November 23, 2011 | With the holiday shopping season fast approaching, gift givers have a couple of choices. You could venture out at midnight (or even earlier if you're a Wal-Mart shopper) on Thanksgiving and battle for a deeply discounted flat-screen TV or Xbox that will make the little ones squeal with delight. Alternatively, you could stay home and invest that money in a 529 college savings plan. This gift will no doubt convince your children that there really is no Santa Claus, but years from now, when they graduate from college without student loans, they'll thank you.
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6 Colleges Cutting Tuition (SmartMoney)
February 22, 2012 | While tuition bills continue to skyrocket, a small but growing number of private colleges and universities are bucking the trend and going on sale. At least six colleges announced plans to reduce tuition costs in the upcoming school year. Many of these schools say lower-cost higher-education will attract more students from middle-income families those with incomes too high to qualify for free federal financial aid, but not high enough to pay for college costs without going deep into debt.