• About Me
  • Privacy Policy and Disclosure Policy

Shann Eva's Blog

A peek into my messy life with 3 boys

  • Home
    • My Delivery Story
    • Twin Pregnancy
  • Work with Me!
  • Money-Saving Links
  • Blog
    • Shann’s Favorites
    • Shopping
    • Birthdays
    • Health
    • Micro Preemie Mondays
  • Submit Your Story
    • Share an Update
  • Twin pregnancy
You are here: Home / Blog / Saving Money for an Education

Saving Money for an Education

December 1, 2015 By Shann 45 Comments

This is a sponsored post, which means I was compensated and/or given free product in exchange for my honest opinions and review.

The Importance of Education

Education has always been extremely important to me. As I was going through high school, it was expected that I would go on and further my education, which I did.

My first year in college was a little rough, but then I transferred schools (Go Wildcats!) and loved it. Even with transferring, I was able to graduate in 4 years with almost a 4.0 grade point average. I took a couple of years off, but then went back and earned my Master’s in Business, while working part-time.

I really enjoyed my college experience, and I think that education has helped me in so many different areas of my life. I really want that experience for each of my boys.

Kindergarten to College Education?

I know what you’re probably thinking. Your oldest son is only in kindergarten, why would you be thinking about college now? Well, first I’m a big planner. Remember my goal posts, my bucket lists, and my 30 things before the end of my 30’s posts? Yeah, I’m a big list maker too.

Second,college is really, really expensive. If I want to help my children be able to go to school, I really have to start saving now. Seriously.

Plus, Kindergarten happened in the blink of an eye. One minute, I’m looking at my beautiful baby, and the next I’m waving to him as he gets on the bus.

saving for college
Baby. Blink. Kindergarten.

 

So, I don’t think it’s ever to early to prepare when the value of an education is so great.

I Can’t Save Now

Even though I say I want to start saving now, it’s really not realistic. We have lots of expenses, and we are only a one income family. That doesn’t mean that I can’t start preparing for their education in other ways.

Luckily, I was contacted and sent a great book on how to pay for college. It answered so many questions that I already had, plus gave me answers to things I didn’t even know to ask. If you have high school age children, or if you are thinking of going to college yourself (or if you’re like me and want to start preparing now,) you need to read this book. This book will help you figure out how to pay for a higher education.

A Parent’s Guide to Paying for College

A Parent’s Guide to Paying for College by Richard W. Preston is a great resource for everything related to money and higher education. It’s a step-by-step guide that answers questions about financial aid, applying for scholarships, applying for grants, and so much more. If you don’t know where to begin and you’re thinking about college for your kids (or even for yourself), this book is a great place to start.

Richard is a parent just like us. He has been through the process, and now uses his knowledge to help other people. His first attempt trying to help his son was a complete mess, only resulting in $2300 from a Stafford Loan. By the next year, he was able to get $18,000 worth of aid, mostly in grants that did not need to be paid back. Using that experience, he went on to work in the financial services industry for the next 20 years, and has been helping other parents. He’s now written this book to reach an even wider audience.

He breaks the book into easy to follow chapters, and guides you right through the steps you need to take. He also gives you timelines, helps you understand the forms you will be filling out, and gives you alternate resources to find money. He explains the differences between loans and grants, as well as the importance of applying for Financial Aid, as opposed to a home equity loan.

When it comes to finances and financial decisions, I really need all the help I can get. Richard’s book was easy for me to understand because he gave important background information and definitions.

As I mentioned earlier, I got both my Undergrad and Graduate degrees. I did apply for scholarships, but never applied for Financial Aid. My Dad always thought he made too much money for me to qualify. This book dispels that thought. I really wish we would have had this book when I was going to school because it would have taken a lot of the pressure off them and my Grandma (who was a big help.) I’m just so glad that I have it now.

If you are interested in purchasing Richard’s book, simply click on his book’s title A Parent’s Guide to Paying for College and you’ll be taken to Amazon through my affiliate link. The book is very reasonable at only $6.99. I’d say it is a pretty wise investment in you and your children’s future education.

You can also learn more about Richard on his Website and Facebook Page.

 

Have you helped pay for your children’s education? Do you have any high school age kids? How about going back to school yourself?
If you like what you just read please click to send a quick vote for me on Top Mommy Blogs- The best mommy blog directory featuring top mom bloggers

Filed Under: Blog Tagged With: a parent's guide to paying for college, education, financial aid, grants, higher education, kindergarten, paying for college, pell grant, saving money, saving money for college, stafford loan

Comments

  1. birdhousebooks says

    December 1, 2015 at 8:35 am

    That sounds like a really helpful book to help parents learn more about saving for their children’s education. Very cute pics of your son, too! – Trish

    Reply
    • Shann says

      December 1, 2015 at 9:17 am

      Thank you!

      Reply
  2. Lindsay (@itssimplylinds) says

    December 1, 2015 at 8:40 am

    This sounds like a wonderful book. My husband and I have been discussing this recently, so I think this book would really help us.

    Reply
    • Shann says

      December 1, 2015 at 9:17 am

      Awesome! Thank you!

      Reply
  3. Ros Emely@stressfreemommies says

    December 1, 2015 at 8:52 am

    Thank you for this great review! I think it’s important to start thinking about your kids education even if they are still too young. They just grow too fast! I am going back to school again and have applied for financial aid, I do not want to do loans. The price of the book is very reasonable. .thanks!

    Reply
    • Shann says

      December 1, 2015 at 9:16 am

      You’re welcome! Thanks for reading!

      Reply
  4. workingmommagic says

    December 1, 2015 at 8:58 am

    Yes! saving for college is so important!

    Reply
  5. Caroline says

    December 1, 2015 at 9:03 am

    Wow so many great tips here! College is so expensive 0.0

    Reply
  6. Iyanna says

    December 1, 2015 at 9:22 am

    Great forward thinking, Shann! It’s never too early! We were thinking of starting a college fund for our daughter very soon to begin our saving for college process. I will definitely look into this book. Thanks for sharing! We all need to start saving smartly now!

    Reply
    • Shann says

      December 1, 2015 at 1:01 pm

      Agreed. Thank you for your comments!

      Reply
  7. mamabyfire says

    December 1, 2015 at 10:17 am

    Sounds like a great book! I’m not much of a planner-really wish I was!! But this would definitely be helpful!

    Reply
    • Shann says

      December 1, 2015 at 1:01 pm

      Great! Thank you!

      Reply
  8. Julia @ Lord Still Loves Me says

    December 1, 2015 at 10:33 am

    I’m currently in college right now, and I am STUNNED at how expensive how it is. I’m already stressing about how I’ll pay for my own children’s education, and that is decades away.

    Reply
    • Shann says

      December 1, 2015 at 1:00 pm

      Definitely check out this book. It will make you feel better about the options that are out there.

      Reply
  9. Danielle says

    December 1, 2015 at 10:58 am

    This books sounds super helpful. My family is working with one income as well so our budget is tight but as you said, you can always begin to prepare in other ways!

    Reply
  10. Joan Harrington says

    December 1, 2015 at 11:22 am

    Thanks for sharing this awesome resource for how to save for college Shann! Looks like a great book to learn how 🙂

    Reply
  11. My Urban Family says

    December 1, 2015 at 11:28 am

    Sounds like a great book! My husband and I paid for our own school experiences and we always joke that if we could do it our kids will have to as well ha but in all seriousness I’m sure we will sit down at some point after having kids and come up with a plan.

    Reply
  12. beckyginther says

    December 1, 2015 at 11:44 am

    I think it’s great that you’re planning already for them. It really is crazy expensive so you do have to start thinking about it early! I know your boys will be very well off for their education thanks to such caring parents 🙂

    Reply
    • Shann says

      December 1, 2015 at 12:59 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  13. Joanna says

    December 1, 2015 at 12:24 pm

    I wish I would’ve known more about saving for college myself when I was younger. Definetly doing it now for my kiddos though!

    Reply
  14. Sara Strand says

    December 1, 2015 at 12:55 pm

    Matt and I really differ on this. He wants to pay for college as much as possible because his parents did. But he wasted $15K at his first attempt and didn’t get a degree, and then his second attempt was only $12K and he made it. Then they spent WELL OVER $30K for the sister (who also spent a semester abroad) who, after 4 years, was asked to leave because she wasn’t going to pass. Then the brother… at least another $30K there for his multiple attempts and no degree. Whereas I had to pay for it by myself through loans, and I worked three jobs (2 of them full time) in college, all at the same time, and I slept in my car in the school parking lot because then I knew I could get to class on time. And I made it on my first try. It’s not to say I wouldn’t help my kids, but I feel like if you want to get anywhere in life, you need to rely on you. Don’t expect or hope for help because that’s not how it works in real life.

    Reply
    • Shann says

      December 1, 2015 at 12:59 pm

      Wow. His parents spent a lot of money on not a lot of actual education. My parents helped me only because I was serious, and worked hard. Even with transferring, I got out in 4 years with a degree.
      This book can help your kids really help themselves.

      Reply
  15. Jenn says

    December 1, 2015 at 1:34 pm

    Your story is so cool! It’s great that you were so successful in college. And I agree – kids grow up so fast! I don’t want to get to that point and be unprepared. Plus, college is only getting more expensive – ugh.

    Reply
    • Shann says

      December 1, 2015 at 9:12 pm

      It definitely is. This book is such a great preparation tool. Thank you for stopping by! 🙂

      Reply
  16. Irina says

    December 1, 2015 at 2:10 pm

    Thank you for the book recommendation! My son is just a baby, but we’re seriously considering starting a college fund. It’s never too early to plan for a good education.

    Reply
    • Shann says

      December 1, 2015 at 9:12 pm

      Exactly! And for $6.99, you can’t go wrong.

      Reply
  17. hilkayaker says

    December 1, 2015 at 2:26 pm

    Seriously scary. Mine are almost 1 and 2, I don’t want to think about college yet but know I have to!

    Reply
    • Shann says

      December 1, 2015 at 9:11 pm

      This book made it seem less scary and more manageable. 🙂

      Reply
  18. keatingbartlett says

    December 1, 2015 at 3:02 pm

    Great post! We don’t have children yet, but we definitely plan on creating a separate bank account specifically for their college fund. I’ve been so fortunate to be able to get my degrees pretty cheaply ($40k for 6 years of school and 3 degrees as opposed to my sister who is spending a total of $200k+ for just 4 years of school and 2 degrees…no joke), but I don’t want my children to have to worry about how they’re going to afford their education. It can be very stressful to turn 18 and all of a sudden have to take out a gigantic loan to pay for school. I want to be able to help as much as possible.

    Reply
    • Shann says

      December 1, 2015 at 9:10 pm

      Yes, me too. Thank you for your comments. I appreciate you taking the time to stop by 🙂

      Reply
  19. irion says

    December 1, 2015 at 3:13 pm

    Thanks for this. It’s definitely something to think about. If only I had read this 7 years ago I could have definitely saved myself some money along the way.

    Reply
    • Shann says

      December 1, 2015 at 9:10 pm

      I know!

      Reply
  20. Anamika Ojha says

    December 1, 2015 at 3:26 pm

    This book sounds very helpful to parents in managing Financial Aids for their Kids education. I will share this with my friends. Thanks Shann for sharing this post.

    Reply
    • Shann says

      December 1, 2015 at 9:09 pm

      Wonderful. Thank you Anamika!

      Reply
  21. Krysten says

    December 1, 2015 at 5:49 pm

    Such an important idea, especially considering the costs of education these days.

    Reply
    • Shann says

      December 1, 2015 at 9:08 pm

      Thank you!

      Reply
  22. Christine - The Choosy Mommy says

    December 1, 2015 at 7:27 pm

    I just can’t even think about my 3 year old and 6 month old going to college. It is going to be like 10 TIMES more expensive than it already is. There is no way I’ll be able to afford it. Hopefully they get scholarships or something, but like you, I didn’t. Might have to check out this book to see what he says about the future! Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Shann says

      December 1, 2015 at 9:08 pm

      I know, it’s so hard to think that far ahead for me too. However, this book is really helpful if thinking about any kind of private education too.

      Reply
  23. Jennifer | Modern Chic says

    December 1, 2015 at 8:48 pm

    Really great tips! I have a few friends who will definitely want to check out this book. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Shann says

      December 1, 2015 at 9:07 pm

      Awesome! Thank you!

      Reply
  24. Samantha says

    December 1, 2015 at 9:00 pm

    Wow. This makes me so glad I don’t live in the states. I don’t understand why anyone lives there, TBH. College is way too expensive, there’s constant gun violence . . . I think it’s great that you’re sharing this with other Americans but I’m so glad I’d never need this book. The cost of college in the states in unacceptable, and yet people accept it. I’m not sure why.

    Reply
  25. Dogvills says

    December 2, 2015 at 1:52 am

    Parents with small kids should really check out this book. It’s important to save for your kids college education as early as possible.

    Reply
  26. Rachel (@thedigger0) says

    December 2, 2015 at 6:40 pm

    Hey Shann,

    Planning for education is a great idea. That way you won’t be in for any surprises. Richard’s books sounds like value for money.

    Rachel.

    Reply
    • Shann says

      December 2, 2015 at 8:03 pm

      Definitely. Thank you, Rachel.

      Reply
  27. Jennifer C. says

    December 2, 2015 at 7:47 pm

    I’m going to have to check out this book for sure! Thanks for recommending!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Meet Shann

Shann Hi! I'm a mom, writer, and dancer. I love sharing my parenting experiences, my healthy living tips, my money saving ideas, and our travel plans. My passion to help other women inspired this blog. I hope you'll stay a while and come back often.

Need Help Finding Something?

Follow Me

Subscribe to Blog

Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

Recent Posts

  • Middle Mom: Changes and Challenges February 21, 2023
  • Writing as Therapy May 16, 2022
  • COVID: The (Not) Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Guilt August 20, 2021
  • Healthy Lifestyle: Making Baby Steps Back July 27, 2021
  • 2020 Year In Review: The Highlights December 31, 2020

Facebook

Facebook
MKE Moms Blog
Copyrighted.com Registered & Protected 
M6VU-YLWL-D4JY-XAO4

Copyright © 2023 · Blog Design by Quality Websites On A Budget

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT