College Resources & News from CFNC

As parents, we always want the best for our children. But in the busy eighteen years from birth through high school graduation, sometimes preparation for a child’s future higher education gets put on the back burner.

From baby’s first gurgle or giggle, parents begin to dream of their child’s future and try to figure out how to handle the associated costs of parenthood. Some parents immediately dive into saving for their child’s education.

During the holidays and on special occasions, it’s fun to spoil the children in our lives. Twenty-five dollars can buy a variety of gifts – balls, gift cards and games. As WFMY notes, it can also give the gift of education.

The US News and World Report recently featured a Durham, NC grandfather who is helping his family save for college. Instead of giving physical gifts during the holiday season, he is contributing money to his grandson’s college savings plan each year. And, he’s not alone. According to the article, 84% of parents would prefer that their children receive money for college in place of physical gifts during the holidays.

Holiday giving can be tricky. Each year children receive a pile of wrapped items that they plow through quickly and inevitably forget after a brief period of time.

This holiday season, give your loved one a meaningful present that can be cherished for years to come — the gift of education. Most children receive trendy toys or clothes that will be lost, forgotten or outgrown within months or even weeks. Think outside the box and give a gift with true, lasting value.

With the cost of a college education rising every year, some parents are nervous about how to handle the expense of higher education for their children.But don’t throw up your hands. Many families find it possible to put at least some money away for college and to explore the variety of other financial aid options available to help with the rest.

Many families feel up to their ears in expenses, and stretching their paychecks to save for things such as retirement and college may seem less important than day-to-day needs. So, with a limited amount of discretionary income, how do you decide? It’s your choice about how much of that income to put away in savings and what your priorities will be.

Every year, National Grandparents Day falls on the first Sunday after Labor Day. In honor of this year’s special day, we’d like to thank our grandparents for everything they do. After all, grandparents make life grand, and we don’t know what we’d do without them.