That’s where Free10kScholarship comes in. As the name implies, Free10kScholarship.com is giving away free 10K scholarships to help you complete your degree and become financially independent.

I have read several Free 10K Scholarship reviews and it looks like this site is the real deal. Signing up is easy. You just complete the registration form that asks for basic information like your name and address and then you’re able to view information on schools that offer online and campus courses. It’s easy to request information or search for a student loan.

The folks at Free10kScholarship have tons of great educational offers available. You may either request information or simply click “Next School”. When you reach the last page that says “Thank You”, you will be successfully registered.

Best of all, by completing the registration form you’ll automatically be eligible to win a free $10K scholarship to the school of your choice. Wouldn’t $10,000 come in handy to pay for school? Think about what a leg up that kind of cash could give you.

Past winners of the Free 10K Scholarship have used the money to help pay for college tuition, books or student loans. If you do not attend a traditional college or university, apply the winnings to your online degree, GED coursework, or any continuing education or career training classes. The $10,000 scholarship can also be shared with a friend or family member.

If you’re under the age of 18 you’ll need to have a parent or friend that is 18 or older register for you. Under the rules of the contest if the parent or friend wins they may give the scholarship money to you.

Sign Up at Free10kScholarship.com – Free Registration

If you or your child is stuck on a college’s waiting list it can feel like an endless limbo. You’re not in, but you’re not quite out either. Instead of just waiting to get word from on high about whether you’ll ultimately find a place at the school of your dreams, there are a few steps you can take.

First, understand how many others are on the wait list. Large selective colleges like Stanford and Yale can put as many as 1,000 applicants on the wait list.

Second, evaluate yourself and know how you might fit in. Colleges often use wait lists to fill specific holes in their incoming class. So if you’re an oboe player from Alaska you probably have a better shot at securing a spot. If there is nothing notable about you in terms of demographics or achievements – other than good grades – you might have a bigger challenge securing a spot, so maybe it’s time to look elsewhere.

Respond quickly. If you get a letter saying you’re wait-listed, write a letter or send an email that day to the admissions office telling the college why you are a great fit for them and vice-versa. Some schools look at response time when evaluating inquiries, so if you’re interested in a college don’t wait around – get your letter out now.

If a school is your top choice be sure to tell them that. If a college knows for sure that you’ll attend if they admit you, it can make their decision easier.

Finally, do the right thing. If you have received multiple acceptances from schools you know you will never attend, tell them that. Prompt notification of your intentions opens up spots on the waiting list for others. While it may not directly impact your waiting list woes, it’ll help your karma and that’s got to be worth something.

photo credit: anne.oeldorfhirsch

Becoming a parent means getting your financial house in order. While you could let your finances slide a bit when you were single, you now have people depending on you. Doing some basic financial planning today can mean the difference between making your golden years happy and productive or stressful and uncertain. Whether it’s your your mortgage, insurance, or savings, every aspect of your finances should be reviewed to make sure your family is safe and secure.

Here are the 8 most important financial steps you can take for your family:

1. Buy life insurance. When you were a swinging single you didn’t have to even think about life insurance. Now that you have a family that’s depending on you, it’s imperative that you and your spouse get a life insurance policy. Term life insurance is usually sufficient and you want to make sure you get enough that your family can continue to live comfortably if you pass away, so think about at least $500,000 in coverage. If you’re healthy, term life insurance is not a huge monthly cost and it can really put your mind at ease. Use one of the many life insurance comparison websites to instantly get a rate quote.
2. Build up a rainy day fund. Life is unpredictable and having a family multiplies that unpredictability. Unforeseen medical expenses, automotive costs, or even natural disasters can quickly put a dent in your monthly budget. Take the time now to sock away at least three to five months worth of living expenses and put that money in a savings account that is accessible. But remember – this is emergency money only, so don’t go blowing it on a big vacation.
3. Review your health insurance. Medical expenses are eating up an increasingly huge chunk of the average American family’s income. It’s time to review your health insurance to make sure you have enough coverage and that your deductible isn’t too high. If you have children, chances are you’re going to the doctor on a regular basis. While having a high deductible is a good way to save money on health insurance while you’re single, frequent doctors visits will mean a lot of money out of your pocket. Review last year’s medical costs, see how much you had to pay, and adjust your deductible accordingly.
4. Buy a house. Although the housing market has been in a tailspin for the last several years, buying a house has traditionally been one of the best investment vehicles for families over the long term. Take advantage of today’s historically low interest rates to lock in a lower cost 30 year fixed mortgage. While it might feel like a stretch to pay for it now, chances are in 30 years you will be very happy about making the decision to buy.
5. Start a college fund. Sure, when your kids are toddlers college can seem like a lifetime away. But the years pass by faster than you can imagine, so start saving up for college now. Putting away even a small amount every month or quarter can allow the power of compounding to take hold and build up your savings over the long term.
6. Get a will. No one likes to think about death, but if it happens your family needs to be ready. Having a will prepared does not have to cost an arm and a leg – ask around to see which lawyers specialize in this type of work.
7. Plan for retirement. Saving for retirement on top of all your other family expenses can seem like an overwhelming burden, especially in the current rough economy. But like starting a college fund, time is your friend. The sooner you start saving, the longer your money will have to grow. Make sure you take full advantage of any 401k plans offered through your work.
8. Create a budget and track it. You can’t control your expenses unless you know exactly where your money goes each month. Use a program like Quicken or Mint.com to track your expenses and see what the trend is. Are you spending too much on entertainment or groceries? Find where the big expenses lie and figure out ways to cut back. You can also use these programs to monitor your budget month to month. The nice thing about a program like Mint (which is free, by the way), is that your accounts are linked together so there’s little to no manual entering of data. Login at anytime to check how close to your budget you are.

While these eight steps may seem like a huge amount of extra work, you don’t have to do them all at once. Take one item from the list to complete per week and eventually you will get through them all. By the end, you’ll know much more about your present financial condition and will be able to successfully plan for the future.

photo credit: Sukanto Debnath

Facing steep cuts in state aid, public colleges around the country have been forced to slash costs and raise tuition and fees. In some systems, like the University of California, colleges are accepting a higher proportion of out-of-state students who pay full tuition.

At most state schools, in-state residents pay a fraction of what out-of-state students pay. In the University of California network, the tuition paid by out-of-state students covers their educational costs whereas the reduced tuition paid by California residents must be coupled with state aid to make ends meet.

Prices at private colleges also increased rapidly, rising 4.4 percent last year, according to the College Board’s report. This is despite a significant decline in the Consumer Price Index of 2.1 percent from July 2008 to July 2009.

There have been numerous lists of good cars for students, but one of the best was published by Smart Money Magazine last year. The criteria was the car must be low cost (under $18,000 MSRP), safe, and at least reasonably cool. While the list might be a tad old, the list of cars is still on the mark.

The Mazda 3, with an MSRP of less than $15,000 ranked as the best value. The car got high marks for features and great handling.

The safest car on the list was the Subaru Impreza which offers all-wheel drive and front, side, and rear airbags. It’s also one of the heaviest small cars which might not be great for gas mileage, but does make it a safe ride.

The Ford Focus ranked highest in fuel economy while the Honda Fit was tops in reliability. And you are holding out for a flashy car, the coolest on Smart Money’s list was the Volkswagen Rabbit.

No matter what your future plans are, any of these cars would be wise choices and should last you well beyond college.

Trina Thompson is suing her New York City college because she’s been out of work since receiving her information technology degree in April. The 27-year-old recently filed a $70,000 lawsuit against Monroe College in the Bronx.

Thompson says Monroe’s Office of Career Advancement has not given her job leads and career advice. The college, in turn, says her lawsuit is without merit and that it helps its graduates locate jobs.

This will surely go down as yet another frivolous lawsuit conjured up by lawyers greedy for money and publicity. While it’s certainly true that a job training program does have an obligation to give you the proper training and skills, it is hard to imagine any judge accepting the argument that the school also should guarantee your employment.

The first consideration is car insurance. Cheap car insurance for young drivers is nearly unheard of, as teenagers are among the riskiest drivers and hence the most expensive group to insure. You are most likely looking at a car insurance premium of at least $100 per month. Think about how much you could do with that money if you don’t blow it on car insurance.

The high cost of gas is another consideration. With the stop-and-go driving of college campuses, even fuel efficient cars can rack up high gas bills. Add on the cost of parking passes or meters and you’re looking at another $100 per month in expenses.

These days most college campuses have excellent shuttle systems that can take you around the school easily. So think about all the money you will be saving by foregoing the car when you head off to school. And don’t forget one more benefit: you’ll be doing your part to help the environment. Doesn’t sound too bad, does it?