Survival tips for parents of college-bound kids


(ARA) 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 aiid
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 homes
- the average American
household has about
$99 in spare change -
and 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


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And Make Your Event a Success!


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.
 Courtesy ofARA
 Content


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