Classes for the Princess start back today. Its kind of been a strange back to school time this year. She registered for classes a couple weeks ago and we paid tuition. For back to school last year we were scrambling to get all of the stuff she "needed" for dorm living. That wasn't the case this year. The binders she used last semester are still usable. We have plenty of paper. So, we got her a planner, and some new pens and highlighters.... and so far that's it. We still have to order books, but can't do that until we get the class syllabus.
So no back to school scramble this year. Just an adjustment in wakeup times and such. That's it. Doesn't really feel like back to school yet.
Showing posts with label college. Show all posts
Showing posts with label college. Show all posts
Monday, August 19, 2013
Monday, April 29, 2013
Finals Week
The end of the Princess's first year in college is rapidly coming to an end. Finals are this week. Historically, finals have NOT been the Princess's friend. I'm hoping she will buck that trend this time around. She's definitely taking it seriously, a bit stressed, but studying her behind off. She had to work quite a bit this weekend, but had a rare Saturday night off..... so she spent that studying. And studying some more. I've been doing my part making sure she has good food and a relaxing and stress free study environment. (Yes, I got in her room and cleaned and reorganized Saturday afternoon while she was at work).
I will also be making her a good hearty breakfast this morning.... that does NOT happen often around here. In general, neither of us are big breakfast eaters.... we tend to prefer waiting until after we've been up a couple of hours to eat anything. She requested that I make bacon and eggs this morning. Before work. Ugh. But I shall do so.... with a smile on my face. Or a semi-smile. It is still way early.
So wish her luck!!! And me too.... finals week still stresses me out!!!
I will also be making her a good hearty breakfast this morning.... that does NOT happen often around here. In general, neither of us are big breakfast eaters.... we tend to prefer waiting until after we've been up a couple of hours to eat anything. She requested that I make bacon and eggs this morning. Before work. Ugh. But I shall do so.... with a smile on my face. Or a semi-smile. It is still way early.
So wish her luck!!! And me too.... finals week still stresses me out!!!
Sunday, February 10, 2013
Brown Bagging It
Since the Princess has moved back home and is taking classes locally, there have been some adjustments to the budget. The lower utility bills that I enjoyed while having just one person in the house have creeped up. Two people just use more electricity and water.... period. The grocery budget has also had to be adjusted back to pre-college levels.
The campus is a good 20 minute drive from our house, and the Princess has an hour and a half break between classes on most days. We realized immediately that it would be senseless for her to drive back home between classes because she'd only be here for about 30minutes before she had to turn around and head back to class. We also realized that except for that break, she's pretty much in class from 8 am to 2 pm. That's a long stretch.
Of course she COULD just run to the nearest fast food place for something to eat in that break, but that is neither easy on the waistline nor the wallet. So, she's brown bagging it! As she's getting ready for class each morning, I'm in the kitchen heating up Chef Boyardee or soup or the like for her to take in her lunch. (Yes, I know sandwiches would be the more likely choice, but the Princess doesn't eat bread -- odd child!). I also throw in a breakfast bar, a drink and some healthy stuff to round it out.
A month into classes and this is working out well for us, so far. Its just one little way to keep our costs down and get the Princess through school without going in debt up to our eyeballs!
The campus is a good 20 minute drive from our house, and the Princess has an hour and a half break between classes on most days. We realized immediately that it would be senseless for her to drive back home between classes because she'd only be here for about 30minutes before she had to turn around and head back to class. We also realized that except for that break, she's pretty much in class from 8 am to 2 pm. That's a long stretch.
Of course she COULD just run to the nearest fast food place for something to eat in that break, but that is neither easy on the waistline nor the wallet. So, she's brown bagging it! As she's getting ready for class each morning, I'm in the kitchen heating up Chef Boyardee or soup or the like for her to take in her lunch. (Yes, I know sandwiches would be the more likely choice, but the Princess doesn't eat bread -- odd child!). I also throw in a breakfast bar, a drink and some healthy stuff to round it out.
A month into classes and this is working out well for us, so far. Its just one little way to keep our costs down and get the Princess through school without going in debt up to our eyeballs!
Friday, January 11, 2013
Free Money For College?
I'm not normally one to jump all over the "Deal of The Day" Sites, but this one intrigued me. It was a Living Social Deal from GradSave. Basically, GradSave is way to get friend's or family to contribute to your child's future college education instead of them just handing over more and more plastic toys.
You can link up an existing 529 account, OR you can let it sit there until you open a 529 for your child.
So, when I got the link, I decided to read up as much as I could about GradSave and everything I found was pretty positive. So, I decided to go for it. Basically, you can purchase a $50 gift card for $24 through GradSave & Living Social . That's basically doubling your investment from the get-go!
GradSave even keeps track of who donates what to make thank you note writing easy as pie!
I did hit one hiccup when I bought the deal, but a quick email to GradSave (a reply to the Welcome e-mail they had just sent me) -- and the problem was resolved within minutes. It just took a few minutes for everything to be updated so that my gift card code was valid.
Given the Princess's age, I'm not sure how lucky we will be in getting the grandparents and such to contribute at this point -- but at the end of it, it was $26 free for college! THAT was definitely worth the time!
***Links above are my referral links***
You can link up an existing 529 account, OR you can let it sit there until you open a 529 for your child.
So, when I got the link, I decided to read up as much as I could about GradSave and everything I found was pretty positive. So, I decided to go for it. Basically, you can purchase a $50 gift card for $24 through GradSave & Living Social . That's basically doubling your investment from the get-go!
GradSave even keeps track of who donates what to make thank you note writing easy as pie!
I did hit one hiccup when I bought the deal, but a quick email to GradSave (a reply to the Welcome e-mail they had just sent me) -- and the problem was resolved within minutes. It just took a few minutes for everything to be updated so that my gift card code was valid.
Given the Princess's age, I'm not sure how lucky we will be in getting the grandparents and such to contribute at this point -- but at the end of it, it was $26 free for college! THAT was definitely worth the time!
***Links above are my referral links***
Tuesday, January 8, 2013
Textbooks for This Semester.... a Much Happier Story
Back in the Fall, we ended up having to go the textbook route for the Princess's college textbooks. Not really understanding how to get the book information ahead of time, and with the Princess so far away, we couldn't really do the online shopping that I had hoped for. That ended up being a big, fat, whopping $600 mistake.
With her living at home, and therefore having an actual delivery address.... we were able to order her textbooks online through Amazon and Chegg. HUGE HUGE difference! Most of the books, I rented through Chegg --- and spent $177. Buying those books new (which we had to last semester), I would have spent over $500. The other book, I found on Amazon, and bought it used for cheaper than I could rent it. Given that this book is a paperback, and therefore more likely for US to damage, I thought that was the better option!
All told, I saved over $550 buy getting the books online. That's such a happy feeling!
With her living at home, and therefore having an actual delivery address.... we were able to order her textbooks online through Amazon and Chegg. HUGE HUGE difference! Most of the books, I rented through Chegg --- and spent $177. Buying those books new (which we had to last semester), I would have spent over $500. The other book, I found on Amazon, and bought it used for cheaper than I could rent it. Given that this book is a paperback, and therefore more likely for US to damage, I thought that was the better option!
All told, I saved over $550 buy getting the books online. That's such a happy feeling!
Friday, November 30, 2012
Making Hard Decisions
As most of you know, The Princess went off to school in August. From the day she moved in, she started regretting her choice of schools. That regret became stronger as the semester has moved along. It finally reached the tipping point during Thanksgiving break. The Princess was home among all of her old friends --- most of whom were saying how much they LOVED their school, how much fun they were having and all the Princess could say was "My classes are fine, but I really don't like it."
That resulted in us having to make some hard decisions. Almost $3500 in room and board PER SEMESTER is a LOT of money for me to pay for the Princess to be miserable. So, we made the decision for her to move home at the end of the semester and enroll (for now) at the local community college. She will take only basic core curriculum for the spring semester and we will regroup and figure out where to go from here. The cost savings will be substantial and I think in the long run she will be happier.
I hope so.
That resulted in us having to make some hard decisions. Almost $3500 in room and board PER SEMESTER is a LOT of money for me to pay for the Princess to be miserable. So, we made the decision for her to move home at the end of the semester and enroll (for now) at the local community college. She will take only basic core curriculum for the spring semester and we will regroup and figure out where to go from here. The cost savings will be substantial and I think in the long run she will be happier.
I hope so.
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