3. Basic things students should know BEFORE getting to school
- Laundry - including getting stains out and steaming or ironing clothes.
- Time management - they should have a calendar/planner (physical or digital) and actually know how to plan out their assignments and add in their work schedule as well as any other important items. While it can be a lot of work up front to input all assignments, projects and exams as well as plan out when they will work on each assignment it is a HUGE time and stress saver in the end.
- Nutrition - including hydration. The freshman 15 (pounds) is a real thing as is brain fog and overwhelm. Getting good nutrition is so important to help them be successful at college, but unless we have taught them, they won’t know! Also drinking enough water (and not just coffee or caffeinated beverages) is important for them to feel good and be able to think clearly.
- Basic budgeting - most students won’t need to buy food, since they will be on campus, but it’s important for them to know how to manage their money. If they have a job, they need to know how to manage their money, so they don’t spend everything that comes in, and not have money to buy their books, pay for snacks or gas, or pay tuition. You would be surprised how little college students know about finances. This is why credit card companies prey on college students.
Budgeting is not always the most exciting topic, but it’s and imporant part of how I was able to make ends meet as a widow with young kids.
Having been budgeting for several years, I had a pretty good feel for it. But after Jon passed, I got out of the habit and struggled with motivation to continue. I was tired, sad and overwhelmed by life, and budgeting just seemed like one more thing. I had reduced our living expenses quite a bit and didn’t think I needed to account for every purchase.
Something Had to Change
I became aware of how important a monthly budget was several months into my journey as a widow. We were halfway through the month, and I only had $50 left for the month to buy food, and the fridge was looking bare. While my kids were only 5 and 7, they had healthy appetites. I couldn’t continue to leave it to chance. I needed to make a change.
Read more...In this third blog post of my financial journey as a young widow, I want to share one of the best pieces of advice I received when Jon and I were anticipating getting married. Our mentors at the time said, “Get life insurance. No matter how tight the budget is, make it a priority. Life can change in an instant, and you want to be prepared as much as possible.”
I had no idea that the advice given to two young college students would have such an impact on our lives.
Life Insurance
Jon and I got life insurance a few years after we were married, shortly after our first child was born, and since we were young and healthy, it was pretty inexpensive. Some months it seemed like a chore to continue to pay it, but we remembered the advice we were given and kept our policies.
Read more...As a widow with small kids, finances were a big concern. There are so many things that go into running a household, as I am sure you are aware - the mortgage, utilities, food, gas, car maintenance, and the list goes on. I had never been fully responsible for any of this, and while I had worked in several different professions, I had been out of the work force since my kids were born.
Social Security Survivor Benefits
One of the first things I did after Jon passed was to contact my local Social Security office to see if the kids and I qualified for Survivor Benefits. This program is in place to help widows with young kids make ends meet. There are certain qualifications and income limits, so you’ll want to go to your local Social Security office to get more specifics.
Read more...Losing Jon was a heart-wrenching experience, and I was overwhelmed when I thought about life without him. I was trying to grapple with his death, plan a funeral and burial, and was suddenly plunged into single parenting. I was also now the sole provider for my family, and there were so many unanswered questions:
- How was I going to make ends meet?
- Would I have to get a job and put my kids in school?
- Would I lose my dream of homeschooling my kids?
- What kind of work would I be able to find that would provide enough income?
