This conversation, with slight modifications, can be heard in households with teens everywhere.

And "this, that, and the other thing expenses" are coming. . .

How can you use this to your advantage? (be sure to read all the way to the bottom for a mock-agreement you can adapt)

Do The Parent Mental Money Flip and Take The Challenge

Actually, spending can bring opportunity.  Perhaps they have a job. Perhaps they have an allowance for doing things around the house. Perhaps none of these applies and you have them do things around the house but choose to give them...

A Tale of Two Cities

It's no surprise that not all cities and their living costs are equal.  It then follows that salary offers and their buying power vary greatly by city.  

Sadly few of us moving to a new city stop and think about the wide swings in standards of living we might encounter.

New graduates contemplating two different cities in which to live don't consider this phenomenon either.  

Do you want to avoid mistakes, create a leg up on negotiation tactics?  Then this article is tailor-made for you or your upcoming graduate.

Do you want to know what the cost of living is in any particular city?  Then this article is also for you.  

"My child was so excited to be...

 Consider a Plan B Idea

Each school and situation is different, of course.  Consider these ideas.  

Point A:  It Isn't Over.

If your teen is still waiting to hear, then the positive is that they are still waiting to hear. It isn't a NO, it's a not yet.  That's the good news.  Every school operates differently, and uses different parameters on how many offers to extend.  Just remember, your teen is in the "not yet" category until you hear differently.

Point B: Send another Recommendation...

Have you heard? 

When I heard this story, my immediate thoughts were “you have got to be kidding”.  How could this happen?  

Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. 

This happens ALL THE TIME and it happens especially to our teens.

Hang in there with me for a minute. 

Our teens have so much talent, knowledge, and skills just waiting to be explored and developed but they often are never developed.  Is this worth $190 million?  Absolutely. Any time we as parents can give our kids the keys to build on all their unique talents...

Why as parents are we afraid of those 4 words? 

But in reality, they are among the most 4 POWERFUL words when strung together. 

In truth, being as honest as we can be with our kids on typical “growing up mistakes” we’ve made can catch their attention.

And isn’t catching our teen’s attention half the battle?

Do any of these scenarios ring a bell?

• “I cut class”.
• “I didn’t prepare enough when going out for the . . . . team.”
• “I didn’t save my money as I should have for . . . . “  (here's an article on how to make their saved money grow, no matter how small the amount:  How Teens Can Grow Their Money
• “I didn’t study for my . . . . finals.”
• “I talked behind my best friend’s back.”
• “I went to . . . . and I knew I shouldn’t...

Are you planning campus visits soon?

There is so much coming at you and your nearly-gone teen that it can make anyone’s head swim.  It’s much better to swim instead of sink without enough information.  

There are, of course, many factors that go into which college to attend, from financial to “my best friend” is going there.  But allow us to introduce you to a twist in thinking that every parent/student should consider.

Flash Forward to College Graduation Day

Does your shiny new grad have options?  Did they have internships and were they able to network with those in their chosen industry while in college?  Is the local community of this college thriving?  How active and successful is this college’s College Placement Center? 

We know, this might seem strange.  You are dealing with just helping them get into college. But there's...

You know what's coming up, of course.  But perhaps you haven't thought about shopping yet.   Allow us to remind you (sorry!):

Online.  Offline.  Lists.    Gifts.     Shipping.     Traffic.     Malls.     Return policies.      Receipts.    WHAT DO THEY WANT?

But that's the WRONG question.

What does your Almost Grown Child NEED?

You might also be thinking that, wow, aren't we just a few weeks early talking about this?  If you are looking for something meaningful, that "pay it forward" type of gift, then no, we aren't too early.  

So, before Cyber Monday, Black Friday, Gray Thursday and all those crazy monikers happen?  Don't get lost in that shuffle.  Give gifts that have meaning beyond price.  Whether you are a grandparent or parent with a teen in your life,  you can answer this age old question:

...

"Can I pay you using Venmo?"

Odds are high you've heard that question from:

• your lunch friends
• your adult kids
• and everyone else in your circle

Maybe you've taken the plunge and you now "Venmo".  

But perhaps you are thinking about it and need to know more.  Is it right for you?  We will explore this topic more in the coming weeks, but here's some food for thought to get you started.

What and Why is Venmo?  

This basically answers the need to carry around a checkbook when you need to pay friends, relatives, and acquaintances that don't have a more business-like method in which to pay them.  

In business jargon, this is a P2P or "Peer to Peer" payment method.  It's an app that you download to your smart phone and you pay your friends money you owe, and in turn, they can pay you as well.  The need to carry around a checkbook is reduced with this type of system, if both transaction parties are participating.  

Are there other companies...

SUMMARY:

The thought of adding your teen to your credit card might send you running for the hills, right?  Of course, this very topic is being discussed all over the US, probably right now.  

After you finish reading this, you will have a MUCH more informed idea of whether that makes sense at your house.  No fears!

What is an "authorized user" on your credit card?

It simply means that you add your teen as a person that can put charges on your account.  

Why would you consider adding them?  

I know.  I know.  You are thinking to yourself "I must be out of my mind if I do this." And yet, here are reasons why this might make sense for your house.  

1. In a small way, this move might help them establish a credit history.  There are other ways to do this, but some parents choose this path.  
2. You might need your teen to buy things on a regular basis on your behalf.  For instance, they may be able to drive and pick up...

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