For the love of money, I save!

Growing up my day usually involved going to school around 8, I attended a Magnet School so I got out around 3:40; I then went to my grandmother's, because she picked my sister and I up from school; and my mother would pick us up around 5:15 - 5:30 and 9 times out of ten our next stop would be the grocery store. I couldn't stand shopping with my mom, primarily because she would go in with a list and had everything on her list and more. She never could be like my dad and just go in for the things she needed and be done. I never could understand why my mom would buy so many things until I came to Atlanta for school and then moved off campus.

Needless to say, grocery shopping has never been my favorite pastime, cup of tea, or welcomed errand. However, I can honestly say I now know why my mom shopped for what she needed, and then some. My mother is not cheap, but my mother shops on deal in in order to save money. 

A couple of years ago I was watching a new show on TLC on couponing and I saw how mothers, who do most of the shopping in the household, would find deals in the paper and shop using coupons. I thought it was absurd, ludicrous how these women would spend do much time in the store to save dollars, but I have  come to realize how effective it is.

However, I don't get the Sunday papers here in Atlanta like my parents do back home, nor do I see coupon books in grocery stores anymore. In an effort to save money, my mother gave me her secret on getting deals and conserving bucks, moneysavingmom.com.

If you're wondering if I use it, yes I do. Indeed a rather bold thing to say, but the amounts of dollars I save makes for a bolder wallet. If there is anything we have learned in this class, it is the ability to play the system. I shop on deal for a lot of things, such as clothing, apparel, electronics (I.e. zappos.com, dsw.com,overstock.com), books (Chegg.com, amazon.com, even eBay.com), etc. 

Not only do I shop on deal from sites such as groupon.com, slickdeals.com I subscribe to the company itself.

Moneysavingmom.com is beyond effective, in that what people pay a lot for I pay minimal, and I don't go hungry nor do I need for household products and toiletries; and I have bucks saved.

The ability to save dollars has been my fascination with this class. It is a welcomed lesson, it helps me get the things I want at a cheaper price as well as staying out of stores for long periods of time.

Thanks,

Bryant X. Phelps

Student, MIS 12:15pm MW

Kyle Brown- Blog March 27, 2012 - Gas Buddy

“Get a Gas buddy App for your Phone”

To all the students and professors who commute to work and school every day by personal vehicle, the GasBuddy App is a must have app for one’s Smartphone. Based upon the 2012 consumer report, there is a forecast that gas prices will increase to about a national average of $3.86 to $4.13 a gallon by this year’s Memorial Day holiday. Economist feel 2012 will more than certainly break all previous gas cost records because of the political tension with Iran and its nuclear program. This crisis will cause all of us to spend hundreds of more dollars throughout the year on gas as the economy continues to improve at a moderate pace.

The GasBuddy App finds the cheapest gas while on the move, and locates closest gas stations and there prices to one’s current location anywhere in the country. Since I downloaded the app it has been not only accurate but has saved me at least $10 in the few months I’ve used it. In taking the MIS course, I have been keener in finding ways to cut my spending. As Professor Sistrunk would say, “saving money is something we all can afford Professor,” so try the app because it is completely free!!

Timothy Camper-There is an easier way to organize your bank account.

        Professor Sistrunk always has some sort of trick up his sleeves that he is eager to present to his MIS class either it’s a proper and legal way of finding out information for any estate in the world, the cheapest site to find a iPhone case, or even the slickest way to talk your way out of a parking ticket.  His information might not be useful at that particular moment when your class but you may need it two weeks later and find yourself sending that text to your classmate asking, “what was that website Sistrunk was talking about in class last week?”           

            Mint.com has become the key to organizing my everyday monetary spending habits.  Since high school I have had a problem with spending over my limits, especially as a college student.  With Mint.com you are able to merge all of your bank accounts together on this one site and it gives you a breakdown of how much you have spent every week.  If you have a low balance Mint.com will let you know! Also, it helps you control your student loans and your credit cards.  There is no falling off with my bank accounts anymore because this website keeps me informed!

Site: http://www.mint.com/

Bryan Foushee-Morris - “There’s an app for that”: Smartphone applications for college students on budgets.

Aside from the many excel computations that I have learned in class, one of the most essential things that I have learned in Management Information Systems was learning how to save by being conscious of saving and getting the most out of your dollar. In this blog, I will further elaborate on how to be more conscious with your money as easy as using your phone.

We as students in college, students in the Atlanta University Center all know that the city of Atlanta has so much to offer during our leisurely time and efforts. But a majority of students being from out of the area are never aware or conscious of the great things that are to offer especially at the right price.

In class, Professor Sistrunk showed the class many different websites that we as students can use to not only buy products from the Internet, but to also get them at a fantastic price as well. Aside from using your laptop and browsing the World Wide Web to look for “slick deals”, Apple and Android have made it that much easier to save with the use of Smart Phone Applications.

Being a college student, growing out of our adolescent behaviors, we as Men of Morehouse are tired of our primary resources of eating in the cafeteria and ramen noodles. As I see myself growing into a young man I see myself wanting to explore different restaurants and places to go and enjoy myself. But because I was always on a budget I never really had the opportunity to take full advantage of what Atlanta had to offer.

Since I got my HTC Evo and then eventually my iPhone in 2010, Android and Apple have created applications boosted towards my exact problem of not having the proper funds to explore a taste of Atlanta. Applications such as “ScoutMob,” “Groupon,” “Living Social” have catered to a target to young people from ages 18-30 by giving out coupons and special deals to restaurants and attractions to your desired area of choice. These applications are great for dating, going out with friends, or just exploring different places and things.

In conclusion, learning how to manage your money while having a memorable experience in college and in your years as a young adult is essential. With the technology age rising and growing every year, cell phone makers have made it easier and more convenient to save money while enjoying yourself.

Here are some applications via smartphone that you can check out for savings on your Android Market on Apple App Store

Living Social

Groupon

Scout Mob

Sean York

Today in class we talked about the upcoming election and which states Obama has in the bag and which states he may have difficulty wining. The main lesson in class though was using Google fusion and mapping the locations of all the houses in Fayetteville from homework #6. It is easier than it looks to map all 1831 houses in our data; Prof. Sistrunk showed us every step and shortcut to make the task possible. The use of Google fusion would be useful to someone who is looking to compare statistical data between two areas or in one are between two different categories like crime in an areas where the majority of the citizens are democratic or republican. Goggle fusion is a way companies can save hundreds or even thousands of dollars on software that maps statistical data. Through Google fusion we were able to see which states belonged to which political party.

Monday March 19, 2012 - Formsite and Smartsheet

Monday we talked about two cloud resourses:

http://www.formsite.com/ - has a free account
Formsite is a cloud based resource that allows you to create forms, surveys, exam, shopping carts with paypal conection and etc. This site is used in class to collect attendance information. The data stored can be downloaded into excel.

http://www.smartsheet.com/ - 30 day free account
Smartsheet is more than just a cloud spreadsheet, it has a calendar and GANT charting for your data. The data can be enter via a form or by the users. It can be shared for collaboration with others.

Both of these sites link with your blog and/or web site to post interactive information.

Djuan Thompson’s Blog:

In class Professor Sistrunk told us to write a blog that illustrates us as an individual. This might sound like a sermon, but oh well. In class we talked about credit scores, but I just couldn’t relate because mine is just terrible. I mean below 400 terrible. I just stopped looking.

 I remember Sistrunk also mentioning a way to beat speeding tickets and minor disputes with the law. Again, I couldn’t relate because in the back of my mind my issues are way beyond speeding tickets when it comes to charges. It’s to the point where if I have to feel out an application to get a job, my chances are slim.

Here is where the sermon part kicks in. I did not let “the Man”, nor issues like a credit score hold me back. I have 2 businesses in Nashville that I currently co-own. One is a comedy club called Jazz and Jokes. The other is a promotions company called Fly Major. God must of told me I don’t need to fill out any application for any credit or job. Ask them to. And through him anything is possible.

Here is a link to both (check em out if your in town)

www.jazzandjokes.com

www.flymajor.com

Homework #7 - Google Fusion - Map Excel Data

You are going to take the data from Homework #6 (1,813 Fayette County Home Sales) and import it into Google Fusion. The purpose is to map the data and analyze it. 

I will use an example in class on Wednesday March 21, 2012.

This assignment will be due Sunday March 25, 2012 by midnight. Email to: os3@aol.com

Read this How To Guide: 

http://www.wikihow.com/Create-a-Google-Map-With-Excel-Data-and-Fusion-Tables

Video of  How Google Fusion works with Excel:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pLL2EDXfaXQ 

Emmanuel Koffi - Using the Web to "Ball-Out" on a College Students Budget

In some of our previous class sessions, Professor Sistrunk briefly discussed the necessity of  taking advantage of discounts and coupons to help stretch your dollar and maintain financial stability yet still living life in a luxurious manner. In this blog, I will further expand on this idea by sharing personal experience and informative websites that have helped me have fun yet save money in college.

As college students at Morehouse, we all know that there is always something to do in Atlanta. Whether it be going to the movies, shopping, wine tasting, dinning, or even mountain climbing; Atlanta is known to be a fun and exciting city, but it is also quite expensive. Like most full time students, although we love to have fun and live life on the edge, we have to maintain a budget. And before you know it, if not careful, all your money will be gone before you have a chance to really notice that you have even spent it. So, what if I told you that there are ways to still go out and enjoy most Atlanta's attractions without substantially hurting you wallet, would you be interested? Well lady's and gentlemen, there is.

For those who do not know, there are websites such as halfoffdepot.com, restaurant.com, and slickdeals.net where they have activities ranging from day spa trips, to week long vacation getaways all for discounted prices. Personally, halfoffdepot has become my best friend while in college. I have saved so much money on movie tickets, food, and so much more. For those who are dating, these websites will make you seem like the best boyfriend/girlfriend in the world. The thing I love about these discount websites is that there are a variety of activities and that they post new deals everyday. People tell me all the time, "I don't know how you go out so much, because it very expensive!" and I just act like i'm balling out with money, but truthfully I am probably making the same if not less money than them. 

In conclusion,  if used correctly, the websites will do wonders for your finances. Remember that the wealthiest people are not always the ones who are out living the most luxurious lifestyles but on the contrary, it is the one who can manage their funds in an efficient manner yet experience the finer things in life.

Websites:

http://halfoffdepot.com/atlanta 

http://slickdeals.net/ 

http://www.restaurant.com/ 

Sean Starling- Tools for Budgeting

In the previous classes, we have discussed many topics that tend to be overlooked. The topic on the Monday February 13^th class, which dealt with formulating a budget to maintain you’re finances, stood out the most to me. It helped me realize how I will need to spend my money on necessary things after college. Also, this discussion tied into the next class on February 15^th, which dealt with accounting and financial information systems. I happen to be an accounting major so the tools from these systems will be very beneficial to me. A few websites that we learned about were http://www.billingboss.com/; http://www.mint.com/; http://www.paypal.com/. I currently use two of the three but I plan on signing up for Sage Billing Boss to help facilitate my online store transactions. These many tools alone have benefited me tremendously. I encourage everyone to utilize these resources that a stated above.

Emmanuel Ford - Nike Fuel Band

Professor Sistrunk today in class told us to create a blog on something that exemplifies “you” as an individual. I took heed in what he said and thought about what my blog could be about. I’ve been involved a company called Nike and thought it would be good to expose people to new things that Nike has to offer. All we do in class is talk about how technology is about to take over so I wanted to introduce a piece of technology that Nike has created ,what might be helpful in the near future. There has been talk about how people today do not get out enough and become physically active. So Nike created something called a Fuel Band. This Fuel Band is just a measurement of how active you are and the intensity of a daily activity.

How this works is a person wears the band. According to how hard a person works out, the individual will collect something Nike likes to call “fuel Points”. A person will set a goal on the Fuel Band and then work out or exercise. For example, a person will set a goal of 2,000 fuel points. He or she will hit the gym, began working out, and after exercising the person will have met a goal of 2,000 fuel points. Setting goals will help motivate a person to work out more until they accomplish the goal that is set. Every day you will wear the band, and set the goal higher than yesterday’s goal. Every day you should increase with fuel points. The more fuel points you get the more active and fit you become. To learn more about this new technology go to:

http://www.nike.com/ and type in Nike Fuelband

Here is a link straight to the Fuelband page:

http://store.nike.com/us/en_us/?l=shop,fuelband

Tutoring Session This Thursday & Friday

I will be available tomorrow and Friday for tutoring on Pivot Tables.
To reach me have a PC with internet and Excel 2007:

Call: 619-326-2700
Code: 474-4558
join.me: I will provide 9 digit number on call or text me for it (4045090533)

Thursday 7pm - 9pm
Friday Noon - 2 pm

If you need personal tutoring, text me to set a time. 4045090533

Monday's Class

This class discussed using the internet to find customers and stay in contact with them.

The internet provides an easy way to find global customers and market to them. Of course there is social network marketing options, but what about email, phone and USPS.

Leadnetpro is an on-line application (software) product that allows you to extract email address, phone numbers and mailing addresses from yellowbook, merchantcircle, google, yahoo. craigslist and backpages. We used this program in class to find business leads. Once these leads are found, they are saved as an .csv file for downloading into excel. Once downloaded, they can be cleanup for duplications and errors.

The leads need to be validated before use. There is software that can check email address (http://www.mailvalidator.com/). Also a web site with a service that validates email addresses (http://www.email-checker.com/).

There are web sites that check phone numbers http://www.phonevalidator.com/.

and different sites that check mailing addresses http://www.smartystreets.com/.

If you do not want to do it yourself, you can buy lists (just do a google seach for "mailing lists").

Or you can take it a step further and buy and list and/or have a company send out your information.

Buying the list and/or having them send it out is more expensive but saves you time.

If you do it yourself, you will need a website like:

1. http://www.mailchimp.com/ to send out and manage your emails,
2. http://www.directmail.com/ to send out USPS mailers and/or
3. http://www.call-center-tech.com/ to send out voice messages to a telephone.

Barry M. Benson - Increasing Your Speed in excel

We all know that Microsoft Excel will play an integral role in majority of the careers that we as business majors go into. Even non-corporate jobs require some sort of degree of computer knowledge. As professor Sistrunk always says, we need to develop skills that add value to the companies that we work for. Well having an above average proficiency in Microsoft would add value to any company. Increasing your speed in Excel would make you an above average excel user. The tutorials on the website do help to a certain extent, but it is what is provided. I challenge you guys to go a step further to learn the hot keys and short cuts so that you can navigate through excel much quicker. 

--
Barry M. Benson, Founder
J.Benson & Company, LLC
301.706.0007

Julian Dudley's Blog

Today, In class we were briefly introduced to four new Excel videos on Pivot Tables which will allow you to take, show, and analyze data in a meaningful way. We also learned of two new websites (lead generation tools) which allow you to use advertising companies to help manage the processes of advertising to customers and reach people through e-mail, social networks, mobile, and search. Professor Sistrunk also showed us his website he uses for his appraisal business. For those new to his site, he allows them to receive a sample appraisal through their e-mail address which allows him to have their contact information and know who they are if they continue to do business.

Websites:

www.leadnetpro.com

www.adknowledge.com

Introduction to Pivot Tables :

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-QUvhPIiUI&feature=player_embedded

Welcome Back From Spring Break

Below are four Excel Videos about Pivot tables. Pivot tables are an important way of taking data and showing summary tables that will allow you to present the data in a meaningful way and allow you to analyze the data.

Remember value is creating knowledge.

Data - raw facts - in HW#6 the excel spreadsheet
Information - Summary of data - in HW#6 your data table
Knowledge - Analyze - in HW#6 - you a analyze of the table results

Excel Videos for the week.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V-QUvhPIiUI

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7zHLnUCtfUk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4OUyUPWGpgA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e0_nkyfDrHk

Halftime

Well its spring break time. The students take a break with many of them running out of town for some memorable time with new life long friends.

Meanwhile Professors grade and prepare for the final seven weeks of the semester.

I hope the students learned something meaningful that they can use over the next 30 to 50 years. I always wonder, when students look back at this course, will they find it helpful, did it have an impact on their live, their children's lives and their community. Did they pass any of this information on to others?

Only time will tell.

In the meanwhile there are seven tough weeks ahead.