A quality college education does not have to cost a lot of money. That’s the premise behind
by Zac Bissonnette.
Bissonnette, a college student at the University of Massachusetts and a personal finance expert, says he wrote the book for the 90- percent of families that find it difficult to pay tuition at a four-year private university. He writes:
I wrote this book because I’ve met, spoken with, and read e-mails from hundreds of families who are struggling with the burden of college costs – worrying about how they’ll pay for college without bankrupting their retirement or burdening their kids with massive debt loads.
One of the tips that stuck with me is a loophole for making a student eligible for more financial aid. Bissonnette suggests getting married before heading to college. Married students are considered independent from their parents, and assuming the newlyweds earn next to nothing, they will be awarded more money if they submit a Free Application for Federal Aid (FAFSA).
Bissonnette debunks the nine myths of college that he blames for the attitude people have about paying for college, backed up by research. Two myths are that student loans are a good form of debt and that the name of the school on a student’s diploma will have a strong impact on his or her career success.
In the chapter “How Your Child Can Save Money While He’s in College,” Bissonnette gives practical advice to save money on textbooks and warns about the dangers of getting credit cards for young adults. The 281-page book has an easy-to-read section on the do’s and don’ts of paying for college and a recommended reading list.
If you would like to win my review copy of “DEBT-FREE U: How I Paid for an Outstanding College Education Without Loans, Scholarships, or Mooching Off My Parents,” leave a comment by Monday, August 23, 2010 at 9 a.m. PST, telling us about your future college student. If you’re a student tell us about your college experience. If you can’t wait to get a copy, you can pre-order the book on 
Buying a copy through Amazon supports BargainBabe.com.
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Welcome to Niconail! I’m Niko, and I’m so glad you’re here. I am an obsessive bargain hunter and penny pincher, and I am determined to live a full life without EVER paying full price.
My nephew (14 yrs old) recently approached me (on his own) to ask how to save for college and how much it costed. I was floored. He started saving already – a few hundred dollars from chores. I was very proud of him. I would love to give him this book.
I have 2 boys – college is approaching in a few years and we are worried. Although we are trying to save, we are looking for alternatives NOW … Help! I’m very interested in your book
I have gotten a number of books for my college kids at Paperback Book Swap. The only cost is your shipping if you send out a book. Awesome site.
Would love to win this book & I definitely need to read it. My son is in his 3rd year of college and it’s being paid for with grants and parent loans/student loans. When he received a $3500/yr scholarship, they TOOK AWAY $3500 from his grant money so the scholarship was totally useless! He had maxed out on his Institutional Grant and whatever ‘extra’ $ that came in (ex. scholarships) would be deducted from the Institutional Grant so smaller scholarship amounts didn’t help us at all.
I recently got married (a step in the right direction, apparently!) and we refuse to get student loans. My husband’s bachelor degree is the priority, but I’d love to have the resources to work on a master’s now, before the kids start coming. As it stands, though, I have no idea how to make it work. We can’t even afford full time tuition for him. I’m afraid it will be 15 years before I get a chance for more education.
Sending my daughter off to Santa Barbara City College and putting her up in an apt. to get the real college effect. We’re using her 529 account. But it will be gone by her Associates Degree and if she wants to continue for her Bachelors, she will need this book! I agree that student loans are horrible. I can’t believe the stories I hear about college graduates owing tens of thousands of dollars. What a way to start adulthood-yuck!
After putting three kids through college, I have picked up a few tips on how to pay for those tough years. One of the best ones I wish I would have done is to get a job at the college your child is looking at going to. You have to do that a few years in advance but what a savings! I have many friends who have done this and I wish I would have known about it. Our neighbor’s children are attending Pepperdine free of charge since she is working as a librarian’s clerk. My daughter is now working at a Cal State school and her education is all free.
Don’t you think it’s a bit irresponsible to suggest that kids get married before heading off to college? The divorce rate is high enough already.
I’ll be a high school senior this year. What stresses me most about the whole college selection process is the financial aid. I don’t know how I’ll be able to decide between a school I like and a school with a better aid package. This book would definitely help.
I am a single Mom (widow) of an amazing son – who just started high school last week. I am trying NOT to have an anxiety attack over how I’m going to manage to send him to college. I would love this book as a resource.
I’m an adult learner. I went to college right out of high school. I got there, was inundated with massive amounts of freedom and influences. Unfortunately, I had poor time management and I had no idea what I was getting myself in to. I flunked out and was forced to come home and jump head first into the real-world. I’ve had some dead end jobs, tons of bills, and I regretted my decisions in while in college. Being thrown into the real world, I realized that a college degree was fundamental to my success. I decided to go back to school, through an advantage program. I go one a night a week, and I’ll be finished with my degree in May of 2011. It’s SOOO much harder now trying to balance school, family and life. If only I had a crystal ball to see where I’d be 10 years later, I might would’ve skipped the party on Thursday to make sure that I would be up in time for my 8:30 class the next morning.
I have twin boys and will have to pay for college for 2 AT THE SAME TIME!! Yikes!! Help!! I REALLY need your book!!! 🙂
I’m in graduate school now and hope to graduate the year my daughter goes to college. When she’s done, we’ll have twins starting college. it took us 13 yrs to pay off my college debt. So far I’ve made it through grad school going part-time on scholarships and grants – NO DEBT for this time around! But, I worry about my kids’ education. Would love to read this book!
My son is a junior in high school. My husband and I are two years away from paying off our mortgage. We have some money saved for his college tuition but it won’t be enough for all four years and we have twin daughters that we hope also to send to college. The thought of taking out loans like a second mortgage depresses me to no end. We have always lived within our means but it we still don’t have enough to put three children through college. I sure could use this book to help me chart our financial course.
I have a senior and a sophmore this year. We have NO college savings for them due to divorce and furloughs and cutbacks at work. But our income is good, so will will most likely get nothing with the fafsa. My senior wants to major in chemical engineering and has worked sooo hard. I just hope he won’t be straddled with student loans. Would love to read this book!!
College is right around the corner and would love to get lots of insight on how to go about doing it right!
My son is only 3, but I am doing my darndest to save enough for him to go to college. Anything that can help me maximize it will be immensely helpful! We can’t pay for it all, but we are going to try.
My son is working his way through college with a goal of zero debt. He works a few night shifts at a residence hall security desk, two afternoons at the college daycare and home games at an on-campus childcare program for parents going to the game. He supplements this with selling plasma. On the cost cutting side he finds a friend in his classes and pays them a very small fee or nada if they are a good friend to share books. He shares a small apartment.He also asks the prof if he can buy and older edition and save 90% or more on the books.His fiancee won a grant to cover the majority of her expenses that were not covered by other scholarships. They were planning to wed after college but moved the date sooner when they discovered the financial benefits. Send the book so he can reach his goal of 100%-not quite there yet!
My son will be a senior this coming fall. Needless to say his father and I are looking at how our son’s college education will be paid for.
Thanks for posting, it’s really timely. . . for me anyway.
I just going back to school now to get my bachelor’s degree(I’m 31 and didn’t continue after Community College). Without financial aid I wouldn’t be going! Thankfully I can afford to live on my own and qualify without any family member’s income making me ineligible. I have a friend who wants to go back but isn’t eligible for Financial aid BECAUSE his spouse makes too much money. I don’t think being married is the answer either!
This is the most disheartening discussion and information: 2 different college planners told me to spend the money we’ve saved for our children’s college studies because it counts against us on the FAFSA. According to their calculations, our expected family contribution turns out to be half of our net income. I don’t know how my family is supposed to live on half of what we now use. Mei’s comment is typically what happens. I definitely need this book. I’m seriously thinking my kids should be plumbers, chefs, or go to beauty school. Everyone really needs those professionals, and the schools are far less expensive than 4 year college costs.
I am pushing 40 still paying for my OWN student loans, with a senior in high school. I am a single mother of two who no longer uses credit cards, but it is such a slow process to pay off once you have built up debt. Looking at college, it feels like “Not again!” I would LOVE a copy of this book. Luckily both my kids know mom doesn’t use credit cards now, and I hope they have learned from my mistakes.
I began working at age 8 to save money for college. My first year with loans, savings, etc. I was able to attend a private college (working part-time of course). I saw that I could not continue to afford private school so I transferred to a state university for the balance of my undergraduate education. Divorced parents and no child support, so mother insisted that college was mandatory before we married or had children. However she did not contribute to the cost beyond $25 the first year (and then “forgot” to fill out the annual financial aid forms so I was on my own). If a person is determined to get an education they will do it. Yes, tuition and books were lower then, but I sometimes worked for $0.35 per hour. I could not afford to live in a dorm but rooming houses off-campus were more affordable, often 2-3 persons sharing a room. I took 2 years off during my undergraduate program for some “real world” experience, helping me focus the latter part of my undergraduate and graduate school programs. Judicious use of classes at community colleges can be an inexpensive way to get started as long as the student is willing to study and learn (and pays attention to what courses will transfer to a 4 year program). But a 4 year degree (and/or graduate school) is not the answer for every person — technical programs are right for some, the military is an appropriate choice for others (and may pay for education both during and after military service).
My husband is just going back to college(31). I would love to read this book to find ways to pay for college without having a ton of student loans. Thanks for the chance to win one!
My daughter is a Senior in High School this year, she is working and saving for college and so am I. She has chosen to attend community college for starters and then transfer to University. We are looking for the best budget tips and tricks for college, as well as the best grants, scholarships and loans (hopefully not loans) that are out there. This would be a wonderful resource, from someone who has been there and done that.
My daughter is a senior in high school and wants to go to a state school. I work for a local private school where she could go for free. She seems determined to go out on her own and I would love for her to have this resource so she would have the tools to go where she wants to.
My costs/loans were resolved for the fact that I chose a professional degree and was able to pay back in a few years. I know that is not the case for everyone.
My daughter is going into 7th grade and wants to be a veterinarian. The college funds tanked with the recession over the past 2 yrs, so this book would be perfect for us. Looking foward to reading it.
My hubby and I are both students, and I would really love this book; we live right outside DC, so it’s already expensive out here, and tuition on top is nuts.
I am almost done putting 3 kids through college in spite of an unexpected divorce. My advice: be brave and explore all options!What I learned/did!
#1 went to Music conservatory: make sure the school has a great endowment; all cost the same but some had no money to offer other than loans. Also many classmates signed up for military bands after graduation that paid $30,000 off student loans and gave time to practice;earn money and get into major symphony afterwards
#2 Had a 4.6 GPA and was offered full ride everywhare so she went to Stanford and now has full fellowship at University of Chicago for Phd. Many Ivy league schools give full scholarship to students with parents earning less than $100.000!
#3 Now an incoming Sophomore at Uof Northern Florida. Florida students get up to full tuition at state schools depending on their GPA so he’s got a full ride and I pay only his meal plan.
Remember: Parents don’t have to complete FAFSA for Grad school!!So I can enjoy my newly empty nest and travel with no loans due and my kids all got a great education at the school that was right for them.
My daughter desperately wants to go to an out of state college and I wholly support the idea, but I’m afraid it will be too expensive! She’s a great student, so I’m hoping for some scholarships.
I have 5 children. Two have already gone to college and we have a lot of debt from those parent loans, my college loans. One child has joined the Navy to receive the GI bill to pay for his college.
I wonder if this book can help me with the last two? My daughter is a senior this year and my youngest is in 7th. Please send me the book, I will pay it forward when done with it. I feel I will always be in debt for college loans. Thanks in over my head.