When money is tight, it’s hard to justify saving.  I mean, we know we need to save money but when the paychecks barely cover the bills, there’s not much left over.  This makes it easier to justify dipping into savings and to use credit.  Those are not good ideas and can make a bad financial situation worse.  Yet, I’ve found myself doing those things before.  The thought is always “I can repay it later….”  Yeah, but when?

I know our financial goals shifted when I got pregnant.  We sat down together to go over our goals and dreams… analyzed our income and spending… and one of the top goals on our list for our sweet baby girl?  Save for college.  I’m almost embarrassed to say we haven’t been doing this as intended and she is almost one!

With the high cost of tuition now, I’m afraid to see what it will cost for her to go to college 18 years from now.  Her education could cost as much as our house did!  Still, if you really want to save for your kids, you can.

Make it a priority.  It’s never going to happen unless this first step occurs.

Put away what you can.  Have 27 cents leftover after paying for groceries? Put it away.  $1? Away.  5 cents? Away.  It all adds up.

Ask for deposits in lieu of gifts for birthdays and holidays.  What a great gift the whole family could chip in on!

Get a savings plan.  There are several different options out there nowadays.  You are less likely to use that money for something else if you keep it in a separate account.

What are your tips on how to save for college for your kids?

Image: Daniel St.Pierre / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

About Darcy

Darcy Zalewski is a married, stay-at-home mom who is discovering her greener side, starting with advocating for cloth diapering. When she's not changing diapers or singing the Itsy Bitsy Spider, she can be found at Tales From the Nursery, where she shares tales of motherhood as well as product reviews, or at ShePromotes, a resource for blogger support.

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