Have you started thinking about saving for college yet? It’s never too early. My husband and I started saving on the later side so we’re putting aside more these days to be ready when our son heads to college in less than 5 years. I can’t believe it. It all goes by so fast. How did that little guy on the left turn into that big kid on the right in just a blink of an eye?
Teaching Kids about Saving for College
The folks at Fidelity have teamed up with the Massachusetts Education Financial Authority (mefa) to educate families about saving for college and the mefa U.FUND 529 plan. We recently visited an information booth as part of the U.FUND Dreams Tour hosted at the Stone Zoo in Stoneham, MA. It was for the “Boo at the Zoo” event.
I took my daughter to the event and we admired all of the adorable children dressed for Halloween. As we approached the Fidelity booth, my daughter said, “aren’t these kids too young to save for college?” She soon learned that starting early is a great way to make sure that kids have the funding they need.
The U.Fund Dreams Tour booth was inviting and interactive. Friendly people encouraged families to step up and engage in the topic of college planning. Smaller children played a sheep launcher game. A little slingshot sent stuffed, Velcro sheep toward the moon encouraging them to aim for the stars as they dream about the future.
For older kids and parents, there were tablet stations and a digital version of the sheep game. The virtual sheep launcher shows you how close you are to reaching the moon (the ideal financial goal). This U.Fund Savings Slinger is live on the U.Fund page. Definitely check it out. It’s kind of addicting, which is a good thing if it gets you and your children in the mindset to save for college.
While the U.Fund Dreams tour has come to an end this year, keep an eye out for the 2017 dates on the mefa website.
Have you discussed saving for college with your kids? Have you considered a 529 plan?
I’ve partnered with Fidelity & MEFA for this post in support of the U.Fund Dreams Tour. As always, all thoughts and opinions are my own.
I think the earlier they learn this the better. College is an expense that can be easier managed if you are prepared way ahead of time.
Saving for college is never too early of a task.
It’s never too early too teach our children to save for their college education. We started our two kids early on and glad that we did. Great tips.
We have 4 kids that are in college or have graduated from college, trust me it is never too early to start. Before we know it our youngest 2 will be off to college and let me tell you every bit of advance savings helps tremendously.
U.FUND Dreams Tour sounds like it was a great way to teach kids to save early for college. I believe that parents need to teach there children at a very young to save money. Saving for college is not just for parents. Thanks for sharing the information.
I always have a small conversation with my kids about savings…. Its never too early to teach our kids about finance
It’s never too early to teach kids about saving for college!! This is coming from the person who will be paying off her student loans for the next million or so years.
Our oldest just received his first acceptance to college. It is such an exciting, but super scary time. Paying for college is at the top of my “how am I going to do this list”.
I love the virtual sheep launcher game. This is a fun way to talk to kids about the future and finances.
My daughter is old enough for an allowance, so we are thinking about starting one with her. I want her to understand the importance of saving money, as well as the concept of the value of money.
This sounds like a great program!!! With three kids I know that college is going to expensive to pay for, saving now will help a lot.
I agree, I do believe that it is important that kids know how much it cost for a quality education and that if they start saving young, they won’t be so stressed out with student loans.
I love this. I’ve already been having my kids put a portion of their allowance and any extra money back for college. I’m trying to teach them just how expensive it’s going to be.
I love that they are teaching kids the importance of saving for college. It always seem like something only adult had to think about. We started when our kids were newborns and we contribute to it every two weeks. That is a huge help, we are five years out from the first one going to college. We are 12 years out with the second one.
We have started to save for college, but we need more guidance on it! There will never be enough money to pay for all of college, but I would love to give my son a big head start.
Thankfully, all of our kids are out of college and we just hit empty nest mode last weekend! Woop! I’ll share this one with my daughter because she has 4 boys that will one day be college age. Yikes!
It’s so important to teach your kids about college and about the importance of savings for college. I talk to so many parents who wait too long to do this!
It’s never too early to teach children the importance of saving for the future. This sounds like a great event.
It is crazy how much further education can cost these days, definitely something worth saving for.