When all parents are working a day job, it’s easier to pay to put food on the table than to physically put food on the table. The average family spends $2,620 each year eating out. That’s 40.6 percent of the total dollars a family spends on food in a year. Monthly, families spend $218 at […]
Archives for September 2012
What is the Rate of Inflation for College Tuition?
Every year, college seems to cost more and more money. This is known as inflation. For tuition, increases in price are expanding at an alarming rate. For public school institutions, tuition has been increasing at 5.3 percent each year over a 10 year period. For private colleges, tuition has increased at a rate of 6.5 […]
Which Families Lost the Most Wealth in the Great Recession?
Sometimes it’s good to be a loser. Losing weight is considered positive. Losing all of your debt is never a bad idea. Can we all agree that involuntarily losing your wealth is a bad thing? The wake of the Great Recession washed away a great deal of family wealth. According to the St. Louis Fed, […]
Which States Accept Ugift for 529 Plan Gifts?
Most 529 Plans that work with Upromise also accept Ugift contributions from friends and relatives looking to give the gift of a college education. The official list of 529 Plans that utilize Ugift is below. GIFT College Investing Plan (Arkansas) CollegeInvest Direct Portfolio College Savings Plan (Colorado) CHET Advisor (Connecticut) IDeal – Idaho College Savings […]
How to Send Money to Your Grandchild/Niece/Nephew’s New York 529 Plan as a Gift
Don’t you hate how Christmas shopping is coming earlier and earlier? I’ll forgive you for answering “Yes,” because I’m already planning gifts and coming up with wish lists for my two pre-preschool aged accountants. This year I’m planning something special for Little Girl and Little Guy; I’m adding NY 529 plan gifting to their wish […]
Yes. Parents Should Open a 529 Plan for Their Children
The perfect is the enemy of the good. For a long time, the perfect kept me from opening a 529 account. I struggled with my reservations and uncertainties about making that type of commitment. College for my children seems so far away and 529 Plan was far, far down my list of financial imperatives. Still, […]
What Unexpected Places Have You Found Great Deals and Top Ten Family Finance Posts
Here’s the best gym membership rate ever; $10 for 15 visits. At most I’d work out 5 times a week, which would make it my monthly cost, $13.33. I pay per visit, not weekly or monthly. If I skip a week, I don’t lose anything. I found this deal at a small Christian college up […]