Off to COLLEGE!
        (parents of high school graduates)

I hope you glean some insight after reading these articles that address your child heading off to COLLEGE!  I update this page regularly, so come back often!   I post excellent tips and solutions for common challenges as you send your child off to the next SEASON in their life!  (You might notice I have a LOT of financial articles as this is an area MOST forget when sending their kids to college).

In addition, feel free to visit my Blottblog - (just click on the tab at the top of this page) - I post blogs addressing the most common issues discussed in my classes. 

If you don't find the topic you are looking for, PLEASE let me know!  You can email me at brandilott@blottcom.com.


                                                                                      Blessings to you! 
                                                                                      B

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Top iPhone apps
    to send to college with your teen

By Jessica Watson, article posted on www.sheknows.com

Your fresh out of high school teenager is heading off to college in a few short weeks. You are trying to hide the waves of nerves and bouts of crying, but you just want them to be prepared and taken care of in this new phase of life. One way to make sure they are well organized and ease your own nerves a bit is to send them off with the right apps to keep them organized, prepared and, hopefully, conscious of their spending habits. Here is a list of apps no student should leave home without!

inClass

Getting into the routine of college courses and managing it all on your own, without a teacher prompting you to turn things in, can be a huge adjustment. The inClass app allows students to manage their schedule and homework as well as set reminders for when things are due. This fantastic app also has options available to take photo, video, text and audio notes, letting your college student find the way that he or she works best.

Urbanspoon

Having to fold your own clothes, remember your homework and wake up on your own leaves little time to remember to actually eat decent food. Urbanspoon makes finding food in any area much easier. Students can search by location, price and type of food and Urbanspoon will give them all the finds in their area, doing all the work that Mom used to do!

Amazon Student

Amazon Student is a one-stop shop for students looking for new or used textbooks. You can scan the barcode on any textbook and this app will give you a range of prices, where you can find it and even options for shipping and selling your own books. This app makes buying, selling and trading textbooks easy.

College Packing List

This app will be a lifesaver for you and your college student. Giving students a list of everything they could possibly need as they head off to college and a checklist to mark things off as they purchase them, the College Packing List is a must-have app for anyone heading off to college for the first time.

Mint.com

Heading out on your own for the first time means managing your own money. Sitting down with your teen before they leave for college and helping them work out a budget is a great way to get them off to a good start, but calling every day to make sure they are following their budget is the quickest way to get them to ignore your calls. Try this money management app from Mint.com to help them see where their money is going and how they need to plan for the months ahead.

No matter what apps you and your college student choose, preparation and finding what works best for your teen will ease your mind a bit and get you both started on the right track in this new phase of life.

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College Students and their
        Credit Scores

Why is your credit score important to you in college? Many college students are living the carefree life or only focusing on their school and friends and they are not thinking about the future or how their credit scores can affect them. Even though this is a time in your life when you should have fun and enjoy yourself, it’s also the time when you need to be concerned with your credit score.

Your credit is something that will follow you for the rest of your life. It’s going to affect your ability to get loans, buy a home and other important things that you will face as an adult. Too many young people do not think about their credit scores until it is too late and they build a bad score for themselves. Then they might spend years trying to sort it back out. If you start your adult life with good credit, it’ll be much easier for you to accomplish your goals in life. Someone with a bad credit history will struggle to have the necessities such as a vehicle and home.

Your credit affects a big portion of your life. A good credit history will usually get you lower interest rates on a loan while a bad one will put you in the higher interest rate category, if you even qualify for a loan. Here are a few things that you will want to consider when it comes to your credit score as a college student.

Any Bills You Have affect Your Score Any bills or financial obligations that you take on as a college student will affect your credit score. Student loans, car loans, furniture, personal loans and also bills for utilities will go on your score. If you pay late, it will affect your score. Taking on too many lines of credit can also negatively affect your score- such as loads of store credit cards. A credit card is good for building positive credit but be sure not to open too many, apply for lots of different cards or pay your bill late.

Check Your Credit Regularly

You should also check your credit rating regularly. Not only is it very helpful to you to know where you stand but it will also allow you the opportunity to notice any mistakes. What if someone steals your identity and puts something on your credit that is not yours? You’re going to want to identify this as quickly as possible so you can do something about it. Sometimes errors happen and you want to get them removed from your credit as quickly as possible.

Use Your Credit

Finally, a good tip to keep in mind is to actually use your credit. You cannot keep your credit score up unless you are actually using credit. Some students think that buying everything in cash or keeping nothing in their own name will prevent a negative credit score but the problem is that it also prevents a positive score. No credit at all will hurt you when you do need to get a line of credit, such as for a new car.

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The Ultimate Off to College
    Finances Checklist

By Tia Peterson, article posted on
www.overturemarketplace.com

In just a couple of months, many parents will be sending their new college freshmen off to school for the first time. This is a busy time of preparation for new graduates – meeting college roommates, deciding who will buy the refrigerator and microwave, and having fun spending all of that graduation money.

It’s also a stressful time for parents. As you prepare to send off your new grads, you are pulling together loose ends regarding finances. Beyond tuition, you’re probably thinking about bank accounts, cell phone plans, part-time jobs and transportation home for the breaks. The best strategy is to really think through what your family needs in terms of financing your child’s education and student life. We’ve prepared a simple checklist to guide you through the necessary steps. If you have any questions, please leave a reply, or get in touch with us on Facebook or Twitter!

The Ultimate Off-to-College Finances Checklist

1. Button up your scholarships and loans

If you haven’t already, you should be quickly heading towards finishing any applications or necessary actions to receive the money your child will need to attend school. If you wait, many schools will delay enrollment and housing finalization, so this is really important. Don’t wait until the last minute. Sit down with your child now and figure out whether or not you have all of the money needed to start classes when the semester begins.

Just as a note, many parents and students use private loans to cover what remains after scholarships, grants, and federal loans are applied for and received. If you find yourself needing extra cash, you can use the Student Loan Marketplace to find private student loans.

2. Set aside emergency money now

The best way to do this is to start a separate bank account that is easily accessible, and one that is shared between you and your child. This money can be used for emergency trips home, unexpected class-related fees or any medical-related needs as well. Many banks offer interest-bearing accounts. The key is to make the cash easy enough to access in the event of an emergency, with the caveat being that this isn’t day-to-day money. See further down the checklist for that!

3. Decide if your child will work or not

This is a tough decision for both students and parents, but at some point, your student’s going to need some cash. How will she or he pay for things like groceries, toiletries and the occasional night out (when they’re not studying, that is)? You and your child should come to a mutual decision on this. If your child is not going to be able to work (or if you both decide against it for other reasons), money is going to need to be made available.

4. Set up a college checking account

You should go ahead now and set up a free college checking account (almost every well known bank has them). If your child gets a job, have them set up direct deposit, if possible, so there will always be money ready for them to use to cover incidental expenses. If your child is not planning to work, you can set up an automated transfer from your account to theirs, so that every so often, the bank account is being replenished, rather than putting a huge lump sum in there to use for the semester. This will also prevent the temptation to drain the bank account and head to Rio for the weekend.

5. Plan for college breaks and vacations

Prepare now for the college breaks (typically a midterm break, Thanksgiving break and Christmas break in the first semester). That will keep you from having to scramble to get last minute (and very expensive) plane tickets home, particularly if your child is going to school far away from you. If you think there’s a chance your child would rather do something else on their break than come home, you could just set the money aside and wait until plans are firm.

6. Make a decision about cars and cell phones

Whether a car is essential is debatable, and may not even be feasible depending on where your child is attending school. Consider the expense of parking the car, if the school is in a large city, as well as gas, insurance, and maintenance. This will be another factor when determining if your child is going to work while attending school.

Cell phones are less debatable. If your child doesn’t already have one of their own, consider getting one. They are relatively inexpensive and can be a huge help in emergencies. If you have a cell phone plan where you can add a line for free or for very little money, you could consider that. Another idea is to buy a prepaid phone, and that will help you control costs.

7. Tackle the big white elephant: credit cards

Generally speaking, any person age 18 or over can apply for a major credit card these days. Whether or not they are accepted depends on various things, but you should probably start talking about this with your child now. Here are some questions you can talk about to help you determine what is best.

• Will you be giving them your card to use?
• Will they get their own?
• Who will pay for the charges?
• Do purchases need to be cleared with you first?
• What will happen if bills are not paid or the limit is exceeded?

8. Open the lines of communication

The last thing you need to check off your Off-to-College Finances Checklist is making sure the lines of communication – particularly regarding money – are open. Let your child know that if he or she runs into a problem financially to check with you, and you should already be prepared by following the items in the checklist above. Be sure to keep an eye on shared bank accounts and credit cards, and if you plan on letting your child handle their own finances, teach them how to balance their budget and to ask for help when they need it.

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