You once savored that wonderful time of the year when your youngsters went back to school. Ah, the free time ... at last some emotional and financial relief from keeping the kids entertained throughout the summer! But now your bundle of joy is college-bound and you both face new, monumental challenges.
In a recent study by Key Education Resources, 66 percent of parents are surprised by the cost of ancillary expenses like books, utilities, groceries, entertainment, cell phones, computer software, transportation and travel. If it's starting to look like your only hope of continued solvency is to disown your offspring, don't despair. With planning and creativity, you can both survive back-to-school days at the college level.
Here are five tips to take you through that first, most challenging semester:
1. Buy all your child's needed books at the beginning of the semester. Buying books immediately will help your student stay on top of reading assignments and avoid the stress of hunting for out of stock books. If the cost of buying new on campus leaves you gasping for air, consider buying used or discount shopping online.
2. If your family tells you how proud they are that Tommy or Susie is college bound, smile sweetly and ask them to get involved. Encourage everyone to gather up loose change throughout their homesthe average American household has about $99 in spare changeand donate it to the cause. Equip your youngster's dorm room with a coin jar where your new freshman can also save spare change. Get free coin counting now at supermarket Coinstar machines by applying the coins toward gift certificates of particular interest to college students, like Amazon.com, iTunes, Eddie Bauer, Pier 1 Imports, Linens 'n Things, Borders/Waldenbooks and even Starbucks. To find a Coinstar location near you, visit www.coinstar.com.
3. Forego the cost of putting a telephone in your student's apartment or dorm room, since he or she probably already has a cell phone. Parents can pre-load minutes on pay-as-you go plans to prevent unexpectedly huge cell phone bills. Plan regular calls home during free-minute times like evenings and weekends.
4. Set up a prepaid VISA or MasterCard as their primary money source and limit their credit card for emergency use. Prepaid cash cards teach budgeting and can be set up for rapid money transfer from home. Coinstar machines offer a pay-as-you-go card where you can set up a dual account. Parents load at the machine or online, and the students can immediately use the card. Encourage and help him or her to stay within budget, rather than building debt through the emergency credit card. Make sure he or she is aware that credit card companies may come on campus to solicit business. No matter how good the introductory deal may seem, irresponsible use of a credit card will have them (or you) paying for their largess for years to come.
5. Reduce student stress levels by encouraging your child to establish good study habits such as planning a routine time to study, showing up for every class, using on-campus study resources and not overloading themselves with a heavy schedule. Promote better listening in class by arming your child with a tape recorder. The recorder will help ensure he or she doesn't try to write down every word the professor says, but rather listens to the whole lesson and focuses on key points for later review. - ARA |
| Author: Orlando Clark |
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Author Bio:
College graduates enjoy the ??Sea Monkey Executive?? version, available at www.discoverthis.com, that includes a tiny tank, cleaning tool and aeration pump. - ARA |
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