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‘Pluck It’ Gives Bethesda Small Businesses A No-Frills Option To Promote Deals

By WTOP Staff

The new Pluck It phone app includes deals from Bethesda restaurants and small businesses, via Pluck ItA new Bethesda deals app is promising an easy and cheap way for small businesses to attract customers.

Pluck It, recently launched by Blake Grandon and two of his friends, has about 15 Bethesda restaurants and small businesses signed up and offering discounts, buy one get one free deals and happy hour specials, with discussions with about 50 more ongoing.

Grandon, whose family owns the Party Mania store (4910 Cordell Ave.), said the idea came after years working in small business retail, where exposure on mega-deal sites such as Living Social and Groupon come with high fees and commissions.

“We just came up with the idea on a whim and decided to go for it because we noticed a lack of cost-effecting marketing out there,” Grandon said. “We know what small businesses want and what they don’t want.”

Mostly, what they want are cheaper ways to get marketing. Pluck It doesn’t charge a sign-up fee or user commission to businesses who put deals on the app.

Grandon said the app will draw some revenue from paid featured content to be installed later on, plus small banner ads.

“We have yet to have a business say no to us because it’s free for them to sign up and they can run what they want to,” Grandon said. “We’re not locking them into 15 or 20 percent off.”

The new Pluck It phone app includes deals from Bethesda restaurants and small businesses, via Pluck ItMost of the businesses running deals with Pluck It so far are in Woodmont Triangle and the immediate vicinity of Grandon’s Party Mania store.

PizzaPass (4924 St Elmo Ave.) is running a buy one, get one half-off deal, Bethesda Curry Kitchen (4860 Cordell Ave.) is running a 10 percent off discount and Caddies on Cordell (4922 Cordell Ave.) recently signed up to run a half-off lunch deal.

The app is available for iPhones and Android devices. The process for claiming a deal involves “plucking” or passing the offers as they appear on the screen.

Once a user claims the deal, he or she can show it to the restaurant server or store employee to retrieve the discount.

The program has been in the works for about six months and Grandon said there are plans to add more features as more businesses sign on.

It was just a few months ago that two locals launched the Spotluck app featuring locally-owned Bethesda restaurants. That app provides demand pricing by altering the level of restaurant discounts based on the day of the week, weather and other factors that influence how busy an eatery might be.

Photos via Pluck It

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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