Class is out and the only lecture you’ll think about for a few months is the one you need to give your roommate on doing dishes.

Are you wowed by your “grown-up” friends’ tales about the real world? While things might seem pretty sweet in New Condo New Car Land, your full-timer friends might not be telling you the whole story. Management of your expectations — as well as your spending and other lifestyle habits — is essential in order to thrive during this stage of the game of life. Just don’t forget to have a little fun while playing.

If there’s one person “It’s the thought that counts” works on, it’s Mom.

With graduation coming, you probably have a group of friends who made the journey from dorm to diploma right by your side. If you’re on a budget, how do you thank them for four years of laundry coins, lecture notes, and Thanksgiving leftovers without being boring – or going broke?

We all like free stuff. Whether it’s a sweet BOGO sale or a hand-me-down from a family member, everything seems just a little bit better when you feel like you got a steal.

Do you leave your computer running in your room while you are at class and while you’re asleep? If so, you’re not alone. But hey, that doesn’t make it right.

There are countless coupons at hand, and most of us have no clue they are even there.

Money seems to be tight for most people right now. Many students are trying to figure out how to pay for school, let alone for their spring break plans.

Not to be outdone by spring training, the beginning of this month also means some serious college basketball is here. No talk about saving the ball for the last shot here though.

March is here, and that means baseball is back. While that only brings money to the mind of a few (ahem, Manny), we at the Ramen Report can’t help but think of how it can save you some.

Valentine’s Day is less than two days away. If you haven’t come up with plans for that special someone yet, you are in luck.

Let’s be honest – video games are expensive! And is anyone else getting sick of buying the new Madden every year?

A new year is upon us. It’s a time to think of the new opportunities and challenges that lie ahead. And if you are any bit like us at the Ramen Report (a scary thought!), there are plenty of personal financial goals to accomplish.

Feeling a little light in the wallet now that the semester is over and the holidays have passed? Join the club.

The website that gave you pointers on how to successfully navigate Finals Week is back. This time they are dropping some tidbits on gift ideas for the array of people in your life.

The holidays are meant to be a time for love and appreciation. But the buildup can oftentimes bring a lot of stress. What gifts should I give? And how can I afford it?

Winter can be downright cold. And with the dropping temperature, many off-campus students face a rising energy bill. But with a few tips and pointers from people who have already lived through it, you can stay warm at a cheaper price.

On your leisurely drive to campus you pass your neighborhood gas station, and out of the corner of your eye you see it – and scream in horror, “Unleaded gas costs $4.00 a gallon!”

You are not alone. Students across the country are contemplating which is more important: groceries or a full tank of gas.

Why would someone with millions of dollars in their bank account not even allow themselves the luxury of HBO, a plasma screen, or in this case, even rabbit-ear antennas?

Now living to this extreme may seem ludicrous to you, but the idea of living frugally to put a few extra dollars away, now that’s some advice that everyone could learn from.

You may be embarrassed when your friends mention to the server that it’s your birthday, though you are usually the first to dive your spoon into your free ice cream sundae. As we are busy opening our gifts and blowing out our 2nd birthday candles, take a minute to learn some of the freebies you may be privy to the when it’s your time to celebrate!

Apparently Consumer Reports does more than just compare MP3 players and mid-size sedans; they are also finding easy ways for everyone to save $500 per month. See if using their easy tips will help put a little money back in your wallet – where it should be.

Some colleges are getting creative in encouraging students to ride a bike instead of driving a car to class. This initiative promotes a greener campus but also offers students a cheaper lifestyle.

Sounds like a money-saving opportunity. Are you willing to trade in your trunk for a bicycle basket?

National Coupon Month!!!

So get out your scissors and get going! There is a lot of money to be saved!

Everyone’s favorite word “budget” is back again in time for a new school year. Take some time today to make sure you know where your money is going. It’ll keep your worries on the books and not on how to pay the rent come December.

When it comes to textbooks, hand-me-downs and online sources are just as good as the first editions. E-books, rentals, and even some new laws are working to cut the high book costs for students living on a limited budget.

With Sunday’s paper getting heavier with ads of back-to-school sales at every store imaginable and malls boasting all the latest must-have trends for the school year ahead, don’t forget the unsung websites that may also offer bargains this school year.

Are these 12 “necessities” draining your budget?

Are Generation Y’ers to blame for their financial woes? Or do they just not know any better, asks this article. Weigh in.

Credit cards, student loans, maybe a car loan. Wouldn’t it be nice to be debt-free? If your goal is to get out of debt, rank it, suggests Farnoosh Torabi, senior correspondent for TheStreet.com.

School’s back in session with new tutorials from the Education Finance Counsel – a group of nonprofit student loan lenders banding together to help make college more affordable. Check out budgeting, credit and ID theft topics. Then impress your friends with your new financial prowess.

The slipping value of the dollar, the mortgage crisis. While some experts cite these as the apocalyptic signs of a recession, others are still loath to say the R word. No matter what the next few months may bring, find out what you need to know to survive a recession.

Want to live cheap without feeling the pinch? Yahoo! Finance offers you eight ways to save that are as relaxing as a bubble bath.

It’s not too late for that New Year’s resolution! Check out the seven ways to save a grand in 2008.

For all you cash-strapped Casanovas, Valentine’s Day may seem like one big conspiracy to drain your hard-earned student dollars. But is romance dead for the spendthrift? Hardly. All it takes is a little extra creativity — instead of teddy bears, why not say “I love you” with extra cheese?

Have other ideas for a Valentine’s Day on budget? Share them with your fellow thrifty romantics.

See the world one floral shaggy couch at a time at couchsurfing.com. You can find plenty of couches to crash on at this web community, which calls itself “a worldwide network for making connections between travelers and the local communities they visit.”

Representing about 200 countries and more than 35,000 cities, you’ll find no shortage of places to visit, free lodging to boot. If you don’t mind sleeping on the couch.

Planning to save more money this year? Pay off more credit card debt? Tell someone about it, suggests Kiplinger.com. According to the article, sharing your financial goal with someone—be it your roommate or anonymous bloggers—means you’re more likely to succeed.

If you’ve ever dialed 411 on your cell phone, you know it’s not a cheap convenience. With most plans charging about $2 a call plus taxes and roaming, directory assistance is a splurge. The cost of being lost adds up – consumers paid roughly $7.9 million in directory-assistance charges in 2006, says CNN Money. But 411 is no longer the only game in town. Next time you need assistance, try these alternatives and keep the $2.

New Year’s resolutions tend to fizzle out by the time Valentine’s Day rolls around. If you plan to add saving more money as a resolution this year, below are some tips from MSNBC Money to help you make your resolution a success in 2008 and beyond:

Is extreme saving the new extreme sport? You better have a strong stomach and a sense of humor to handle these truly bizarre ideas.

Get out your coupon clippers because the Ramen Report is launching a “So You Think You Can Save” star search this November. Whether it’s digging for change in your couch or carpooling to class, we want to see your savvy savings idea on film. Submit a short video on some creative ways you’ve saved money in college and you could become famous on the Ramen Report!

The best videos will be posted on the Ramen Report — you vote for the winner.

Hopefully, you can take some time this summer to relax and possibly make a quick getaway, be it an actual trip or just a mental vacation. Have some advice for a frugal yet relaxing summer break? Then share it with the rest of us, you genius, you!

Then check if and when your state offers a tax-free week, one week out of the year when retailers don’t charge sales tax.

It seems like every year television networks come up with yet another random idea for a reality show. But don’t be surprised if you see “Who Wants to Be a Cheapskate” debuting on your screen this fall, because cheap is the new sexy.

Yes, we at the Ramen Report advise you to take up the trend and be a cheapskate for a day. Or at least 15 minutes a day, as recommended by the smart people at MSN.

Sure, maybe you’ll get some strange glances from your roommate if you make your own laundry detergent (one of the more creative ideas suggested), but turning off the lights when you leave the room or learning how to re-attach a button (no, your shirt’s not broken) can save you some unexpected dough.

A recent survey of parents with kids in college suggests that this generation of moms and dads, sometimes aptly called “helicopter parents,” are way more involved in their kids’ college lives than their own parents were in their college lives. In fact, 73% of parents in this survey said they talk to their kid in college two or three times a week, and 31% talk daily. The survey also reported that parents’ number one concern about their children’s college lives is — surprise, surprise! — money.

How often do you talk to your parents? Is money the tie that binds? Are your parents “hovering” or letting you do your own thing? Tell us about it in the comments

With spring break just around the corner, it’s probably tempting to dip into your student loan money to finance a much-needed getaway. Before you do, keep in mind that you’ll be paying interest on that borrowed money for years to come. So even if you find a great deal on a trip, the final cost could be significantly more if you are booking it on borrowed money.

With that in mind, we came up with a few ways to save on your spring break adventures:

Four grads look back on their money decisions during college as a way to help other students manage their debt — sooner rather than later.

Some of us here at the Ramen Report think Valentine’s Day is a phony-baloney holiday (and if you’re unhappily single, it can be downright depressing). The rest of us consider it a great opportunity to show people how much we love them. If you’re one of the millions of Americans who plan to treat their sweetie on February 14, give us some tips for celebrating on a student’s income.

A recent grad reflects on the high price of attending her top-choice school.

another thing your parents don’t understand.

Save money? Stop using credit cards? Pay down student loans? What’s your new year’s resolution?

The holidays are right around the corner, and your first disbursement’s already gone. How can you afford the gift-giving season when you’re broke? Regifting? IOUs? Is a trip to the Dollar Store in your future?

Give us your bright ideas for creative presents on a tight budget.

So you have six figures of debt staring you in the face, and a 30-year repayment term hanging over your head. Well, if you get creative, and pay off a little each month, you could end up cutting that burden in half.

It’s early. You were up all night studying for today’s big exam. No amount of rubbing your eyes can eliminate your yearn to jump back into bed. You haphazardly shower, dress, and grab your bag for another day of school and study. The only thing getting you through your morning is the thought of a nice, warm cup of caffeinated heaven. Skim mocha latte, grande cappuccino, tall dark roast with two sugars or whatever your favorite may be.

You’re a student – therefore it is the time in your life to live cheap! As a student, words that motivate you may be: SALE, HALF-OFF, BARGAIN, USED, or the life-long favorite… FREE! You have probably cut coupons (You know you’ve dug through your garbage to save $1.00 on your next large pizza). You’ve probably switched from your brand name cereal and attempted the bagged-generic version. You’ve probably even searched in the couch cushions for spare change, maybe not even at your own house.