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 Putting the children through college is one of the most expensive things most parents will do in their lifetimes. It makes sense for them to plan for this well in advance. The exact nature of these plans will depend on the family involved and the kind of school that the parents have in mind for their children. Usually this process of putting the children through college is a collaborative effort involving the whole family. Here are 10 things you can do to save for college. Some of these savings are of cash and some are savings of goodwill both contribute towards a college education.

1. Have your parents open a state-run and recognized savings account like the 529. Funds deposited into these are tax-free, funds spent on educational items are tax-free as well. The downside of these accounts is the stiff penalty if the funds are withdrawn for non-educational purposes.

2. Your parents can also increase their mortgage payments to increase their share of the equity in their home. This should give your parents a lump sum if they re-mortgage the property at the point you are going into college.

3. Become active in a local group or faith-based organization such as a church. They often have programs that help active parishioners to get educated at college level. Some are part of larger organizations that even have their own top-level colleges

4. Lots of students have going away parties. They get together with their friends and plan a big event. Almost all the people invited will arrive with some form of present as this is the norm.  The host can help his or her cause by adding an appeal in the invitation to forgo gifts and give instead to the college fund of the host.

5. Gather together some friends and go down to the nearest parking lot. Get permission to use it and start to advertise as a car wash service. The more cars washed the more money saved.

6. At every opportunity (when you are old enough) you should look for and take the best paying part-time job you can get. Sometimes work is fun, if you are doing something you like and even more so if you do it with friends.

7. Become the odd jobs man in your local community. It will surprise you that there is a lot of fun in it and meeting a lot of people can broaden your perspectives. Look in the local and online classifieds for what is available. Look for areas people need help and offer to do it.

8. Girls may have an advantage here even though modernity preaches equality. If you care about children and love being around them, babysitting is a good way to earn money that will go into your college fund.

9. Do you love animals? Well the same thing applies to them as it did to children. People are increasingly busy and need help with their pets. You can help by taking care of the pets and make a healthy amount of money in return.

10. Do you have any special or specific talent? Can you fix a computer, design a website, are you good at photography? You can offer your services to people . This can bring a great deal of cash and swell your college fund.

With these 10 things you can do to save for college, you will have a healthy college fund when it is time to go.

Most people if asked would admit that they would like to take control of their expenses and save more money. However when it comes to specific items of expenditure to trim the expenses, people are at a loss. This article will take a look at 6 expenses you can cut today to save money. 

Vacation Expenses

Taking a vacation is necessary; it helps relive the stress everyone is under in this modern world. Having said that vacations also drain a large amount of the family’s cash. The astute vacationer can cut the cost of each vacation dramatically by planning the vacation. When the vacation is booked in advance there are significant discounts offered to the travellers. A little effort in searching for the best deals will result in more money saved for the family.

Check The Dates On Food.

This is another one of those things that would seem obvious, but a lot of people overlook this. Smart shoppers always look out for the expiration date on each item they buy. The longer the date of expiry, the longer the food will last and the more value it will give to the buyer. There is no benefit in buying an item a few days before it expires. Some people advocate using products up to a few days after they expire, they may be right, but assess the health risks before you do so. 

Bring Lunch from Home

Taking a pre prepared meal from home saves a great deal of money over time. Lunch times are ideal for networking and “eating in” may interfere with this. If networking is important to the worker then he should mix pre pared lunches with eating out. Maybe the worker will bring his lunch three times a week and eat out twice.

Avoid Late Fees

Another unnecessary expense is the fees charged on the late payment of bills. A bit of personal organization will enable the consumer to have all their utility bills paid regularly and on time.  Pay the bills hands free by direct debit from a checking account or credit card. Consumers should take advantage of the free bill pay services offered by so many banks.

High Interest Charges

Someone who wants to cut down on expenses should look at the credit cards and other debt stock that they carry. If the rates of interest are higher than normal or even average, they should consolidate the debts. This will lower the overall rate of interest paid and consequently the monthly amount paid. The difference between the two figures is money in the pocket of the debtor. Why throw money away by paying an unnecessarily high rate of interest.

Shop with a List

One of the areas where people spend money unplanned repeatedly is when they go shopping and try to buy what they remember. They end up buying many things they never originally planned. If they make a list of the things they need and follow the list honestly, they will see a reduction over time in the amounts of money they spend when out shopping. It is better for the shopper to plan to go shopping at regular intervals, once a week, once every other week or once a month. Buying everything needed in one go also reduces the temptation and saves unnecessary trips.

There they are 6 expenses you can cut today. Take action and start to save.