<p>got my tuition bill yesterday. Just wanted to let you all know in case your child has not activated your email account yet. ugh... what a chunk of change! and so it begins.... lol!</p>
<p>Yep… 18 years ago, my daughter was born and I started saving for her college education. The concept was kind of abstract as she was passing through kindergarten, elementary school and the first couple of years of high school.</p>
<p>Getting the first tuition bill made it real.</p>
<p>lol! I know! </p>
<p>I swear I started saving for college when my D was in utero! I was fortunate enough to be able to do that. I see this bill for a chunk of change and got a lump in my throat! I thought to myself… Oh yeah, that’s what that money is for! lol! reality it is for certain! :)</p>
<p>lefty1, wait til you see the balance in the college account start dwindling. I’ve watched two accounts so far go from large balances to $0. Even though the money is marked only for college, it’s somehow comforting seeing that large balance on the 529 or UGMA statement. Then when it’s down to an amount equal to about one more semester’s tuition it’s almost scary in a way, thinking about where all that money went. When you take the last dollar out and the account goes to 0 and then closes, that’s a scary milestone. Like starting all over again from 0. Made me feel very close to my two graduates just starting their post college lives.</p>
<p>mhc: ^^ You are so right. I had that shock last night, when getting ready to pay Fall tuition. Too tired today to do all the math, but I’ve got three semesters to pay for after this one and need to figure things out! My DS will be a freshman when DD is a senior - I’m hoping that there is some kindness extended from one or both colleges when that happens.</p>
<p>Mch and linymom I feel it already! My husband even looked at me and said, “should we take out of our 529 or just pay this first semester ourselves???” I said, Hell…nooooo that’s what we’ve saved for! lol… but I can’t imagine what it’s going to be like when that account gets down to nothing. ugh!! Of course this statement we just got shows a good growth in the fund. The first time in probably well over a year or two! it figures! lol!</p>