by Hope
If the last couple of weeks have taught me anything, it’s that preparation is key.
- Having the frozen meals on hand has been a life saver as I have been busy with my mom and grandmother.
- Having a shared schedule kept us all aware of who was where and needed to be where and when.
- Notifying people (ie clients) of life events going on, gave me a little breathing space as far as response times.
All in all, we made it through the last couple of weeks without any emotional meltdowns, financial crashes or disasters (other than me forgetting to pay the utility bill.)
We are not done yet. My grandmother’s recovery has been much slower then expected and with my mother back in Texas now, I have picked up where she left off. I am spending most days with my grandmother to make sure she takes her medicine, eats a well balanced meal and changes clothes.
It is definitely a labor of love, and makes me all that much more grateful for a job that I can literally do from anywhere and anytime. But we are back to preparing and adjusting what we need to in order to make this work for me and the kids and my grandmother.
I foresee more frozen meals on the horizon! (But I know it’s just temporary, and I’m okay with that.)
Princess Senior Year Tuition
On the financial front, I received notice of Princess’ tuition for next year…well, at least the maximum I will have to pay. They will award merit scholarships at the end of the school year so we may get another $1000 off. But as of now, the tuition for Princess’ senior year will be $4,000.
It’s nice to have this number for planning purposes, and I’m hopeful her grades will earn a merit scholarship as well. For now, I’m going to stick to the $6,000 budget for her senior year…tuition and senior year expenses. That will give $2,000-3,000 toward extra expenses.
Hope is a resourceful and solutions-driven business manager who has spent nearly two decades helping clients streamline their operations and grow their businesses through project management, digital marketing, and tech expertise. Recently transitioning from her role as a single mom of five foster/adoptive children to an empty nester, Hope is navigating the emotional and practical challenges of redefining her life while maintaining her determination to regain financial control and eliminate debt.
Living in a cozy small town in northeast Georgia with her three dogs, Hope cherishes the serenity of the mountains over the bustle of the beach. Though her kids are now finding their footing in the world—pursuing education, careers, and independence—she remains deeply committed to supporting them in this next chapter, even as she faces the bittersweet tug of letting go.
Since joining the Blogging Away Debt community in 2015, Hope has candidly shared her journey of financial ups and downs. Now, with a renewed focus and a clear path ahead, she’s ready to tackle her finances with the same passion and perseverance that she’s brought to her life and career. Through her writing, she continues to inspire others to confront their own financial challenges and strive for a brighter future.
I think your number for school is a good one.
For the last few weeks I’ve not been able to access older posts by clicking on Page 2,3 or the next arrow, it just brings me back to the first page. Anyone else having this problem?
I have the same problem.
Hi Joe,
Yes i am experiencing the Same Problem.
I am having the same problem.
I have the same issue 🙁 – tried with a different browser but same issue.
You mention having $2-$3k extra for expenses. I assume the range is based on rather or not she receives the scholarship? I highly suggest if your daughter gets the scholarship you use that extra $1k and put it towards your debt (or EF or retirement) and not give your daughter even more free money. Quite frankly, $2k is even excessive, even for senior year.
It’s not about giving her “free money’ but frankly, I am not sure what additional costs come with senior year. I know we will have to pay some costs for graduation supplies, college applications and so forth. So want to make sure I’m prepared for those and not scrambling.
Did you put your kids through private school, maybe you can point out some of the costs and show Hope if this is an excessive amount? Otherwise, better she at least tries to keep a number around saved up for Princess’ expenses.
If she gets the scholarship, that still doesn’t guarantee her extra costs will be significantly lowered. and the scholarship will take $$ away from tuition. this extra amt is outside of tuition!