Many parents are helping their teens map out their future goals and education plans. Why aren’t more parents thinking about their own future and education plans?  It’s never too late to go back to school if you really want to continue your education.  There are a number of people, well into their retirement years, going back to high school and college.  If you have been thinking about hitting the books again here are some excuses you should stop using.

Excuse #1) I have no time because I work during the day.
Resolution:     There are many programs set up that you can take classes at night or even online. 

Excuse #2) I don’t want to be that old guy or girl in class.
Resolution:    It’s time to drop the insecurities! You can take online classes or if you walk into the class and you’re older than the instructor, so what! Maybe you’ll inspire a younger classmate to stay in school.

Excuse #3) I can’t afford college.
Resolution:    Financial stress can be a problem but there are many scholarships just for older students.  Student aid is also available but you’ll have to do some investigating and don’t be afraid to work with a financial aid office for help as they really are the experts. There are some employers out there that do provide tuition assistance, so check with your HR department as well. You can also look into taking courses at a slower pace by just taking a class or two each semester so you’ll have time to save up money and be able to just pay cash for the college credits and text books.  Some of the benefits of going back to school can come around tax time too as you can generally use some of your expenses as deductions. 

If you have the desire and passion to hit the books again, be proud to be called a non-traditional student, you could soon be hearing that familiar graduation march.

Summer is right around the corner and vacation season is almost here! But, before you can even consider saving for that get-away, there are graduations, weddings, reunions and don’t forget all of the summer activities that your children are involved in.  Your 'to-do' list keeps on growing and your summertime fun is shrinking…

Summertime also brings landscape and construction projects or perhaps even a new home! If any of these are in your future summer plans, you'll need to have a payment course of action.

Like many of us, you may have a small savings backup for summer plans but not enough to flip the entire bill. When making your travel preparations there are some excellent rewards with Airline miles and Hotel rewards credit cards to help pay for that summer vacation, graduation, wedding or reunion that you have travel to. There are also some nice cashback incentives that could also help buy gifts for these events too!

Summer projects can also come with big expenses; there are several loan options available to assist with these costs from personal loan, home equity loan, home equity line of credit to a mortgage refinance.

Whether it's travel or project plans, your options may be endless as long as you're responsible with your finances and credit conscious.

Getting your child ready for college is a sad and happy time in their lives. Whether they plan to attend a community college or university, there are so many things to consider when getting your child and their financing ready for this big step.

It seems really early, but your school counselor should begin prepping your students in the middle of their Junior year as there are so many things to prepare for. First they need to select a college, technical college, university or private school, which should be based on the curriculum they have to offer. Be prepared to be overwhelmed with email and postcard communications from a variety of schools looking for your son or daughter to choose them! There are several other factors to consider during the elimination process and for most it might simply come down to the cost.

College should be about affordable higher education and most schools will provide financial aid options like loans, grants, scholarships and military ROTC benefits. Keep in mind that if your student is considering an out of state school they may have additional costs incurred to attend but be sure to check out if the school has reciprocity before crossing them off your list.  Also, if your student qualifies for any state grant or scholarships, they may not transfer out of state either. The ACT test is a huge determiner when it comes to scholarship qualifications, this test score is also a qualifier for most universities and private colleges so be sure your student studies and takes all pre-ACT test prep classes that are available!

The sooner you begin the college prep process, the better equipped you will be setting your student up to really enjoy their college experience.

Spring time is a great time to add a new pet to your family.  But first, you should do your research to find what kind of pet would fit your lifestyle.  Would a cat, dog or other creature best fit your household? 

Once you’ve done your research you can move on to the search for that new best friend! Visit a rescue group’s website, stop at the local animal shelter and look at potential breeders as well. 

After you’ve decided where you’re pet will come from you’ll need to set up a financial plan. Pets can live a long time and all the costs of taking care of them can really add up fast. Start a savings account that’s just for pet expenses like vaccinations, medications, food and other things your pet will need.  It’s also good to have money saved for the unexpected pet emergencies.  Make sure to look into Pet insurance to see if it’s a good option for you as well.

Be sure to stock up on supplies and get your home ready for your new family member.  You can look online for good deals on pet products or you can shop around at local pet shops.

Finally pick up that new best friend and be ready for your life to change.

When people refer to stress management they usually talk about stress balls to squeeze, getting a massage or taking a pill.  When we talk about debt management it means we can’t squeeze another penny out of our pocket for the bills, massage our accounts to work in our favor and there most certainly isn’t a magic wand or pill to solve the problem.  So when we are in trouble with our finances, because the multiple bills are too much to handle and the interest rates sky rocket, what do we refer to it as?  Debt Consolidation.

Debt consolidation happens when you have decided to reduce the number of unsecured loans into one secure loan.  For example, you may have a personal loan, a couple credit cards and a few medical bills.  Instead of paying for each one individually you can combine them into one lump sum.  It saves on the stress of bill collectors calling and the demand letters in the mail.  It relieves the pressure of keeping track of so many bills each month.  Debt consolidation should also lower your monthly interest rate.  When you research the different providers, make sure their fees don’t out weigh the lower interest rate. 

A few different ways to consolidate:

o    Home Equity Loan: lower interest rate and tax deductable.
o    Personal Loan: higher interests and found at your local bank.
o    Student Loan Consolidation: talk to your lender.
o    Cash Out: refinance your home for more than you owe.

No matter what you do to manage your debt, make sure you’re making the best use of your hard earned income.  No one said finances were easy but if you go about it the right way, you can stay ahead for your future.