11 January 2007

Q & A with Karen

Q. Why hasn't Karen written in days and days?

A.
She has been wandering NYC amid Tibetan Monks and Confused Engineers, returning home too dazed (those monks wear *really* bright robes) and frustrated to do much but crank out required documents for her continued professional survival.

Q. What's with the new "College Bound" sidebar bit?

A.
While I swear my two wonderful sons were JUST BORN, they claim to be ALREADY SIX and NEARLY EIGHT. By their time measurement scale, they will begin college TOMORROW and I am really not financially prepared for that to happen. An honest look at my financial skills reveals the following:
  • I am not very good at saving money
  • I am pretty good at earning money
  • I am extremely good at spending money
My strongest skill has proven to be a rather surprising way to improve my weakest skill, thanks to UPromise (a program every parent should check out). In three years, our normal spending, with a minimum of extra thought, has produced over $1000 in college savings for the kids! Granted, it's a tiny amount compared to what they'll need in total but it's amazing that companies have given us that money for education based largely on our capacity for buying Kleenex and Triscuits. Pottery Barn, LLBeans, and Land's End also participate - very beneficial to us as I spend money at those websites anyhow and, through UPromise, I get a rebate in our 529 college funds each time I do. [Note: If you are not a parent and would like to sponsor my kids, PLEASE let me know - I'll send you an invitation so you can link your own purchases to my kids' accounts!]

With UPromise in mind, I started researching other ways to benefit from my shopping proclivity and discovered affiliate programs. Because of this, Reason Enough will now feature links to places we like to spend our money. Since we'll buy from these stores anyhow, we may as well get a bit back for it - all of which will go into the kids' 529 accounts. If you're also a fan of the stuff I post about or link to, please consider buying it by clicking through my blog! In recognition of your help in sending my kids to college without putting me in a box under a bridge, you will be repaid with gratitude and warm hospitality whenever possible!
[Note: You'll probably get the warm hospitality anyhow...we're nutty like that.]

Q. Oh no...advertising will be next!

A. Please state your answer in question format.

Q. Oh no...will advertising be next?

A. NO! I am only putting up sidebar click-throughs to places I will buy from, so that I can benefit from my own purchases, and links in my posts will be to items I use and enjoy, just like always.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Q: Why is Karen talking to herself?

A: Too many of the special jigglies.

Anonymous said...

Good luck with the college saving thing. I guess I should be looking into some type of 'college fund'...

What worries me is the fact that in 16 years, will I even be able to afford college, period. Pension is another worring thing, too...

Anonymous said...

Picture this: A Buddhist monk wearing bright orange robes speeding through crowds in Kyoto on a motorcycle. I think they wear those bright colors to warn people to get out of the way.

Anonymous said...

hey, there's always community college (yes, RNs get degrees from community colleges:) and scholarships. once you get jobs in certain places then you can get employers to continue to pay for further education as well, etc...there are many alternatives now...be aware but don't fret :)

Linda said...

Hey Karen!

I came by via Ephiphany's blog as I just HAD to see who could possibly have more nominations for Worst Mother of the Year than I!

At least you're doing some college saving, I'm attempting to talk my daughter into going into the Air Force to pay for her college (like my father before me, I am a veteran of the Air Force myself) but she isn't buying it yet!

Darned stubborn child!

Ginger Johnson said...

The other alternative, of course, is a sort of true insanity, which is to pursue a ph.d when you are 35 and your children are at an age where the future pay-outs will be to therapists instead of universities.

Not buying that one, either?
ah, well. I'll go first and tell you later how it works. :)

Lady Epiphany said...

Every day I see Heidi and Holly (in their mid- and late-twenties) park their cars in front of their parents' house across the street where they both still live, I reaffirm my conviction about starting those 529 accounts when the girls were born.

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