How advisors can help families tackle rising back-to-school costs

The second is to apply for a student loan to supplement their savings. Students can do that from their local financial institution, such as a credit union. These types of loans usually have variable interest rates, so students will have an interest-only minimum payment while in school.

Families can also open a Registered Education Savings Plan (RESP), which they often do when a child is young, so families can help them save for post-secondary education. Wagner liked those plans as the government provides a maximum matching contribution for part of it. She suggested families use this to fund tuition, but then use the other vehicles to cover additional expenses.

Students can also deposit their money in a Tax-Free Savings Account. So, they don’t have to pay tax on the investment income they earn. Then, depending on the duration of the investment vehicle its invested in, they can withdraw money to cover for things like car repairs or high textbook costs.

On the flip side, advisors can also help clients teach their students how to save money. The first  thing is budgeting, so they know what they need to meet their expenses and maintain an emergency fund. They can limit fast food and caffeinated drinks as those can eat up a budget. They can learn to pre-plan meals to manage food costs and budget for special coffee nights. They can also withdraw a set amount of money from their account weekly, so they don’t spend beyond that.

“Budgeting really helps in this time of inflation,” said Wagner. “So, this is a great opportunity to start setting up our kids with this budget mindset as it does take a lot of willpower. But, it’s a great time to do it when we’re really strapped.”