#1 Before you buy anything for your teen’s dorm room, find out what the school already provides either in the room or somewhere in the building. Some dorms have shared kitchen areas, vacuums that can be borrowed, etc.
#2 It’s also important to learn about which items are not allowed in the dorm room so you don’t purchase something that can’t be used.
#3 Have your teen connect with their roommate and talk about what shared items will be in their room, and who will be bringing them. They likely only need one mini-fridge, rug, etc.
#4 Don’t pack seasonal clothing and items your teen won’t need during the first few months of school (like a winter coat). If your teen will be coming home to visit mid-year, they can return to school with these additional items.
#5 Did you know that some colleges offer rentals of mini-fridges, microwaves, and other bulky items? This may be a cost-saving option, especially if it saves you the cost of shipping items to the dorm room.
#6 If your teen’s college is a plane trip away, you might want to take advantage of stores that offer in-store pickup, and arrange for heavy and large items to be shipped to a store close to your teen’s school. That will save you money on shipping or airline fees for checked baggage.
#7 Hold off on items that aren’t needed immediately, and have your teen shop online during the first few weeks of school. By then, they will have a better idea of what they need, and YOU won’t have to carry it, pack it, and bring it (or pay to ship it). Have your student sign up for the student version of Amazon Prime (read the cancellation details carefully) to get free shipping!
#8 What about electronics? It pays to shop online to compare prices for laptops, tablets, and scientific calculators. Once you’ve chosen a brand and model, take advantage of price-matching tools different big chain stores offer. You can also often get a brick-and-mortar store to match an online price of a competitor.
#9 If you’re purchasing big-ticket items, you may want to sign up for the store’s rewards program and use the points/rebates earned to purchase something else on your teen’s list.
#10 For college textbooks, it’s often a good idea to wait until the class starts and see which texts are really required, and which are just supplemental. Your teen can borrow some of the supplemental books from the college library or local library, either in print or electronic form.
#11 When purchasing books, opt for the used version if available, and don’t forget to sell them back at the end of the semester. Amazon has a good selection of used textbooks and quick shipping times.
#12 You can also look online for services that rent textbooks to students for a period of time.
Category: College Bound
You successfully made it through the college application and admissions processes—congratulations! Now that you’ve found a fantastic school, it’s time to create a smart plan to pay for your education.
Wow, that went by fast! It’s time to head off to college, but you and your family didn’t save enough for the educational experience you’re hoping for. Now what do you do?! Don’t worry– it’s never too late. You can use a combination of these 4 strategies to help make your college dream a reality:
School graduations are major milestones. So it makes sense that you’d want to mark the occasion with a memorable, meaningful and useful gift.
So you’re college-bound, and before you even step foot on campus, your bank account is already worthy of “starving student” status. You need money for tuition and expenses, but it’s too late to start saving now. Is there any hope? Yes!
Do you know about Massachusetts’ first statewide college savings program, BabySteps? The goal of this program is to ensure every family has the opportunity for future success! BabySteps will provide $50 towards every child born or adopted in the Commonwealth upon opening a 529 college savings account. This program is designed to help all parents save for their child’s higher education, and level the playing field for all children in Massachusetts.
Yikes! It’s almost time for your child to go to college, and you didn’t save enough for the education you want to provide him or her. But guess what? Your goals may still be within reach with the help of a combination of resources. Before getting stressed out, learn about these 4 ways to pay for college:
This is the big summer, the last one of your high school career! At this time next year, you’ll have graduated and will be on your way to the next phase of your life. Life will change quite a bit, whether you go to college or trade school, take a gap year to volunteer or travel, join the military, or jump right into your career. Are you ready? Probably not, but there’s still time!
Did you know it’s truly never too late to go “back to school” and learn something new? There are options in New Hampshire, Massachusetts and even online for adults who are ready to expand their knowledge!
#1 Before you buy anything for your teen’s dorm room, find out what the school already provides either in the room or somewhere in the building. Some dorms have shared kitchen areas, vacuums that can be borrowed, etc.
At one point in my post-grad career, I had to temporarily switch to an Income-Sensitive Repayment Plan. This option stipulated that the loan payments were going to be based on my annual income. I was only on this plan for about one year but I was paying almost $200 less than what my regular payments were supposed to be.
You could spend this summer between high school and college vegging out, or you could use the next few months to get ahead. Here are some quick tips for making the most of this special summer:
You’ve received your college acceptance letters, graduated from high school, and maybe even had a big party to celebrate. Congratulations! While some students may be hitting the beach and taking time to decompress, you want to make the most of the next few months before going off to college. You’re smart! There are several ways you can maximize the summer break to put yourself in a much better position for your upcoming college career: