Learn Simple Ways to Pay for College: #MyFinancialElephant

Disclosure: this is a sponsored post from UPromise.

Money is still one of the most taboo topics. I know quite a lot about my friends’ personal lives. Online and on television, friends and strangers both will talk about the most intimate things. But almost nobody talks about money.

Money is still the elephant in the room. As a result, it’s difficult to get good, experiential advice from friends and family you trust. For me, I’d love to know what tools other families use to save and pay for college. I don’t think I’ve ever asked a friend how they were saving or paying for college!

Do you have a financial fear about your future? Upromise by Sallie Mae wants to talk about the financial “elephant in the room.”

Upromise has already started a campaign called #MyFinancialElephant with posts on its Facebook page. That’s one place to go if you are looking for resources and education on these important topics. Upromise is focused on planning, saving and paying for college in easy ways that fit seamlessly into your life.

I’m a Upromise ambassador, and I’m happy to be working with them to tell you about what they do and how it can help you. While Upromise hired me to write this, I’m not your financial advisor and any opinions in this post are my own. Be smart and learn all you can before you make financial decisions.

Upromise can be one of the tools you use to save for your kids’ college. How it works is simple—you sign up at Upromise.com, shop with Upromise partners as part of their free rewards program, and get cash back for college from retailers like Bed Bath & Beyond, Best Buy, and Macy’s. Really, so simple.

I found this short video so helpful. It just takes a minute to watch.

My adult sons are working their way through college right now. They can sign up for their own Upromise accounts and leverage their regular spending to earn cash back. You don’t have to be funding a 529 plan to use Upromise.

Here’s what I learned that I didn’t know before: you can use Upromise earnings to pay existing eligible student loans. This makes it a great service not just for parents with little kids and years to save, but for anyone who will go, is going, or has gone to college.

After you learn more about Upromise (their FAQ is very helpful, too!) see what other users are saying about their “Elephant in the Room” on Facebook.

I’m signing up for Upromise myself. With two more kids to get through school, every penny helps!