“We Can’t Save Any Money for College. Are We Doomed?” 7 Clever Strategies That’ll Make You Feel Better Immediately

You know that it’s a good idea to start early to save for your kids’ college, but what if your budget just doesn’t allow for that right now? Are there other things you can do so that you’re ready when dormitory move-in day comes?  Yes.

This week I’m hugely honored to be guest posting on the blog of Toni Schutta M.A. L.P., a Twin Cities based author, speaker, licensed psychologist, and parenting coach who’s been repeatedly featured in national parenting magazines and on TV news.   A large portion of her audience at getparentinghelpnow.com is parents of children birth through middle school – and some of those parents are feeling nervous because they’re not yet saving for college. Here’s what I told her audience to help them feel better.manwithlaptop

Jason tucked the kids into bed, kissed them goodnight, and then sat down heavily beside his wife Cindy at their dining room table. “How bad is it?” he asked. She pointed to a line on the laptop screen, and Jason blew a breath up into his hairline. It was bill pay night, and once again their monthly income wasn’t stretching to cover their expenses. Jason and Cindy were still slogging through their own student loan debt — and they hadn’t even begun to save for their retirement. There was just no way they could think about college savings for the four little elementary schoolers sleeping upstairs.

Or was there?

Here’s good news for Jason and Cindy. There are 7 things parents can do to prepare financially for college – even if they can’t save anything right now.

1.  Sign up for the free college savings program available at Upromise.com.  

You’re going to buy necessities like groceries and drug store items anyway, right?  Sign up for a free account at Upromise.com, register your grocery and drug store loyalty cards there, and without doing another thing a percentage of every dollar you spend at these stores will be funneled into a special account that you’ll be able to use for any student’s college savings, current college-related expenses, or payment of Sallie Mae® student loans.  Over 21,000 grocery and drug stores participate, and no credit card is required. Grandparents and other relatives can participate too, giving the money they save up to any college students they want to.  Want more information from me on Upromise.com?  Click here.

2.  As early as possible, ask close relatives to reconsider gift giving.

Grandma was going to give your son a Wal-Mart sweater for Christmas, but if you talk to her she might decide to give her grandson a brightly wrapped package with a letter inside for each holiday and birthday instead.  In the letter she could tell him how much she loves him, what admirable good character she sees in him, how much potential she sees in him, how proud she is of what he’s accomplished the previous year, how excited she is to see him have a successful future, and that she has made a contribution to a fund where she’s saving for his college education. Any amount will help. To protect later eligibility for financial aid, Grandma should save this money in her own name and then write a check directly to the college when college bills come due.

3.  Parents, get help slaying your own debt dragon.

When I have clients grappling with tight finances due to debt, I refer them to the books and audio resources provided by Dave Ramsey, radio host and New York Times bestselling author of The Total Money Makeover. (Online at DaveRamsey.com.) Have a family meeting once a week where you work toward paying your debts off one by one with Dave Ramsey’s help, and you’ll be miles down the road toward being debt-free a year from now.

4.  Plan for the “kindergarten windfall.”

On the day that your baby starts kindergarten, your family may experience an exhilarating financial windfall. Daycare expenses may suddenly plummet. A former stay- at-home parent might start working full-time or part-time. The boost in your income in either of these scenarios is likely to be sudden and remarkable. During the summer before this happens, sit down and plan out how to invest this windfall. Make a plan to strategically pay off the rest of your household debt, and then once you’ve done that — visit a Certified Financial Planner and make a plan to substantially increase your retirement and college savings. You’ll build wealth, you’ll build financial freedom, and you’ll build a secure financial future for both yourself and your children.

5.  Find ways for your family to serve people who have less than you do. 

Did you know that scholarship committees love to give money to students who serve others? Have your family adopt a cause and work on behalf of that same cause over and over again while your children are growing up. As your children get older, encourage them to plan and execute their own projects on behalf of this cause.   Keep track of everything you do. Your son or daughter can use this experience in scholarship application essays starting in 8th grade. Are you stunned that there are college scholarships that are awarded to 8th graders?  Brace yourself; there are even scholarships that are awarded to students younger than that. Have your child apply for 10 scholarships every year starting in middle school and stretching all the way through grad school. If you sign up to receive my free newsletter at JeannieBurlowski.com, you’ll be notified of when I’m teaching scholarship application essays classes in your area.

6.  Have your middle schooler start taking CLEP tests. 

Starting when your child is in 8th grade, go online to CLEP.collegeboard.org and view a list of every CLEP test available to students.  Students who successfully pass CLEP tests earn real college credit for what they know – regardless of their age.   Every single time your child finishes a middle school or high school class on one of these subjects, have him take the corresponding CLEP test and earn real, transferable college credit for what he’s learned.  Not sure he knows enough to pass a CLEP test on the subject?  Have him take a free CLEP practice test at practice-exams.free-clep-prep.com, and then if extra help is needed get free CLEP prep at education-portal.com/academy/get-credit.html.

7.  Put it in your calendar to visit JeannieBurlowski.com in May when your oldest child is in 8th grade. To get there right now, click here. 

I provide free, clear, step-by-step help for parents who want to get their kids through college debt-free, and 8th grade is the perfect time to get started. Click your child’s age on an easy-to-navigate “WHAT TO DO WHEN” checklist and receive free, detailed information on what steps to take at your particular point in time to get your child through college debt-free. The most important time to start doing this is in May of 8th grade, but if your child is older than that it’s not too late to start.

Who is Toni Schutta?

Toni Schutta M.A. L.P. is a Twin Cities based author, speaker, licensed psychologist, and parenting coach who’s been repeatedly featured in national parenting magazines and on TV news.   You can hire her for parenting coaching or speaking at getparentinghelpnow.com.

For clear, step-by-step help getting your kids through college debt-free, get your copy of my book:

Important—> It’s a reference book, so nobody reads the whole thing cover to cover. Pick out what you need to read in it using the fast-paced, 10-minute video instructions here.

You can see hundreds of reviews of this book on Amazon by going to:

bit.ly/burlowski

You can see why financial advising professionals love LAUNCHhere.

You can see the top 9 questions parents are asking me about LAUNCHhere.

Read just one chapter of LAUNCH every 1–3 months while your child’s in middle school and high school, and you’ll know every viable strategy for debt-free college at exactly the right time to implement it.

And if your child’s already well past middle school? That’s OK; you can run to catch up. But the process of getting your kids through college debt-free goes more smoothly the earlier you start it—especially if you’re not planning to save up any money to pay for college.

Let's you and I walk together toward the goal of debt-free college for your kids.

We can accomplish this no matter your current income level—even if your kids never get a single scholarship.

Your first step is getting regularly scheduled, free helpful articles from me—right in your email inbox. Quick, sign up here.

Do you have very specific questions for me about debt-free college and career for your kids?

My TRIBE Members get the most direct access to me—while feeling good that the pennies per day they spend on the TRIBE help me bring debt-free college strategy to families who could never afford to pay for it. Join my TRIBE Membership waiting list here.

Who is Jeannie Burlowski?

Jeannie is a full-time academic strategist, podcast host, and sought-after speaker for students ages 12–26, their parents, and the professionals who serve them. Her writing, speaking, and podcasting help parents set their kids up to graduate college debt-free, ready to jump directly into careers they excel at and love. Her work has been featured in publications such as The Huffington Post, USA Today, Parents Magazine, and US News & World Report, and on CBS News.

Jeannie also helps students apply to law, medical, business, and grad school at her website GetIntoMedSchool.com. You can follow her on Bluesky @jburlowski.bsky.social.

No part of this article was written using AI.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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Hi, I'm Jeannie Burlowski.

I'm a full-time academic strategist, speaker, and podcast host, and I’m the author of the book LAUNCH: How to Get Your Kids Through College Debt-Free and Into Jobs They Love Afterward.

My writing, speaking, and podcasting help parents set their kids up to graduate college debt-free and move directly into careers they excel at and love.

My work has been featured in publications such as The Huffington Post, USA Today, Parents Magazine, and US News & World Report, and on CBS News.

I also help students apply to law, medical, business, and grad school at my website GetIntoMedSchool.com. You can follow me on Bluesky @jburlowski.bsky.social.

My team and I are leading a debt-free college revolution. We hope you'll join us!

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