5 Ways to Start Saving for College

UPromise

UPromise is a corporation owned by Sallie Mae that lets members save money for college through shopping with affiliated companies and vendors. Joining the program is completely free, and you get anywhere from 1-25 percent of your spending back each time you spend money with one of their affiliates.

Where you have the money deposited is up to you as long as it’s a Sallie Mae account. The money can be used to pay off a Sallie Mae loan, or deposited in a Sallie Mae savings account or Certificate of Deposit account.  Affiliated companies include Gap, Expedia, Barnes and Noble, Groupon, DSW Shoes, Toys ‘R Us, and Staples. You can also invite friends and family members to contribute to your savings with their purchases. So where’s the catch? The first is that actually making your purchases through UPromise involves a complicated monitoring system. User reviews indicate that it’s unusually difficult without a UPromise MasterCard. On the other hand, some reviewers have managed to save significant amounts for college with UPromise just by purchasing gas and groceries. Check out the FAQ page to see if UPromise is right for you.