at Old Navy and get Polos starting at $5, shorts from $8 and pants starting at $10, plus free shipping on orders of $50 or more.

Sears: Sears is offering 10 percent savings on purchases of $50 or more and 20 percent on transactions $100 or more on clothing and accessories for the family. Free shipping is available on purchases of $59 or greater (RetailMeNot exclusive).

The Children’s Place: Save during The Children's Place sale with up to 30 percent off uniforms and backpacks.

Technology

Apple: Get a free $100 gift card on qualifying Mac purchases or a $50 gift card on any iPad or iPhone purchase.

Microsoft Store: Buy select Windows 8 Touch PCs from the Microsoft Store and get Microsoft Office University 365 for free, along with free shipping.

Verizon Wireless: Take 30 percent off select phones, plus get free two-day shipping on all online orders. New two-year agreement is required (RetailMeNot exclusive).

Textbooks and School Supplies

Office Depot: Office Depot has more than a dozen classroom items ranging from $0.01 - $1, including Scholastic Crayon packs for $0.25, Oxford 3x5’’ SchoolWorks Scissor two-packs for $1 and vinyl storage pouches for $0.01 each.

Bookrenter: Bookrenter is currently offering a deal of $10 off $100 or more, plus free shipping.
Campus Book Rentals: Campus Book Rentals will take 8 percent off site-wide purchases, plus free shipping.

Other retailers offering great back-to-school promotions include Alibris, Champion, eBags, OshKosh B’gosh, Spencer’s, TechForLess, Aeropostale, Amazon, Delia’s and Alloy, JC Penney, Target and TOMS.

For complete offer details, visit GoBankingRates at http://bit.ly/16sYKHs.

GoBankingRates.com also urges shoppers to take advantage of tax-free shopping days. Currently, 17 states allow residents to purchase back-to-school items, such as clothing, footwear, computers, school supplies and books, state-sales tax free for up to one full week, saving shoppers up to an additional 7 percent.

About GoBankingRates.com

GoBankingRates.com is a personal finance website that connects consumers with the best interest rates nationwide. It collects rates on savings, CDs and checking accounts, as well as auto and mortgage loans, from more than 5,000 financial institutions. GoBankingRates.com's editors have been featured in several top media outlets, including US News, Yahoo! Finance, Forbes, The Street, LA Times, Huffington Post and more.

Contact:

Connie Lundegard
GoBankingRates.com
PR(@)GoBankingRates(dot)com
310-297-9233 x112

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The University Network Helps College Students Save, So They Can Borrow...

New York, NY (PRWEB) August 08, 2013

TUN announced today that it has expanded its network into more markets to reach 80% of the US college audience so even more students can save money when they return to college in the next few weeks. Through its website TUN.com and its "TUNdeals" mobile apps, TUN helps college students save money when they shop near campus.

"We have spent the last two years developing a product to help college students save everyday," says Peter Corrigan, CEO of TUN. "The costs of college tuition have risen dramatically in recent years with students borrowing staggering amounts of student loans. As advocates for college students, it is our intent to help them save money every time they make a purchase, so they won’t need to borrow as much," declares Corrigan.

Corrigan notes, "Merchants are happy to give college students discounts ranging from 10% to 30%, because it helps create long-term customers. And given that college students in the US will spend nearly 120 billion dollars this school year on discretionary items, the savings could be very significant if students make it a point to use the discounts available to them."

From food to fitness, entertainment, beauty, nightlife and even doctor's visits, TUN helps students save money by finding deals on basic items and services they are already spending money on. TUN acts as an advocate for students not only by making them aware of current discounts, but also by motivating merchants to create discounts or make existing discounts more attractive. "In the last year, we have expanded our reach dramatically by entering more cities and successfully convinced many merchants to enhance their discounts," Corrigan states.

Students have played an active role in the shaping of TUN.com and TUNdeals. As the website and apps are becoming more interactive, students are able to help find new discounts and keep existing discounts up-to-date for which they will earn rewards starting this fall. TUN also will be rewarding students with free goods and services from local merchants for helping their friends save when they invite their friends to join TUN.

About TUN

Located in New York City, TUN's core mission is to help college students save money. TUN acts as an advocate for students by encouraging local businesses to offer student deals. TUN also promotes the discounts offered by local businesses that are already committed to helping students. TUN has rapidly grown since its inception two years ago when it became apparent that college students would need all the help they could get to deal with the rising cost of higher education and increasing student loan debt.

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Homes For Sale Mission Viejo, CA – Blue Loan Services Helps Clients...

Blue Loan Services is a full service mortgage company that has been providing California home loan borrowers with the best wholesale home purchase and refinance rates, as well as access to the most trusted California mortgage lenders and specialized loan products for many years. The company’s website offers a number of tools that homeowners and home buyers can use to find the best mortgage scenarios for their unique financial situations and lifestyles, as well as news on the latest mortgage trends and other stories that affect mortgage rates and home prices. The company, headed by senior loan officer, Brandon Blue, and his father, Robert Blue, is dedicated to serve its customers with honesty, integrity and competence. These services are coming in handy now especially for those looking for homes for sale in Mission Viejo, CA, and other Orange County cities.

As Orange County mortgage rates continue to rise, it is more important than ever for home buyers to find the lender that will give them the lowest rate and best terms. Taking the time to do this can result in savings of thousands of dollars over the life of the borrower’s home loan. A recent article from OC Housing News, published this July 11th, reports: “The recent sudden spike in mortgage interest rates shows no signs of abating; in fact, it is getting much worse. The yield on a 10-year Treasury has moved up from about 1.7% in May to 2.7% today. Since mortgage interest rates and 10-year Treasury rates correspond strongly (they are competing investment alternatives subject to substitution), mortgage rates are also expected to move up a full 1% from their May levels. That translates to a jump from about 3.5% to 4.5%.”

This sudden spike has most likely killed many deals, as buyers and sellers would have been unable to adjust their budgets to accommodate the changes so quickly. Luckily the rates have stabilized since, but many home buyers in Mission Viejo could still use help locking in their mortgage rates before they rise any higher. Blue Loan Services, known for providing some of the lowest mortgage rates Orange County has to offer, can help borrowers not only to get the best rate deals, but also to close their loan quickly so that they can lock in the current rates which, despite the recent spike, are still lower than they have been in years past.

This is possible thanks to Blue Loan Services’ fast online loan application and documentation system. This online portal allows clients to quickly find the best loan product for their needs with the Fast Rate Quote tool, and then securely apply for that loan through the website’s Loan Center. Once this is done, the client will be able to submit documents online, communicate with the team of mortgage professionals, and keep constantly updated on the status of their loan application. Because everything is done online and communication is instantaneous, the process is much quicker and smoother than most traditional loan processing methods. A review of the company from a client who recently closed a home refinance with Blue Loan Services says:

“From the very start of my loan process Brandon Blue was very professional and personable. He answered my phone calls and e-mails either immediately or as soon as my information was available. The entire process was seamless and efficient including the appraisal and all other individuals involved. I was able to re-file my home mortgage and reduce my rate from 5.375% to 3.75% - A $703 a month interest savings and $200K savings over 10 years! The entire process from date of "lock" to loan funding took less than 30 days. If you want your loan to be completed professionally and in a timely manner I highly recommend Brandon Blue of Blue Home Loans and his Team!”

For more information on the services offered by Blue Loan Services, click here to visit the company website or call 1-888-929-BLUE (2583) to speak to an experienced mortgage professional.

CA Dept of Real Estate -- Licensed Broker #01094374 NMLS #938365

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