The time is now! Florida Prepaid #startingisbelieving

The following post is sponsored by the Florida Prepaid College Board, but all opinions are my own. 

The Florida Prepaid College savings plan's open enrollment period has begun. This isn't open all year round, it's only open til Feb. 28th, 2018. Do not delay! Time is of the essence. 

To learn more about these plans, visit MY FLORIDA PREPAID. 

When you register, use promo code Mindy1718 and you can get $25 off of registration. 

Don't forget the Scholarship giveaway is still going til Oct. 29th! Register before Oct. 29th for a chance to win ONE of TEN 2-year Florida PrePaid College scholarship from the Florida Prepaid College Foundation. Use the code BLOG1718 to get 10 extra entries.  Go to http://bit.ly/2zQzro1 to enter.

During the 2017-2018 Open Enrollment period, The Florida Prepaid College Board (FPCB) is renewing excitement about college savings through a promotion that you will want to pay attention to! Saving early for college pays off in the long run, and this year, starting your Prepaid Plan early in Open Enrollment could REALLY pay off! Florida Prepaid is going to select one winner from all the plans purchased between Oct. 15, 2017-Nov. 30, 2017 and pay that plan off in full! IN FULL!

When signing up, you can do one of two things. You can get a Florida Prepaid College Plan that allows families to pay for the future cost of college in advance. You will choose a plan and make the payments. Then your child's college tuition and most fees are covered. OR you can start a Florida 529 Savings Plan that allows you to save at your own pace. You will invest tis savings into options that Florida Prepaid offers.  Earnings are tax free if spent on qualified higher education expenses. The only issue with this is that it is not guaranteed like the Florida Prepaid.

Whatever you decide... don't wait.  We all know that the older our kids get, the faster the time goes. My family purchased our Prepaid plan when my son was two. We made all kinds of excuses about how we needed the money and we couldn't afford to do this.  But after countless arguments and ups and downs, we finally realized that things weren't going to get any easier as the years passed and we needed to make this investment for him.  And see the photo... he is taller than I am now! Time is passing by so fast!  I am so thankful that we did because now at age 14, I can worry about saving for a car and the dreaded car insurance that will be coming my way shortly. You and I both know that putting this off a year or two or 10 isn't going to help you.  It's time to start saving now! Starting is believing!

Get that kid to college! #Startingisbelieving

If you have a child in the state of Florida, You can win one of TEN 2-year Florida College Plans from Florida Prepaid College Foundation. HERE  While, this post is sponsored by the Florida Prepaid College Board, through my role as a Believer Blogger, all thoughts are my own.

Bryce is first grade

As you all know, I am a proud mom of a sweet young man.  I still cannot believe how quickly time is going.  I remember the baby stages when I would wish that he could do things on his own, and now that he's older, he does. And most of the time, it is on his own with his friends.  He doesn't need me nearly as much as he used to. Now I long for those days.  I still get those moments every now and then, but they are few and far between. 

In the picture, Bryce was in first grade. It seems like just yesterday, but it wasn't.  Time is passing and it's passing so fast! Pretty soon he is going to be ready to go to college.  Am I ready? Emotionally? NO! Financially? Yes, I am preparing now.  

With Florida Prepaid I am giving Bryce, my son, the opportunity to go to college. His father and I purchased the plan when he was three years old.  I continue to add to it as well. 

Bryce and Coach

Doing this early in his life helped a lot.  Since he was 3 years old, I have been telling him that I have been paying for his college and I know he will be successful.  Think about that... when someone invests in you, you feel it inside.  You want to achieve what is put out there for you. It's been instilled in Bryce since he can remember that he
will go to college.  And I know he will because he now knows it.

Having this plan, will make it happen. My son knows that I did without so he could go to college.  And even though he tells me that he is going to get an athletic scholarship and won't need it, I know I have back up plan.  And if he does get an athletic scholarship, then we will use this money for something else. Florida Prepaid will allow that as well.

Did you know that a recent Georgetown University study estimates that a student with a bachelor's degree can earn $1.6 million more in their lifetime than a student with only a high school diploma? College matters!

For me, it's knowing that my child will have something set aside that will help us avoid the stress that others experience when high school graduation is imminent and they find themselves unprepared.

Florida Prepaid Open Enrollment begins October 15^th 

You can win one of TEN 2-year Florida College Plans!

With Florida Prepaid, you can save for college! It's simple and rewarding.  Register from now until October 29th for a chance to win ONE of TEN 2-year Florida Prepaid scholarships from the Florida Prepaid College Foundation.  Each day log into "class" for fun activities and complete "extra credit" to earn even more chances to win!

To enter click HERE  http://www.floridaprepaidscholarshipprogram.com/?utm_source=mindysfitnessjourney&utm_medium=ambassador&utm_campaign=scholarship

Once open enrollment begins (October 15th) you will use this link to enroll. http://www.myfloridaprepaid.com/?utm_source=mindysfitnessjourney&utm_medium=ambassador&utm_campaign=open-enrollment

You can save $25 off the application fee by entering Mindy1718  Using this promo code will also give you a chance to win more entries into the scholarship contest once you register.  The scholarship giveaway entry ends on Oct. 29th. 

College would be a Great Holiday gift! #startingisbelieving

The worst part of graduating from college is the student loans! No one enjoys getting that bill every month. You now have to opportunity to stop that from happening to your loved ones. This holiday season, give the gift that will make college graduation better! Give a Florida Prepaid College Fund to the people that mean the most in your life.

Something I was personally thankful for on Thanksgiving was the piece of mind that I opened a Prepaid account and avoided debt for my future and for Bryce, my son's future.

This is the first post in my series of Holiday Gift Ideas! I know that Bryce wasn't terribly excited to hear that this is something that his father and I are doing for him, but in the long run he will be! Obviously when you are 12 you'd like an iPad or an iPhone... But this is something he will get a WHOLE lot more use out of for sure! And he does already understand that college isn't just something we hope he will do, it is something he WILL do no matter what!

You can open a Florida Prepaid College Plan for as low as $46 a month! The enrollment period ends Feb. 29th! There is literally a plan for everyone!

Be the superhero your child needs! Then they can soar to be the superhero you dream of them being!

Sign up today at http://www.myfloridaprepaid.com/

GIVEAWAY! 

I am giving away a Florida Prepaid "Swag Pack" to one lucky reader. Winner will receive a backpack, pencil pouch, pen, tshirt and water bottle.  All you have to do is comment below telling me who you know that would benefit from a prepaid college plan.  That will enter you to win. If you share this blog post and leave the twitter link here, that will count as a second entry. Winner must be in the US and will be announced Thurs. Dec. 10th. Good luck!

Disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Florida Prepaid College Board through my role as a Believer Blogger. All thoughts are my own.

Is Your Child Going to College: Florida Prepaid College Fund

My Bryce... this is why I did Florida Prepaid!

One of the best things that we have ever done for my son is get him the Florida Prepaid College Fund. Starting is believing and the time to start is now! My son has the opportunity to go to college without having to take on HUGE student loans that he will spend the rest of his life paying back. That matters to me!!! I know you are probably worried about cost. I know... I was too. But this is doable! And worth it. When we purchased our plan for Bryce, we went for the 4 Year Florida University Plan. Yes, it was more expensive, but for us, we needed to do it! It just made sense. We are so glad we have it too. We didn't start when Bryce was a newborn either. You can start late if you need to! Check it out! 

Monthly prices for newborn are below:

4-Yr Florida University Plan	$182.63
1-Yr Florida University Plan	$45.69
2 + 2 Florida Plan	$144.35
4 Yr College Plan	$114.69
2 Yr College Plan	$53.13

There are a few different plans that you can choose from. The Florida Prepaid College Board is introducing the new 1-Year Florida University plan. You can purchase one year, or 30 credit hours, at a time according to your budget and timeline, without feeling the pressure of having to buy all four years at once

 The plan also allows multiple purchasers to buy a plan for the same child. So now you can team up with other family members to help pay for your child’s higher education.

For example, let Grandma and Grandpa buy one year and you purchase another. A child can have up to four 1-Year Florida University Plans.

Another plan is a 2 year Florida College Plan.  You can set your child up with a practical and affordable path for an Associate's degree or trade certification. This will give your child the advantage over those with only a high school diploma. 

If you want to go for the whole 4 years, there is the 4 Year College plan. This is a practical and affordable path to a Bachelor's degree. There are 28 Florida colleges and they've expanded their capabilities far beyond the two-year programs. In face, most now offer four-year bachelor's degrees. There is also a 2+2 Florida College Plan. Your child can start off at one of the state's 28 Florida colleges and you will save money on lower-level courses before transferring to a State University to finish off their degree. 

The last plan is the 4 Year University Plan. This plan will start your child off at one of Florida's 12 prestigious state universities and see them through their 4 years of college. 

All of the prepaid plans, every dime of the plan, can be applied to any university or college nationwide or if unused, refunded back to the student. 

Whether you’re already familiar with Florida Prepaid and still need some guidance or you’re just getting started, this Interactive Conversation will help you learn even more about the Florida 529 Savings Plan and Florida Prepaid College Plans. Click Here: http://www.myfloridaprepaid.com/college-savings-101/interactive-conversation/ 

What are you waiting for? 

Blog disclosure: This post is sponsored by the Florida Prepaid College Board, through my role as a Believer Blogger. All thoughts are my own.