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Thursday, September 28, 2017

The Complete Guide to Paying for College: Q&A with Author Leah Ingram

I've now hit that phase of life - my first child is starting to look at colleges. When I started this blog, she was in 2nd grade. Yes, it goes quickly. Yes, we've been saving money for college, but is it enough? The financials are overwhelming!

I was excited to that my friend and colleague Leah Ingram just published The Complete Guide to Paying for College. Leah writes about useful and practical ways to save and spend money. She's the kind of person who has your back. She's put one kid through school and another is currently enrolled. She knows her stuff.

In addition to reading the book (which I'm doing now), I wanted to do a Q and A with Leah, to give you more info on paying for college and give you some hints about what's in the book.

There's a ton of books out there on paying for college. Why is yours different?

I believe that The Complete Guide to Paying for College is different than other books out there because it focuses exclusively on middle-class families. Pew Research says 51 percent of American families are considered to be middle class. I don't put income limits on my definition of the middle class, because in some places earning six figures still leaves you in the middle class. Rather I like to describe it this way. We are the families that never earned enough to fully fund a 529 college savings plan but we make too much to qualify for traditional need-based financial aid. At the same time we don't make enough to pay for college out of pocket. Given that we need to find creative ways to pay for college, and that's what I believe the book provides.

In your book, you talk about

Saturday, September 16, 2017

Bay Area Menorah Lightings 2014

all events are free

SAN FRANCISCO
What:  Rabbi Peretz Mochkin in lighting the 1st candle of the Menorah
When: December 16
Where: Ghirardelli Square
Activities: TBA. http://www.ghirardellisq.com/events/


What: Bill Graham Union Square Menorah Lighting
When: TBA
Where: Union Square
Activities: music, latkes, activities


PENINSULA
What: Latkepalooza
When: Monday, December 14, 2014, 1-3:30 (candle lighting is at 3:30)
Where: PJCC, 800 Foster City Blvd, Foster City
Activities: live music, kids' activities, singalong, latkes and kosher wine tasting (for the adults!). Bring canned food to donate to Second Harvest Food Bank

What: Burlingame Chanukah Celebration
When: Tuesday, December 16 from 6-7
Where: by the Apple Store - 240 Park Road, Burlingame
Activities: live music of Jonathan Bayer, latkes, menorah lighting

What: Festival of Lights Community Hanukkah party
When: Thursday, December 18 from 6-7
Where: Oshman Family JCC, 3921 Fabian Way in Palo Alto
Activities: puppet show, dreidel workshop for kids, jelly doughnuts, latkes, candle lighting


SOUTH BAY

Menorah Lighting with Chabad Wednesday, December 1, 2010 from 6-8 p.m. at the South Peninsula Hebrew Day School (MP room) in Sunnyvale (1030 Astoria Drive). Free Arts and crafts, candle dipping, lighting the ice menorah, hot cider, balloon twisting, music, latkes, sufganiyot (jelly doughnuts), Hanukkah "game show," food (nominal charge), RSVP requested.


When: December 17, 2015 from 4-6
Where: Santana Row (Park Valencia)
Activities: kosher treats, entertainment, dreidel decorating, story time with PJ Library


EAST BAY 
Menorah Lighting with Chabad Sunday, December 5 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at Bay Center in Emeryville. Enjoy live music from the Rockin' Rabbis, latkes, gelt, an ice menorah, a sing-along and face painting.

Monday, September 4, 2017

Focus group: Clothing!

Okay, so this isn't a traditional focus group, but rather a clothing thing. I'll just post details and you can see for yourself. This is a legit market research company.

They're looking for a women for a two 2 phase study in San Francisco beginning September 15th and ending October 2nd.

Phase 1: (45 minutes) You must first complete an initial written survey and then participate in a fitting exercise. You'll have to try on a tight-fitting outfit (i.e. leotard, form-fitting tank top with shorts) to help them collection of your exact body measurements (including height and weight) and then be photographed in it by a female researcher. Pay = $125

Phase 2: (90 minutes) requires that you try on multiple garments and be interviewed about the experience. As you’ll be trying on a variety of casual outfit pieces, such as t-shirts, pants, jeans and a dress, you’ll need to wear everyday underwear and the type of bra that you’d wear if you were shopping for a t-shirt. Pay = $200

If interested, fill out their pre-survey at: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/T9XVH39

Friday, September 1, 2017

Review: IFly Indoor Skydiving With Kids

My kids have been wanting to try indoor skydiving for quite awhile. My mother surprised us all with a session at iFly when we were visiting them in Phoenix, though they've had one in the Bay Area for a long time.



What was surprising to me is how much time the whole experience takes, when you're actually only in the chamber for two 1 minute sessions. Our group of nine was there for probably more than an hour. It was a lot of fun, and my son really wants to go back again.