One of my favorite public radio shows features an audience quiz, “Things You Should Have Learned in School Had You Been Paying Attention.” I love listening to the show, but that quiz stumps me every week. Truth be told, I didn’t pay much attention in school because I was eager to get on with … [Read more...] about It’s never too late: Free tuition for seniors
College
10 ways to save on college textbooks
College students, as well as their parents, can experience sticker shock when they shop for textbooks. Books for a full schedule can easily add up more than $1,000 or more a year. I asked my daughter, who is the most resourceful and thrifty textbook shopper I know, for some tips. What follows is her … [Read more...] about 10 ways to save on college textbooks
Send your new college student out shopping with these tips
It's finally time to send your first child off to college. The stores are starting to bombard you with tons of off-to-college sales, and you find yourself getting sidetracked and sucked in by all of the offers. You can't help thinking that your best bet is to buy her everything she might … [Read more...] about Send your new college student out shopping with these tips
Money management strategies for new grads
Looking to impart some financial wisdom on the soon-to-be college grads in your life? We turned to Scott Gamm, author of More Money, Please: The Financial Secrets You Never Learned in School, to help you do just that.As someone who wrote a book on finances when he was in his twenties, … [Read more...] about Money management strategies for new grads
How to navigate college financial aid offers
Congratulations to your son or daughter on his or her acceptance to college. Typically, chools let applicants know whether they have been accepted by April 1. Most times, they require your child to reply with an answer by May 1.Along with those acceptance letters come offers of financial aid, if … [Read more...] about How to navigate college financial aid offers
What to know about student loans before you borrow
Considering borrowing student loans for your education or your children’s? Here’s the basic information you need to know: Federal Student Loans aren’t always superior Long ago, private student loans were awarded in ridiculously high amounts and interest rates varied, meaning over a 10-year … [Read more...] about What to know about student loans before you borrow
9 colleges that offer tuition discounts to siblings
When Delsia Fleming was looking at colleges for her twin daughters, Brittany and Brianna, the Burlington, N.J., mother learned that twins who attend the same school often receive college tuition discounts. It turns out this discount isn't limited to twins.A handful of colleges and universities … [Read more...] about 9 colleges that offer tuition discounts to siblings
Virtual tours and other tools to check out colleges for free
This post is by Reyna Gobel of GraduationDebt.org.College visits are expensive. Flights, hotels and rental cars add up. It can cost more than $2,000 for a family to check out five schools for one child. Even local trips can easily cost $500 between gas, meals and hotels. While … [Read more...] about Virtual tours and other tools to check out colleges for free
How to leave college with less student loan debt
More than six in ten (62%) college seniors who graduated from public and private nonprofit colleges in 2019 had student loan debt and they owed an average of $28,950, according to an October 2020 report by The Institute for College Access and Success. But smart planning can help you graduate … [Read more...] about How to leave college with less student loan debt
How to find a summer job when you’re a teenager
Once a rite of passage into adulthood, summer jobs for teens are disappearing. Twenty years ago, about half of U.S. teens spent at least part of their summers scooping ice cream, running cash registers, or working at local seasonal shops. But according to Pew Research Center, the number of working … [Read more...] about How to find a summer job when you’re a teenager
How to find cheap student loans and student loan refinancing
It used to be that federal student loans were always the better choice over private loans. However, in recent years, private loans have started offering rates at half the rate of graduate school and parent loans.But it’s still difficult to compare private student loans in the same way you’d … [Read more...] about How to find cheap student loans and student loan refinancing
Earn college savings from your shopping
Earning cash for your kid’s college education from money you’d spend anyway is the easiest way to save for college without it impacting your finances. You can do so by getting a credit card that offers cash back or earning money through shopping rewards programs.Here are some of the … [Read more...] about Earn college savings from your shopping
Six benefits of joining Amazon Student
Attention, college students: Whether you're headed near or far to college this year, you're going to need "stuff." Join Amazon Student and get FREE two-day shipping for college students. The online shopping mecca is offering its Amazon Student program free for six months, so you … [Read more...] about Six benefits of joining Amazon Student
12 places to find free or low-cost job training
If you feel trapped in a job with limited potential or want to make sure you stay ahead in a career that pays a living wage, listed below are several ways that you can get job training. Many of these career education resources are free and some are low-cost.It’s worth noting that finding a job … [Read more...] about 12 places to find free or low-cost job training
Graduation gift ideas for less than $50
When I graduated from high school, I received a matching set of luggage to take me off to college. I used it for years. When I graduated from college, the best gifts I got were cash, because I had student loans to repay.Surprisingly enough, those two gifts still stand the test of time.But … [Read more...] about Graduation gift ideas for less than $50