You might think this is an
odd post for a blog that’s about writing in general and writing my novel in
particular. I hope to file this topic in the “Things I Got Right” department.
I have my 22-year-old
protagonist as a recent college graduate who wants to go on for an advanced
degree in museum studies. Money is an issue for her. My novel is set in early
2008, a time when money would become an issue for lots of folks, not just
students.
I wanted my protagonist to
think about and handle college financing in a realistic way. To that end I was
fortunate to have some expert advice “in house.”
My husband, Mark Davidsaver,
has produced a website of financial calculators for many years. His most favorite
is one specifically designed for people, parents and students, to calculate
future college debt.
He used his own experience
with navigating federal, state, and college forms. He got feedback from actual
college students and tried to make his calculator as streamlined and as easy to
use as possible.
He’s quite disappointed that
it never caught on. His paycheck withholding calculator remains his most
popular.
So, why mention this now?
Because of a recent
back-to-school column by Katy Williams, a St. Ambrose freshman, for The Dispatch. The title of her column: What I wish I knew before I went to college….
For point #3, she mentioned,
“Money does not go as far as you think it will.”
Her suggestions:
·
Learn to budget
·
Find a part-time
job
·
Avoid having a
car
All solid ideas that have
stood the test of time.
To that list I would suggest
a visit to:
No comments:
Post a Comment