How to help your kid pay for college

Paying for college isn’t easy. Partial scholarships and state-funded college investment accounts like Embark help. If your kid has exhausted all forms of financial aid and is still a little short, here are three ways to help your kid pay for college. 

Set financial goals 

Financial goals differ slightly from budgets. Where budgets help define spending habits, goals help motivate a person to stick to their budgets. Choose achievable goals like saving up a few hundred or even $1,000 before the next semester to put toward tuition costs. Financial goals can also overlap with career goals such as seeking a higher- paying job to make college costs a little more manageable. 

Choose the right financial account 

Choosing the right financial account can save you money and even help you earn it. For example, OCCU’s Kickstart Cashback account has no monthly fee and no minimum balance requirement, meaning you’re not losing money every month just to maintain having a checking account. Plus, it offers 1% cash back on qualified purchases, allowing you to earn money. Imagine being down to your last $5 or $10 and losing it to monthly maintenance account fees. With an OCCU Kickstart Cashback account, you don’t have to worry about that. 

Financial literacy courses 

Mindset and habit go a long way in the financial world. Maintaining a good savings mindset with good financial habits is core to wealth and prosperity. Lay the groundwork for this by enrolling your kid in financial literacy courses. Stay tuned to OCCU social media channels to hear about the next one we present. Or reach out to local financial non-profits to take the next steps. 

College doesn’t have to be out of reach. With a combination of good financial habits, the right financial aid tools and hard work, your child can be successful.