First-Time Student Loan Borrower
Michelle Balaun2020-07-09T12:53:26-04:00You’ll Need to Do This. What is the Entrance Counseling? In July of 2016, the U.S. Department of Education made it a requirement that, in order to have [...]
Are Your Student’s Valuables Safe?
Michelle Balaun2020-05-08T16:05:10-04:00Suggestions to Protect their Valuables One more thing to worry about, is their stuff safe? When they were at home, you knew the valuables were safe, but [...]
Beauty & The Beast
Michelle Balaun2021-06-10T15:06:47-04:00Look Your Beauty Best! When planning for college, we rarely think about the fact that our kids may still have to visit hair salons and barbershops or ge [...]
Books, Books, Books
Michelle Balaun2020-08-21T15:50:29-04:00To Buy or Rent books, That is the Question. One of the first things students need to accomplish to stay on top of things is getting all the right books. [...]
Learn to budget your money
Michelle Balaun2020-07-16T17:16:08-04:00The Money Budget Talk At orientation we were inundated with information about all sorts of things; from FAFSA forms to meal plans. No one ever really el [...]
Computer and Phone Repair
Michelle Balaun2020-09-20T12:34:17-04:00When it breaks it is such an issue…Phone or Computer repair is needed! You can repair these costly devices! Sadly, I can’t even count the number of crac [...]
Eating Healthy While at School
Michelle Balaun2020-09-08T14:58:07-04:00Healthy Eating, Not an Easy Feat! Can you eat healthy at college? It can be hard to eat healthfully when away at college. Meal plans, rushing to and fro [...]
Eating on a Budget
Michelle Balaun2020-08-05T10:49:30-04:00Teach Them Eating on a Budget and the Rest is Easy Eating on the run? Between grabbing a coffee on the way to class, going to Sunday brunches, picking u [...]
FAFSA – all the details you need!
Michelle Balaun2020-10-02T10:25:42-04:00First Applicants Find Substantial Assets, FAFSA of course! FAFSA is the national Free Application for Federal Student Aid but, based on how aid is distr [...]
Grocery Stores
Michelle Balaun2020-05-12T16:13:02-04:00A Kids Gotta Eat, Find the Grocery Store! Does your student know where the grocery store is located? Whether your student lives on campus or off, they w [...]
Lost and Found – we can help!
Michelle Balaun2020-05-13T12:27:34-04:00Oh, No…It Happened, It's Lost! Have you ever lost anything really important before? My daughter always carries her wallet and phone in her purse when ru [...]
Hotels in and around Bloomington
Michelle Balaun2020-05-12T17:09:07-04:00A Nice Place to Stay Looking for a nice hotel? Bloomington offers a wide variety of choices for overnight accommodations. Here in this quaint Midwestern [...]
Meal Plan and Other Ways to Eat
Michelle Balaun2020-08-27T13:06:34-04:00Burgers and Pizza and Fries…Oh my! One of the many decisions you and your student will make is about the meal plan. With college right around the corner [...]
Moving Out
Michelle Balaun2020-05-13T15:01:02-04:00Is Moving Out Harder? Moving out can be almost as hectic as moving into the dorms and apartments. It does not make sense to drag the entire contents of [...]
Orient Yourself With These Orientation Tips
Michelle Balaun2020-05-13T15:35:24-04:00Orientation Overwhelm Potential Orientation, the beginning of the journey. If two nights and two days can make your head spin, these might be the two. I [...]
Pets in school?
Michelle Balaun2020-11-10T13:42:24-05:00Take Your Pets (Dog Or Cat) to College! Pets bring so much love and joy to our lives, and there’s nothing like a good facetime with your dog when you’re [...]
Retail Therapy Makes Starting College Easier
Michelle Balaun2020-05-13T16:21:49-04:00A Little Retail Shopping Helps! There is plenty of retail shopping in Bloomington and although your student is there for school, there is always somethi [...]
The Best Apps for Students
Michelle Balaun2020-11-10T13:42:10-05:00IU and College Studying Apps As students, we always hear from parents “Our lives were so much more difficult when I was your age.” While this is not alw [...]
Having a Car at College, Is It a Good Idea?
Michelle Balaun2020-06-01T09:43:34-04:00Can You Get by Without a Car? Going to college, I remember being so nervous that I wasn't going to have a car with me. I thought it would be so hard to [...]
Searching for Scholarships to Pay for College
Michelle Balaun2020-08-21T17:57:24-04:00Now you’ll need to pay for that college! Scholarships can help you manage the financial pressures of starting college. Almost as soon as the first accep [...]
Get on the Bus
Michelle Balaun2020-06-24T15:24:48-04:00A Guide to IU’s Bus System They’re going to be some of those days when you just aren’t in the mood to make the trek across campus to class. Bloomington [...]
Are You Sending A Package to Your Student?
Michelle Balaun2020-09-29T14:33:56-04:00Sending it... If you are planning on sending a package to your student, you want to make sure they get it. There are many reasons that a student receive [...]
Working While Attending College
Michelle Balaun2020-11-10T13:42:36-05:00Working it - Make Some Moola While at School Growing up, working was normal for me. I have always loved having a job. I actually met my best friend from [...]
Favorite Apartment Rentals
Michelle Balaun2020-09-30T12:29:32-04:00Here are Our Most Favorite Apartment Tips on Rentals Rentals, it is the future. Neither one of my girls or their friends stayed in the dorms beyond thei [...]
Auxiliary Fees for Classes
Michelle Balaun2020-08-06T11:53:40-04:00HaveUHeard of These Fees? There is no denying that college tuition, itself, is a huge expense; however, on top of the cost, HaveUHeard that some classes [...]
Banks & Credit Unions
Michelle Balaun2020-07-08T13:08:27-04:00Many Places to Grab Money, Banks Galore! Leaving for college comes with so many new things, but handling their own money can be one of the scariest. We [...]
Money, Money, Money
Michelle Balaun2020-08-21T17:55:45-04:00When Does Financial Aid Get Disbursed? The time has come to pay for your college costs and panic sets in. Time to pony up the money! Whether you are in- [...]
An Insider’s Guide to Living On Campus
Michelle Balaun2022-03-09T12:59:22-05:00Here is what you need to know about living on campus! You can certainly read about the dorms and just where to live on campus on the IU Housing pages, b [...]
Budget 101 for Students
Michelle Balaun2020-07-16T17:12:30-04:00Budget Let's Talk Money In college, students definitely learn a lot, but was your student ever really taught the best way to budget and handle finances [...]
Storage IU, Where does the Stuff Go?
Michelle Balaun2020-06-03T14:11:58-04:00Where Will They Put All Their Stuff? That time between semesters when they want to bring everything home for a few weeks or summer and you are wondering [...]
Being Thrifty at IU
Michelle Balaun2020-08-17T11:35:45-04:00Need to Stay on a Budget? Be Thrifty! Are you thrifty? Sometimes I just feel like college is never-ending outfits and events. Between interviews, formal [...]
The ABC’s of a 529 Plan
Michelle Balaun2020-07-03T16:57:07-04:00What does 529 Pay For? When you decide to have kids, your first thought is not how am I going to pay for college, but it might be your second. Raising m [...]
Dress for Success
Michelle Balaun2020-08-18T15:51:44-04:00Time to Step It Up, Success Is Waiting! First impressions can lead to success. Throughout college, there are going to be many circumstances where studen [...]
Supervise an Easy Budget for Your College Student
Michelle Balaun2020-10-23T13:34:43-04:00This is a budget lesson that will serve you in the future! Going to college is beyond getting your degree, and learning about your future job. College i [...]
Tax Time – Are You Ready?
Michelle Balaun2020-07-21T13:36:10-04:00What Month Is It Anyway? April 15th is right around the corner. As you are preparing your return or having a CPA prepare your return, do not forget to t [...]
Technology Needs at IU
Michelle Balaun2020-08-18T13:59:48-04:00Check Out What You Get for Free! HaveUHeard that Microsoft Office 365 is free for all enrolled IU Students? Office 365 is a cloud-based suite of product [...]