Let’s face it, sending a child off to college is expensive and when that moment arrives, we want to do whatever we can to save a little money. Between the cost of tuition, books, supplies, and on campus housing, families shell out thousands and thousands of dollars.

Of course, there are different ways to save money when your child goes off to college. Students can apply for scholarships, take advantage of working on campus, buy used text books, and if you really want to save some money, find your college student somewhere close to live off-campus.

Off-Campus Housing

Students and their families can save lots of money by finding a place to live off-campus but still close enough to get to classes and events. With off-campus housing, students can share an apartment to reduce rent costs, have a quiet place to study and rest and still have a great college experience.

If a family is interested in save money and wants to make more of an investment there is also the option to purchase real estate near your child’s campus for them to live in as well. If you have a child who will be attending a university and you are on the hunt for real estate, you could simply search for real estate near Simon Fraser University to see what kind of options are available and you could weigh the pros and cons of off-campus housing.

Don’t Have a Child in College?

If you don’t have a child in college but are looking to make an investment to help build up your retirement savings, investing in real estate near a college campus can be very profitable. You could purchase a home, condo, townhome, or even multi-unti housing to rent to students throughout the school year. By purchasing and renting, you can pay the mortgage for the rental unit and tuck the profits away in a savings account for your retirement.

Social care is a rewarding career full of personal growth and job satisfaction, which is why many take an interest in social worker recruitment and what it involves.

To help you understand the requirements to get into a social care role, here’s our step-by-step guide:

Choose a role that’s right for you

Within social care, you can work in a hands-on role visiting the homes of people who need your assistance, or you can take on an admin role, or even look at management opportunities. To ensure you go down the right path, think about your skills and how you see yourself helping others.

Speak to a job centre adviser

As a social carer, you don’t require any formal qualifications, as specified by the Skills For Care Organization of the UK. Instead, it’s more about having the right personality, attitude and dedication. At a job centre or local college, you can find advice and booklets with a breakdown of available roles in the area and next steps to apply.

Pre-employment training

A change of career or role can be daunting and as you’ll be dealing with vulnerable people, it’s a great idea to take part in pre-employment training where your skills and confidence can be nurtured. If you feel you need more support through this process, there are set routes that make it easier to complete, such as Care in Hand, where training is very personable and lasts right through until the completion of a 12-week probation period.

Apprenticeships

Before deciding on a career change or new role, it is worth gaining some practical experience to better inform your decision. This experience is invaluable when it comes to the recruitment process as it shows off your keen interest and proves your abilities in the caring environment. At this stage, see if your advisor is willing to provide you with a reference. Gov UK offers guidance on which apprenticeships are best for your desired role and states that there are two pathways which “could mean working in the NHS, the private sector, local authorities or in the voluntary sectors”.

Job search and vacancy lists

Work with your college or job centre advisor to gain employment through finding relevant vacancies based on your newly acquired experience. In addition to this, look on job sites like Reed and Indeed who have a constantly updated lists of jobs in the social care.

Probation and qualifications

Once you’ve successfully interviewed and shown off your capabilities, you’ll likely be recruited for a probation or induction period. Use this to learn as much as you can, while being positive and helpful. Show your new employer that you’re enthusiastic and that you have an interest in getting a QCF Diploma, certifying your skills and social carer status. This will help you with future employment.

So, if you think social care is for you, do some thorough research and aim to gain some practical experience to boost your success in the recruitment process.

As you can imagine, the holidays are the busiest time of year for different charitable organizations that help individuals and families during the holiday season. It is becayse of programs like these that a lot of people are able to celebrate the holidays and we like to do whatever we can to help.

If you are looking for a way to make a donation this season, the following programs in the Green Bay area are in need:

Toys for Tots
Donate new, unwrapped toys at a local store or Salvation Army drop off to be used for the annual Toys for Tots program. Toys are accepted and distributed up until Christmas. You can make a monetary donation as well.

Paul’s Pantry
The pantry is in need of food donations to help put together holiday food baskets for families. The pantry is also in need of volunteers to assit in handling food as they process nearly 20,000lbs of food daily. No need to sign up to volunteer, just show up to help!

Bay Area Humane Society
People are the only ones in need during the holidays. This time of year happens to be a big time for people to surrender animals and strays to be picked up. Consider making a donation to the shelter to help feed the animals or provide general care. There are multiple ways you can donate to the shelter.

Salvation Army Christmas Campaign
This campaign is one of the biggest in Brown County and they are always in need of bell ringers to help spread the word and bring in donations. Consider signing up to ring the bells as a family.

Be sure to watch for more ways to help this holiday season.

You may recall our little toy drive we did last year with some help from our friends at Old Spice. Our drive was successful and we were able to make a nice toy donation to our local Head Start program.

This year, we have decided to give back in multiple ways, including adopting a family, donating to different programs, volunteering our time, and more.

If you are looking to give back in your community this holiday season, there are so many way you can do so. Check with your local volunteer center for any opportunities they might have available, perform random acts of kindness, or ring bells for the Salvation Army.

The opportunities are endless.

How are you giving back this holiday season?