<p>I got a clunker from one of my relatives(1994 Honda with nearly 300,000 miles). My insurance went up from $1200/year to $3000/year for just liability coverage. Never again will I pay that much. I switched insurance company because of that.</p>
<p>Good thinking on the standard transmission though I donāt know if D2 could handle another element to her driving, LOL, though I wish I could find an affordable car that is safe to have on hand as DH and I use our cars regularly during the week - the weekend is usually the only time we can share a car.</p>
<p>Iād like to recommend Forbes this month - āHOw to make your child a millionaireā issue (they talk about what to look for in an education and what you get for your buck), and on line, they just published their top colleges for 2011. Google it as Iām not sure we can post links. Most professionals Iāve spoken with said this is the real list - and I looked at it, and the ivyies are not high on the list (Harvard was 6 or 8) but Princeton was 2 - they are considered āoverrated,ā by Forbes. It is very interesting how they rate them! I wonder if Princeton was rated higher because the Forbes live in NJ (at least they used to!)</p>
<p>Hi - insurance for a new driver in Mass runs about $2200/yr and that is with the good student discount. I just paid my first college tuition bill today for D1 and it was very very painful. I am hoping D2 (class 2013) tests well so she is eligible for more merit. She just got home, she was in environmental program this summer but I am having her start test prep next week.</p>
<p>D1 got lots of merit but from what we would consider geographically undesirable schools (i.e. her father isnāt letting her go that far away regardless of cost)ā¦so, now tha D1 is done with the process, we are starting with D2. We are going to start visists sometime int he next couple of weeks. Let the games begin.</p>
<p>momofboston, on behalf of my D I want to thank you for your Rustic Pathways posts. She had a great time in Costa Rica saving turtles! (I think it was you who first introduced us to the program; if not, never mind!)</p>
<p>momof bostonā¦yepā¦it is my sonās second year at expensive school and after turning down some serious merit aid at other schoolsā¦even with his scholarship I just pulled money from 4 accounts (remember roth education IRAs?) to pay for next semester. Yikes! painful is the word and yes, we are starting test prep next week for child #2 also because fall semester is so full of sports and school that one more activity would send her over the edge. Keep your fingers crossed not only for merit aid but merit aid at a school D wants to go to! </p>
<p>on a happier noteā¦I just got back from my HS 30th reunion and the talk was either college tuition or aging parents. However, it was still a blast and my D says she hopes she will be doing this with her friends 30 years from now. I didnāt love high school but I realized how incredibly easy and stress free I felt when I was with my close friends from childhood and teensāwe slipped back into old patterns as if we were still 8 or 18. A lot of our aging parents are still in our hometown so I stayed at various homes and it was a stitch to have 80 year old parents telling us 48 year olds not to stay out too late and getting up to make us pancakesā¦I am not kidding. It felt weird but sweet to go back in time for a weekend. The only change was that we were tuckered out at 1am and we drank lite beer and actually argued because all of us wanted to be the designated driver.</p>
<p>Donāt worry, my daughter is a lot younger than your daughter, I donāt feel there is any disadvantage yet.</p>
<p>My D also had substantial summer assignments. She starts school today & thank goodness she finished. We are all overwhelmed here because my S starts college in two weeks. So now we start the process with my D. The child experts said to space your children out by four years but we did not listen!</p>
<p>Before our two kids were drivers, our yearly insurance costs were about $800. With the addition of them and their cars, our insurance costs have more than quadrupled. My S was given an old vehicle from his grandmother for which we only have liability insurance. In the spring we stumbled upon a very good deal on a small Hyundai for our D to drive to school, work, practice etc. We have two other cars of which only one has full insurance. My Dās car gets great gas milage and we have been able to spend less in this area due to this and the fact that she drives herself now. S has moved out of the dorm and into an apartment for this year, so at the same time insurance has come due, we have begun paying his monthly rent. Tution for the semester is due in the next few weeks. So I guess it is unfair to blame the insurance for all of our pain!</p>
<p>FAMM, H is going to his 30th hs class reunion this weekend. The account of yours made me smile. They have been discussing ddās as well!</p>
<p>D is still at the beach with teammates making no progress on summer work. I also expected the reading, but she has a tremendous amount of writing for both AP Lang and APUSH! Field hockey starts next week and we have just about a month until school starts.
I know she will get it done, but I do want her to get organized soon and start knocking it out!</p>
<p>Iām as notorious procrastinator who really works best under pressure and deadlines, as are my kids - but it never fails to drive me crazy when they leave things until the end even though thatās what I would do and how we all work better - I just know it also adds stress that isnāt necessary and try to get them to change their ways.</p>
<p>D1 has gotten better but sheās always been the devoted student - D2 and S are much more like me and apply themselves when they are interested.</p>
<p>fineartsmajormom: I went to my 35th high school reunion a couple of weeks ago. Everyone that went had a great time! </p>
<p>No progress on the summer homework this week. We have had houseguests all week so that has not helped. We leave for a one week vacation Monday to the lake. Luckily we donāt start school until after Labor Day.</p>
<p>Yāall are making me really happy that ds doesnāt have summer homework.</p>
<p>School doesnāt start here for another 2 weeks, but S2 started show choir this morning. And then has 2 perfomances a day of The Mikado today through Sunday. Heās exhausted! I just hope his voice holds out. His choir teacher has given him a pass on singing - he just has to mark the choreography. I think today was just taking publicity photos anyway. </p>
<p>Itās been around 110 degrees here all week so S2 was pleased as we droved past the marching band and football teams out practicing this morning to the nice air conditioned theatre. There are benefits to being an āartsā kid! Although Iām still bugging him to stay hydrated!</p>
<p>D1 is home from her summer internship until Sunday when she heads back to college. She has 2 weeks of training as a combo RA/TA before new student week. Sheās got 12 new first-years that sheās responsible for - in class and in the dorm. Sheās busy planning all sorts of fun activities for them! Nice to have D1 home - but the visit is too short. Darn these independent kids!</p>
<p>Iām likely the baby of the crowd - my 20th was last year when D1 graduated (from same HS) - D2 graduates on my 23rd and S will graduate on my 25th (buth they will both graduate from rival HS). I didnāt go to my 20th but may try and go to the 25th depending. </p>
<p>Then again DHās 20th will be when S graduates - heās a young one! :)</p>
<p>And the answer is it costs about $750 more per year to add D2 to the policy - sigh, I know this isnāt as bad as it could be but that will be felt! Canāt avoid it though!</p>
<p>megpmom - Everytime you mention The Mikado, I think of the episode of Frasier where he was tricked into singing it on the air during Bulldogās radio show. In my head, I hear the falsetto āThree little maids from school are weā and I giggle. My coworkers keep looking at me strangely.</p>
<p>My 20th was last year also. I chose not to go. Itās a reminder I give to my son that high school really is only 4 years :)</p>
<p>reeinaz - nice to know Iām not the only 20th was recently one 
I actually graduated a year early so spent most of my school with the class of 91 but then skipped my junior year - had many friends in my class but I think the disconnect from straddling 2 class years made me less attached though Iāll be curious about later reunions - stay in touch with quite a few from FB but they also span many class years - if there was a reunion of multiple classes at once Iād consider it more To top it off I was the age of the class of 92 (started school a year early) so I was the baby all the way around :)</p>
<p>Iāve launched into full-fledged panic mode. Too much to do before school starts ā driverās license, insurance, physical, eye exam for ds2 and flight/rental car/hotel room, multiple drsā appts and, oh yeah, tuition for ds1. :eek:</p>
<p>Iām still trying to avoid the whole tuition thing for D1 YDA - I understand! Fortunately though we donāt have air/hotel to book although I have fall vacations I need to plan for which is stressing me out because of the impending tuition!</p>
<p>Where is my money tree? And can I plant a few more? :)</p>