Ahhh!!! College Costs How Much Now?!?!?!?!

Colleges across the country are increasing tuition rates for current and prospective students to attend school. At the same time, the rise of inflation has increased the cost of living even for those living on campus in the school dorms. When California universities were raising their rates last year, students protested on the news their frustrations and vented many had to become only part time students in order to study less, to work more, and graduate in an additional year or two due to the fee hikes.

With the cost of tuition rising so steeply in most places, parents now have stresslevels rising as well, along with the bills and struggles thanks to the horrible recession. To the millions of mothers out there ready to reach in and tie their own tubes right now, there is some relief and some places to find help, including top colleges that have expanded their programs to help families making under $100,00o such as Brown University, with grant offers instead of loans so families would receive free money and not have to repay any fees or student loans like the schools used to offer. This allows more students the access to better financial aid and elite schooling. Princeton and Harvard are two Ivy League schools offering similar grant programs for these types of families and students, offering free or close to it education. Read this article “The Most Affordable Colleges in America” and read about free tuition and grants to America’s top universities then go here to learn more from Smart Money magazine to research and save.

Some moms may need to purchase student loans to pay for the rest of their child’s education expenses but before turning to that point, let that be the last resort. Scholarships and grants are the places to start and apply for first because they are free money that never has to be repaid as long as the student does well in school and continues to remain in class. Join scholarships.com and FastWeb for free then begin searching right away through hundreds of offers. Most of the listed programs are easy to apply to and generally quick so families can apply to dozens for as much money as they need to pay the bills a college student will need such as class fees, books, and room and board. These sites even email you alerts when new projects are now accepting new applicants so you can keep up to date on the newest offers.

In addition to these resources, there are other solutions for kids and parents toincorporate in order to bring in more funding for college and utilize all options. The old change in the jar still helps and so does putting money away in a savings account to gain interest everyday. Parents should also research specialized savings plans like state 529 plans and Education Savings Accounts (ESAs). 529 plans vary by state regulations but most can be used for colleges out of state; speak with a financial advisor for more information. ESAs are offered by companies like Scottrade to manage and bank funds that will grow over time and enhance income for the student in need. Mom and Dad may visit their website to learn more or go in to a local branch.

All of these options together will help a family tremendously but there is one more free option to increase college funds even more: Upromise. Upromise is a free savings account that gives automatic cash back on the places you shop at and the restaurants you dine at. Register your account and credit cards so they will automatically log purchases to receive cash back or apply for a Upromise credit card. Upromise saves the money in an account that can be withdrawn for books, tuition, and other college-related costs. There is no limit to how many loved ones can sign up for a student and help get money back for his/her account and Upromise will send key ring tags to be scanned at participating businesses to earn more cash back from friends or co-workers.

For more help to save money and win scholarships, visit these sites: