What you mentioned at the bottom is how my daughter financed her college expenses. At her first year, we managed to pay fully on our own (she went to a good, but inexpensive college in Canada). No loans at all outside the US there. Second year, she was in the states (homesick and too cold, although she loved it there) and I had saved some for her, her father paid some, and then I had also gotten one of those college savings plan (I used the Utah one for less fees). She also got a job–yes! And has been working since. A loan was taken out for $5500. Helps out a lot and I don’t have to scrounge as I had been doing before. A state school --much cheaper than a private one, helps immensely. I don’t want her to graduate with a big college debt on her hands–and so far its working.