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Don’t be shy about enlisting the help of others when it comes tosaving for college. As soon as your children are born, let family andfriends know that contributions to their college funds will be appreciated.Babies and toddlers only need so many toys and will never knowthe difference if Grandma and Grandpa give a savings bond or cash fortheir 529 account on their birthday. As your children get older, makesure they understand the importance of saving for college and that theyshould appreciate any help they receive.Finally, it’s important to remember that if you can’t save enoughto cover four years of college tuition, room and board for each of yourchildren, financial aid is available from a variety of sources. Scholarships,grants, work-study jobs and student loans can help bridge the gapbetween what you’ve saved and what your child needs. Scholarshipsand grants are the best form of financial aid because they never need tobe repaid, but most are need-based and will depend on your income,assets and the number of college students in your family. If your incomeis too high to qualify for need-based scholarships and grants, yourchild may be eligible for a merit-based award if he or she has a specialtalent or achievement.If you’ve exhausted all other sources of college funding, yourchild can apply for a federally funded student loan. Repayment andinterest accrual don’t begin until after graduation. ■Sources for this article are collegesavings.org, money.cnn.comsavingforcollege.com, money.usnews.com and studentaid.gov.58 HERLIFEMAGAZINE.COM