• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to header navigation
  • Skip to footer navigation
  • Skip to content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Display Search Bar
  • About
  • Contact
  • Subscribe
Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Facebook Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Twitter Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Pinterest Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Instagram Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on YouTube Follow 5 Minutes For Mom via RSS

5 Minutes for Mom

Main navigation

  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Course
      • Breakfast and Brunch
      • Snack
      • Lunch
      • Appetizer
      • Dinner
      • Dessert
    • Ingredient
      • Apple
      • Beef
      • Blueberry
      • Chicken
      • Chocolate
      • Cranberry
      • Peach
      • Pumpkin
      • Squash
      • Strawberry
      • Tomato
      • Vegetables
      • Zucchini
    • Method
      • Air Fryer
      • Baking
      • Grilling
      • Instant Pot
      • No Bake
      • One Dish
      • Slow Cooker
    • Type
      • Breads and Rolls
      • Cakes and Muffins
      • Condiments
      • Cookies and Bars
      • Drinks
      • Food for Kids
      • Gluten-Free
      • Main Dish
      • Pies and Crisps
      • Salads
      • Sandwiches and Wraps
      • Side Dishes
      • Smoothies
      • Soup
  • Crafts & DIY
    • Crafts
    • DIY
    • Kids Crafts
    • Printables
    • Scrapbooking
    • Sewing
  • Family Life
    • Giveaways
    • Lifestyle
    • Marriage
    • Motherhood
    • Parenting
    • Pet Care
    • Special Needs
    • Time Management
    • Travel
  • Holidays
    • New Year’s
    • Valentine’s Day
    • St. Patrick’s Day
    • Easter
    • Mother’s Day
    • Fourth of July
    • Halloween
    • Thanksgiving
    • Christmas

Upromise to Families of Teens: “Address that elephant in the room!”

December 2, 2014 by Jennifer Donovan

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my disclosure policy here.

ShareTweetPinPocketMail

Our writer Jennifer D. was happy to find out more about Upromise by Sallie Mae by Salle Mae to share in this sponsored campaign, since she is getting ready to send her oldest child to college. As always, our writer’s opinions are her own.

I love it when I have the opportunity to travel alone with my kids. My 16-year-old daughter and I had a great time making memories last month when we traveled hundreds of miles to visit two of the colleges on her list. She’s only a junior now, but she’s hoping to gain some information that might inform her plans of doing a summer intensive.

IMG_20141114_091407

Amanda wants to study art. Not like art history or art education, but studio art so she can hopefully realize her dream of becoming a professional illustrator. That means the excellent (and affordable) Texas state education I had always planned on is no longer an option, since none of our state colleges excel in that area of study. With her search widening to include private (i.e. expensive) colleges and universities, the idea of paying for college becomes a lot more daunting.

Let's talk about the elepant in the room(1)

Everyone does not talk about this, and I don’t remember my parents ever bringing it up either. I wanted to be sure the reality of the large cost wasn’t a giant elephant in the room, so we’ve made sure from the beginning that she knew the outrageous difference in cost between an in-state education and the schools we’ve been considering. She knows that it’s her responsibility to try to get scholarships, and she already has a savings account where she is making regular deposits from her job which will help cover incidentals while she’s away at school. In fact, after working for 2 years, she might be able to contribute in an even bigger way.

Before we set this visit up, I wanted to make sure her father was on board, and he was. We’ve always been savers, so fortunately we have some funds available.

Does the idea of paying for college have you so worried that you are letting it roam around your house like a giant elephant in the room that everyone is ignoring? Join up with others at the Upromise Elephant in the Room Facebook community and share your concerns. Follow the conversation @Upromise using the #myfinancialelephant hashtag.

I’m sort of ashamed that I haven’t been using Upromise. I had heard of it, and we’ve even posted about it here at 5 Minutes for Mom before, but I wasn’t sure what it was all about. Well, now I know, and now I’m using it. I was already familiar with other sites that use affiliate marketing to drive traffic to websites, possibly for cash back, so why have I not been using Upromise?

I was browsing at some of their merchants, and at the time I looked, I could have saved 3% on women’s style at amazon.com. I literally just spent over $100 on two pairs of boots earlier this week. I could have had $3 towards Amanda’s college education if I had started the order via the Upromise site! I also rented a car from Hertz a couple of weeks ago for this trip, and I could have received 2% back on that rental via Upromise.

IMG_20141114_102340

I truly want Amanda to be able to reach for her dreams, but I also want to be smart about it. She’s saving money, she’s seeking out scholarship opportunities, and now we’re earning money on what we are already spending through our Upromise account.

The funds never expire, so no matter how young your children are, you can begin earning a small percentage of what you spend, which can then be transferred to a 529 account or cashed out. You can even use it to pay down eligible student loans!

Are you one of the half of families with children under 18 who haven’t started saving for college? Sit down and confront that elephant in the room. Talk with your partner and with your teen about this and make a plan. Every little bit helps, and Upromise is an easy way to mindlessly save some cash for college. See how others are dealing with the Elephant in the Room on Facebook as well.

Ways to Save with Upromise

  • The list of Upromise retailers is very extensive, and many sites offer 5 to 8 or even 10% back on the sales.
  • We are all familiar with credit card rewards programs as well. Why not guarantee some college savings by using a Upromise Mastercard that offers cash back?
  • When you sign up for your own Upromise account, you can tie a debit or credit card to your account and automatically get cash back when you use it at more than 8500 restaurants. I checked this out, and many of our regular spots are on the list. Since I am more likely to use a debit card than a credit card, I was excited about this feature. It’s also good at other merchants, like ExxonMobil gas stations.
  • Another feature the sign up process introduced  is the RewardU search bar extension app. If I’m on a site that offers Upromise benefits, and I haven’t used Upromise, it reminds me. I love this, because I do frequently forget to check, and I miss out on benefits. Now I won’t ever miss a chance to earn some cash back for college. With Christmas just around the corner, I’m thrilled to see how much I can begin to save by not even changing my spending habits. I can even earn up to $20 a year simply by using the search engine box in the app.

How does it work?

  • Upromise is a free to join membership service that allows families to earn cash back for college through every day purchases
  • Upromise members can earn up to 5% cash back just by shopping with Upromise partners—including more than 850+ online stores and 10,000+ restaurant locations, grocery and drugstores. Popular online retail partners include Amazon.com, Bed, Bath & Beyond, Macy’s, Nordstrom, Staples and more
  • To date, Upromise members have earned $850,000,000 and counting, helping families contribute to college tuition, expenses and loans. Members can allocate their cash back earnings in several ways to help plan, save and pay for college. Upromise members can:
    • Transfer earnings to eligible 529 plans or high-yield savings accounts
    • Apply earnings to student loan repayment
    • Request a check for cash for books and other expenses
    • Split up earnings across multiple beneficiaries

Find out more at Upromise.com and follow at @upromise and facebook.com/upromise

ShareTweetPinPocketMail
Get A Head Start on New Year’s Resolutions #LSSS
Why You Should Play with Photo Textures – Photoshop Tips

About Jennifer Donovan

Jennifer Donovan has been a part of the 5 Minutes for Mom team since 2007. She writes product reviews, covers events, and manages the 5 Minutes for Books weekly column and website. She lives in Houston and blogs at Snapshot about life with her family.

Reader Interactions


Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

13 Comments

  1. Sarah L says

    December 24, 2014 at 2:13 am

    I graduated from college 45 years ago when costs were much lower. My parents saved for my college starting when I was born.

    Reply
  2. Amanda Sakovitz says

    December 23, 2014 at 12:54 pm

    So wish this was available when I had gone to school!

    Reply
  3. Jessica Naca says

    December 20, 2014 at 9:24 am

    I think you can use this toward existing school loans too!

    Reply
  4. mrsshukra says

    December 14, 2014 at 3:03 am

    Upromise is excellent!

    Reply
  5. Eileen Richter says

    December 12, 2014 at 3:22 am

    This is a great idea…much better idea than the other cash back we have used. Wish we would have known for our son heading out next fall. Wow…it’s incredibly sad how expensive college is. Gonna get on this for our last one at home. Every little bit counts!

    Reply
  6. Erin Mcallister says

    December 8, 2014 at 7:58 pm

    I’ve used upromise since I was pregnant with my son! Great way to save a little extra by just doing what you do anyway. I have all my rewards cards hooked to it and always use the coupons!

    Reply
  7. vickie couturier says

    December 5, 2014 at 1:26 pm

    I wish this had been working when my son was in college,

    Reply
  8. Cheryl says

    December 5, 2014 at 12:52 pm

    I’m glad I don’t have to pay for college, but I’m a long-time Upromise member.

    Reply
  9. Meagan bs says

    December 4, 2014 at 5:11 pm

    that’s awesome, i need to check this out!

    Reply
  10. anne says

    December 4, 2014 at 12:24 pm

    Very helpful and practical. thanks for this feature.

    Reply
  11. Suzanne Bastien says

    December 4, 2014 at 8:59 am

    What a great way to help your kids. It’s a hard thing, I’ve got 3 in college and 4 that will be in the next 13 years. Need to help them as much as I can.

    Reply
  12. Denise Taylor-Dennis says

    December 4, 2014 at 8:59 am

    I loving using Upromise any thing to help with college costs is wonderful.

    Reply
  13. Leandrea says

    December 3, 2014 at 8:12 am

    Upromise is such an awesome way to save money for college. I have used Upromise for years, and even convinced my mother-in-law to use it too!

    Reply

Primary Sidebar

Bringing Moms Together

We are Janice and Susan, twin bloggers and work-at-home moms. We're here to inspire, encourage & empower you.

Meet Us…

Work With Us…

Subscribe via Email

to be first to read new posts

Trending Now

“You Color My World” Free Printable Valentines

“You Color My World” Free Printable Valentines

Oven Roasted Potatoes and Peppers Recipe

Oven Roasted Potatoes and Peppers Recipe

How To Use A Moka Pot – Discover The Secret To Making Amazing Coffee At Home

How To Use A Moka Pot – Discover The Secret To Making Amazing Coffee At Home

Get Outside and Play with Spray Chalk

Get Outside and Play with Spray Chalk

browse around

  • Posts by Susan
  • Posts by Janice
  • Favorite Recipes
  • Favorite Crafts
  • Giveaways
  • All Posts

Footer

Recipes

St. Patrick’s Day Sugar Cookies with a Clever Decorating Trick

St. Patrick’s Day Sugar Cookies with a Clever Decorating Trick

Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe and History

Traditional Irish Soda Bread Recipe and History

Easy Valentine Sugar Cookies

Easy Valentine Sugar Cookies

Crafts/DIY

Summer Word Search Puzzles For Kids

Summer Word Search Puzzles For Kids

“You Color My World” Free Printable Valentines

“You Color My World” Free Printable Valentines

Buddy the Elf Hat Pattern – How to Make an Elf Hat out of Felt

Buddy the Elf Hat Pattern – How to Make an Elf Hat out of Felt

Giveaways

Holiday Gift Guides and Christmas Giveaway 2024

Holiday Gift Guides and Christmas Giveaway 2024

Valentine’s Day Gifts For Women

Valentine’s Day Gifts For Women

REDEEMING LOVE Set to Strike Gold on the Big Screen #RedeemingLoveMovie

REDEEMING LOVE Set to Strike Gold on the Big Screen #RedeemingLoveMovie

Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Facebook Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Twitter Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Pinterest Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on Instagram Follow 5 Minutes For Mom on YouTube Follow 5 Minutes For Mom via RSS
  • About
  • Contact
  • Work with Us
  • Privacy Policy
Copyright © 2025 5 Minutes for MomTheme by Melissa Rose Design and Once Coupled