Big Dreams + Big Plans: Back to School with Florida Prepaid

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

Florida Prepaid Back to School Promotion. Learn More at www.FloridaPrepaid.com. Use PROMO CODE BTSBLOG18 to Have Your $50 Enrollment Fee Waived!

Do you ever just look at your kids and wonder, “How are they possibly this big already?”

When they’re newborns, you can barely imagine their first day of kindergarten, ,let alone middle school, high school, or (gasp) college. They’re so squishy and new and time sort of stands still.

Until it doesn’t.

My kids went back to school last week, and I’m still having a hard time wrapping my brain around the fact that they’re in 5th and 7th grade. Now, Amelia, my baby – she’s so naturally tiny that sometimes I can trick myself into thinking that she’s still a little(r) girl.

But Sophia. Well, for starters, she finally surpassed me in height this summer (which isn’t hard but still). And she’s at an actual middle school for the first time this year, with lockers and crowded hallways and strict dress codes. Sometimes when I look at her, it takes me a second to realize that I’m not seeing my own reflection in a mirror.

And it’s not just her appearance that’s changed. She just suddenly seems so grown up. She bakes and cooks herself eggs for breakfast. She’s into anime and The Office and 80’s music. And she wants to talk about things like where she’ll go to college.

College already? Oh, my heart.

Planning for College (Already?)

But seriously. As I’ve shared here before, Vic and I purchased Florida Prepaid College Plans for both girls when they were newborns. And up until very recently, it was nothing more than a monthly entry in our checkbook. But here we are – only two years away from high school, and three or four years away from when we have to start making decisions about college.

It’s a little daunting, especially with so many variables at play. Will she earn a scholarship? What type of college will she choose? Will she stay in Florida or go out of state? And that’s just the beginning. Pretty soon we’ll be looking at SAT scores and extracurriculars and college applications.

But (and this is a big but) we can genuinely breathe a sigh of relief that we’ve already got her college tuition covered with her Florida Prepaid College Plan. I know I say this a lot, but I can’t stress it enough – if you are a Florida parent (or grandparent), this is an investment that you can’t afford to skip. College is closer than you think.

Back to School Promotion

Florida Prepaid is helping families prepare for the Back to School season by offering a special promotion! If you enroll in a prepaid plan by September 2, 2018, they’ll waive the $50 enrollment fee. Just use promo code BTSBLOG18, and your application fee will be completely waived! This means that you pay nothing until 2019.

Florida Prepaid allows you to prepay the anticipated cost of tuition and specified fees for your child based on their age. Funds are fully guaranteed by the state. And did you know that your Plan benefits can be used not only at Florida Universities and Colleges, but also at colleges and universities nationwide?

Note: It isn’t Open Enrollment yet, which means that official 2018-2109 plan prices aren’t available. If you enroll in a prepaid plan during this promotional period, you will submit an application that will be processed during the next Open Enrollment season. Right now you can get an idea of your monthly payment with this calculator.

If you sign up before Open Enrollment and are not satisfied with your plan price when Open Enrollment begins, Florida Prepaid will help you select another plan or payment option that’s better for your budget and/or needs. And by signing up now, you won’t have to worry about the $50 application charge that comes with Open Enrollment!

Learn More About the Back to School Promotion at www.FloridaPrepaid.com. And don’t Forget to Use PROMO CODE BTSBLOG18 to Have Your $50 Enrollment Fee Waived!

I’m always happy to share my own experience with Florida Prepaid, so if you have any questions just ask! Have a fantastic school year!