Going back to school can be a big financial investment. We've already gone through application costs, so now we'll turn our attention to some of the big ticket items of attendance. Though these expenses can be significant, they should not deter you from enrollment. The whole point of gathering this information is to make school do-able for you. With a little preparation, you can budget better (or even get scholarships!) for an over-all less stressful experience.

For all the jokes about lawyers out there, no one is laughing when they find themselves in need of one. Whether you've run into a dispute with your landlord or done something incredibly stupid like get a DUI, having professional help is key to mitigating the consequences of your run-in with the law. Good help can get expensive, so we've put together a list of legal aid resources that won't cost you limbs.

School is expensive. Tuition, books, transportation, room and board...the list goes on and on. Hopefully, you managed to figure out how to get a scholarship for all that stuff. Chances are, though, that you need to take out some loans. Turns out, the government wants to help you (mostly) and has a few different options for borrowing bucks to fund that study habit. Like many worthwhile endeavours, getting your hands on that loan money will require a bit of effort from you. Here's a cheat sheet (compiled the hard way as usual. Sigh.).

As some of us reclaim our student status with degrees and certifications, we often run into one of the great hidden expenses of education. Namely, our course materials. Textbooks and other assigned reading can end up costing as much as your class. And, that can be a lot of extra dough to have to come up with. Before you decide to stay dumb because it's cheaper, check out our suggestions for saving on textbooks.

It's that time of time of year, children! Tuition is up, classes are cut, making it tougher than ever to continue our education. Moreover, not only do we have to pay for tuition, books, an supplies, some of us even have to cover room, board, coffee, and the occasional drink. (We need to stay sane somehow). Lucky for you, I’ve got a little tip that may help you keep a bit more cash in your pockets: Community College. I know, most of you cringed when reading that, but please let me make my case before saying 'no thank you'. The community college experience does not have to be that of high school with ashtrays. Whether you are thinking about returning to school for the first time in a while,deciding that paying for a university right off the bat is just too much, or just at a crossroads in your life, community college could the answer you're looking for.

The school of life usually teaches you a lot, but it’s not always appropriate for cocktail parties or nerd-tastic meet-ups. There’s quite a lot of information out there, so it’s easier to focus on one area at a time. Thus, if you want to hang with the English professors or just sound like the most well-educated kid on the block (and community college just didn’t quite prepare you), check out these ways to expand your knowledge base.

Most people have experienced it at one point or another. The slow, painful realization that you have absolutely nothing to say and a whopper of a deadline coming up. Ah! Attack of writer's block! What's a bum to do to get those juices flowing? Staring at a computer screen for endless hours hasn’t helped yet, so here're a few suggestions: