1- When you need a haircut or a stylist, try to find ones that offer student discounts. It may not be the fanciest place, but you will probably find one that will get the job done to your satisfaction.

2- Pay bills when they are due and avoid late fees. This is one of those things that you will need to do long after you have left college. Late fees can get very expensive and force you to pay much more than you have to. Paying those bills on time will also help your credit history.

3- If you must drink, do it cheaply. Drunk is drunk and it doesn’t matter how you get there. Make sure that you don’t take your credit cards with you when you know you are going to be drinking and take only a little cash.

4- Start clipping coupons. Many that you can use will be found on the internet. All you have to do is print them off. You can find them for just about anything you want.

5- Join your families cell phone plan or use a pay-as-you-go plan. Both of these options are much cheaper than getting a plan on your own. Be careful about texting, and internet usage, though.

6- Shop at discount and secondhand stores before you shop anywhere else. What you find won’t be much different from what you get anywhere else. It will do the job.

7- Stay away from credit cards. If you feel you have to have one, only use it for emergencies. It is easy to get into some really bad habits in college using credit cards. Credit card companies prey on college students because they don’t think that you can control your spending. Prove them wrong.

8- Watch shows online rather than having to pay for cable. It doesn’t matter if you are watching it a little later than you normally would. It just gives you more freedom.

9- Ramen noodles are your friend. If you want a quick and cheap snack or something to fill you up, take advantage of the goodness that can come in those ten cent packages.

10- Quit buying coffee out. There are some really good things about going to a coffee shop and hanging out, but the money that you can end up spending isn’t one of them. Buy a good bag of coffee and brew your own.

There are hundreds of ways that you can blow your money while in college, but there are also hundreds of ways that you can save money. Once you learn how to save money in college you will have laid the foundation for a lifetime of smart economic decision making.

How To Save Money In College – 10 Tips is a post from: Debt Free Journey

Everyone knows when you are talking about savings plans no 529 college plan has everything that you want. Some states plans are better in some areas than others. It’s just how they are made up. Most states will let you choose what accounts that you invest in directly. This really helps you if you’re good at investing. If not, maybe you should leave that up to an expert than. So, which states have the best plans? It all depends where you looking and what you want out of them. If you were looking to save money on fees than your best bet would be to go with the Utah Educational Savings Plan Trust. This plan has a portfolio of nine-index funds that charge only 0.38% per year. This plan also only charges 4.00 per 1,000 of your account balance. If you’re looking to save money on fees than this is probably your best option. Toss in the tax breaks you can also get and it makes perfect sense.

For the conservative investor the 529 college plan that Michigan has in place will definitely help you save money. The Michigan Educational Savings program is perfect for the investor who doesn’t really want to take a chance of putting his money in the stock market. This plan has a savings option that guarantees the principal and a minimum annual interest rate based on a treasury note. This plan is titled more towards bond funds than most 529 college plans. It also has low fees that make it ideal for the investor who doesn’t like to take a lot of chances with his money. Probably overall the best 529 college plan as a whole belongs to the state of Virginia. Their plan is more for the investor who fills comfortable putting their trust into an advisor. Virginia College America Plan will cost you more if you use an advisor, but in the long run it will be worth it. They can craft a portfolio with 22 top-notch funds from American Funds. Many people are using this plan as you can set it and just watch the investment grow. It seems many Americans have less time and this in an option they love.

The overview on 529 college plans is really straight forward as no one has the total answer. Many states have great plans in place while others are not so good. It depends a lot on what kind of plan you are looking for and how you would like the money invested. Some investors choose to take the stock market while others love the bonds and mutual funds. Each plan has its pluses and minuses just like anything else. More of the 529 college plans in each state are affiliated with a top investment firm so you know your money will be invested with the highest regard for getting you the most from it. As like any investment many factors will come into play. Such as taxes and what the state will allow under their different plans. Many states try to craft their plans to be the best this is why they are always changing. One of the most asked questions is: are you stuck with your own state plans? That’s a tricky question, as many states will let you use their plan even if you don’t live there. Some won’t so check to make sure before you invest any money at all. 529 college plans vary greatly so take your time and do your research into which state fits your needs the best. After you are done you will probably find out more than one state will do the job for you.

The Top Three States With The Best 529 College Plans is a post from: Debt Free Journey

Take a look to Florida for a sunny view on 529 college plan options. The Florida College Investment Plan (which is managed by the State of Florida) offers five great investment options. You can choose one or any combination of the investment options. Once in a calendar year, you can transfer the money that you have already invested from one option into another. Plus, you can change the allocation of new monies as often as you please.

For a moderate risk option you should look into the first option, which is a Fixed Income Investment. This option is invested mainly into things like mortgaged backed securities, U.S. Treasury Bonds and corporate bonds.

The second option for your 529 college plan is a little riskier. It’s the U.S. Equity Investment Option, which makes equal allocations of your monies among an S&P 500 index portfolio, a large capitalization growth portfolio and a large capitalization value portfolio.

The next option is my favorite, an Age Based Option. This allows you the flexibility to choose how conservative, moderate and high risk you wish for your 529 college plan investments to be. It’s based on the age of your child. You would have more monies invested in equities the younger your child is. As your child gets closer to college age, there would be an increase in the amount invested in fixed income investments.

The fourth of Florida’s 529 college plan options is a Balanced Investment Option. What this means for you is that your monies are equally distributed between the U.S. Equity Investment Option and the Fixed Income Investment Option. The goal of the Balanced Investment is to create long-term growth but with less risk than by investing alone in the U.S. Equity Investment Option. This portfolio is reviewed occasionally to keep a 50/50 allotment of monies to the U.S. Equity Investment Option and the Fixed Income Investment Option.

And last but not least is the 529 Money Market Fund Investment Option. This fund has a portfolio of short-term fixed income securities, money market and cash securities. The goal of this fund is to keep your main investment and obtain high liquidity through short-term securities.

The great thing about these 5 options for Florida’s 529 college plan is that you can pick just one or a combination. Do whatever fits your financial goals best.

The fees for these accounts are minimal. Expect a $50 enrollment fee, and an asset management fee of 0.75%. Unlike a lot of other 529 college plans, the Florida College Investment Plan charges no commissions or sales tax. You do not have to be a resident of Florida to participate so it’s a great plan for grandparents to invest for their grand children who live out of state. The minimum opening amount is $250 and your account has a maximum funding amount of $341,000. Once the total value of the accounts for the each child reaches $341,000 you cannot add any more monies. But the market value can continue to grow and you can have accounts of $341,000 for more than one child. There are no age restrictions either, so you can even open an account for an adult.

Imagine $341,000 stowed away for college that is growing tax deferred. And when your child is ready for college, qualified expenses are exempt from federal income tax. Plus, the great state of Florida has no income tax and the plan assets are exempt from Florida Intangible tax. There is a sunny view on Florida’s 529 plan options. Florida is a great place to have a 529 college plan for your child.

A Sunny view on Florida’s 529 College Plan Options is a post from: Debt Free Journey

Here’s how the independent 529 college plan can work for your family. Say that you purchase half a year of tuition for your child today. The member colleges carry the risk and you are protected from future tuition increases. The tuition rate that you just paid is absolutely locked in no matter how much the tuition rises. So you invest $10,000 this year for your daughter who will begin college in 15 years from now. As long as she attends a college that’s an independent 529 member, the plan will look up what the college was charging the year you made your deposit. Say that it was $40,000; you have credit for 25% of one year’s tuition no matter what the school is charging in 2022. By prepaying, you’ve just saved $30,000 tax-free. You may be paying in excess of 50% less tuition than someone who is not participating in the independent 529 college plan.

The amount you save is in relationship to the amount you prepay, but even a small purchase can go a long ways towards saving on college. The independent 529 money covers only undergraduate tuition and mandatory fees. Nothing like the room, board, books or supplies like the other 529 plans do. This may or may not be changed by the time your child attends college.

Each member college offers a special tuition discount so you’re not only saving on tomorrow’s rates, but you’re actually getting a better deal than today’s prices. Each college sets their own discount rates. There are over 260 colleges participating in the independent 529 college plan today. Take a look, some of the finest colleges and universities are among the participants.

Now say that your son or daughter is not accepted into any of the participating colleges. You still have options. You could roll your independent 529 plan over into a state sponsored 529 plan. You could change the beneficiary to another child. Or you could get a refund and still take advantage of the tax breaks if you use the monies for other higher education expenses. Withdrawals used for items other than higher education will be taxed. If your child gets a scholarship to the school, the same options will apply.

The new schools that join the plan will honor the certificates from the current owners. And if a college ever terminates the plan, they will continue to honor the certificates that were sold during and before the time they were involved.

There are many positives to the independent 529 college plan programs. You can enroll at anytime and add monies to your account at anytime. You can contribute as little as $25 a month as long as you reach a minimum of $500 in two years. There are no annual fees, entry fees or exit fees. The member colleges pay for the annual management fee so all of your monies go to tuition. And best yet, all of it is federal tax-free. The rise in value between the original purchase and the amount the tuition is redeemed for is tax-free.

If you have high aspirations for a private college for your child, check the list of participating independent 529 plans. This is a great way to save on tuition. Check with your tax professional to take an ever better glimpse into the independent 529 college plan. This is a great way to get a big bargain on a college education for your child.

A Glimpse into the Independent 529 College Plan is a post from: Debt Free Journey

Yes there are ways to get free money for college. There are actually quite a few more than I could tell you about here, but I will review a few. If a person uses the excuse that they can not have a college education because they do not have the money, than they are just too lazy to find a way!

The FAFSA – I am from the government and I am here to help you!

This is the “Free Application For Federal Student Aid”. This should be the very first step of anyone who is looking for college money. If you are in a lower income bracket you may qualify for a Pell Grant. This is money given to a student THAT DOES NOT HAVE TO BE PAID BACK! The government has reduced the number of grants that are given out each year, but they are still there. If for some reason you do not get this money, you may be offered an unsubsidized or subsidized student loan. While not free, they do have very reasonable interest rates.

Full Tuition Scholarship.

These can be given for scholastic or athletic ability. These are harder to get, but they are out there. And with the help of the internet they are easier to find than they used to be! But it will take some leg work. And your grades will have to have been better than average. You probably will not get a call asking you if you want a scholarship!

Specialty Scholarships.

There are all sorts of groups that give scholarships. And they may be small, but sometimes you can get more than one. And free money is free money, right? There are scholarships for people of certain ethnic or race backgrounds, people who are going into certain fields, people who have overcome some type of adversity such as living in foster care, and many more. I have even heard of a scholarship for left handed people!

Free Money For College From Contests.

There are many contests available for students to enter. This could include such contests as essay writing. And the prizes could range from a few dollars to a full tuition scholarship!

The Bottom Line.

I have shown a few ways to get free money for college. Obviously there is no such thing as a complete list, as there are so many and they are constantly changing. For an even larger list check out our eBook “Free College Money“.

And there is normally not an age limit on the methods to get the money. You can get a college education and have a better life. The lack of money is no excuse.

Free Money for College? Yes, If You Do The Legwork. is a post from: Debt Free Journey