2 tips on alarm clock
Making sure you will wake up
If you often turn-off your alarm clock while still sleeping, and then wake up late - there is a simple solution.
Put your alarm clock far from your bed - far enough to make you get up from your bed to turn it off. Then hope that getting off the bed will wake you up and you won't be late again.
Turn your computer into alarm clock
If you are running windows you can use your computer as an alarm clock which will start playing music on the selected time.
To do that, go to 'scheduled task' window (accessories -> system tools), add a new scheduled task, and when prompted to select the program to run, select instead an mp3 song or a playlist you'd like to be played. Then just select the time and you're all set!