It’s back-to-school time again. If you have young children, you might be hustling them to the store for backpacks and binders.

But if you fast-forward a few years, you can envision driving your kids a little farther — to their college dorms. And when that day comes, you’ll want to be financially prepared.

So you’ll want to avoid making costly mistakes when preparing for, and paying, those big bills.

Here are some of the most common of these errors:

Not saving enough — Only about 40 percent of families have created a plan to pay for college, according to a recent study by SLM Corporation, commonly known as Sallie Mae, a consumer banking company. In those families that do plan, parents save 3.5 times more than non-planners, according to the same study.

You might find it easier to save for college if you automatically move a set amount each month from your checking or savings account to a college savings vehicle.

Not considering vehicles with growth potential — The same Sallie Mae study found that more parents use a general savings account than any other method of saving for college.

But since most savings accounts these days pay only a minimal rate of return, you will have trouble getting the growth potential you need to achieve your college savings goals.

Consider working toward your college savings goals by investing in a vehicle specifically designed for college, such as a 529 plan or a Coverdell plan.

 There are differences between these plans, such as contribution limits and tax treatments, but both allow you to invest for growth potential.

As with any investment account, there are risks involved, including market risk.

Stopping your savings once your children are in college — Unless your children plan to take an awful lot of credits, they’re not going to finish college in just one year.

Consequently, you’ll want to keep investing in your plan or other college savings vehicle while your children are in school.

Taking out 401(k) loans — Your employer may allow you to take out a loan against your 401(k) to help pay for college.

But this may not be a good idea for two reasons: First, when you remove money from your 401(k) — even if you plan on eventually paying it back — you will slow the potential accumulation in your account, thereby depriving yourself of resources you will eventually need for retirement.

Second, should you leave the company, you might have to repay the loan within a limited number of days.

Not using available tax credits — Depending on your income, you might qualify for the American Opportunity tax credit, which is worth up to $2,500, provided you spend at least $4,000 on college expenses.

Check with your tax professional to see if you qualify for this credit and how to most effectively incorporate it. And be careful you don’t waste the credit, because you may not be able to use it and your plan distributions at the same time.

Paying for college can be challenging — but if you can avoid making the above mistakes, you’ve got a better chance of getting your kids through school without derailing the progress you’d like to make toward your other financial goals. 

This article was written by Edward Jones on behalf of your Edward Jones financial adviser.

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Editor's Note: An earlier version of this article erroneously stated that Sallie Mae is “the country’s largest originator of federally insured student loans.” 

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SHANKLIN: Avoid expensive errors when paying for college

Eighty-three Northwest Florida youths are participating in the 2016 Florida 4-H Chick Chain Show and Auction on Oct. 29 in Bonifay.

In May, these outstanding youths received day-old pullet (female) chicks, and are proudly raising them with care and attention until the day of the show and auction.

When the pullet chicks are about 20 weeks old — that’s generally the magic time when production birds enter the laying cycle — the 4-Hers will bring them to this special poultry show and auction.

After the show, a professional auctioneer will be on hand to auction off the birds.

All proceeds benefit the 4-H youth and the Florida 4-H Chick Chain program.

The Chick Chain Project encourages 4-H youths to produce healthy chickens. Along the way, they get an introduction to business management, develop record-keeping skills (income and expenses), contribute to their family’s home food supply and realize the pride of accomplishment!

4-Hers follow very structured guidelines for protein diet and housing.

Are these birds healthy? Yes! The chicks come from National Poultry Improvement Plan-certified stock (clean from Pullorum-Typhoid and Avian Influenza) and are vaccinated against Marek’s disease on the day of hatch.

Breeds for auction are Dominique; Golden Laced Wyandotte; Light Brahma; Pearl White Leghorn; Polish Top Hat; and Rhode Island Reds.

The program benefits 4-H members in Okaloosa, Santa Rosa, Walton, Gadsden, Gulf, Holmes, Jackson, Jefferson, Leon, Liberty, Wakulla and Washington counties.

Misty Smith is an agent at the University of Florida's Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension office in Crestview. 

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WANT TO GO?

WHAT: 4-H Chicken Auction

WHEN: 3 p.m. Oct. 29

WHERE: Holmes County 4-H Barn, 1169 U.S. Highway 90 E., Bonifay

WHAT: 4-H Chicken Auction

WHEN: 3 p.m. Oct. 29

WHERE: Holmes County 4-H Barn, 1169 U.S. Highway 90 E., Bonifay

WANT TO GO?

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: SMITH: Get ready for the 4-H Chick Chain Show and Auction

The Crestview Public Library is an early voting site for the Aug. 30 Primary Election.

Early voting is 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Aug. 20-27. There is no early voting on Sunday or Monday, Aug. 28 or 29.

If you wait until the Primary Election on Tuesday, you must go to your precinct to vote.

Voter, election and candidate information is available from numerous sources, but an important first stop is the Okaloosa County Supervisor of Elections website, www.govote-okaloosa.com. With the Voter Lookup Tool, you can find your precinct, check your registration status, and view sample ballots.

Another online source of information is the Florida Department of State, Florida Division of Elections website, http://dos.myflorida.com/elections/. Download the 2016 Voter Education Toolkit.

The Center for Responsive Politics is a guide to money in U.S. politics, including campaign money amounts and sources, searchable by party, candidate, lobbyist and election cycle. Find them at www.opensecrets.org.

The Federal Voting Assistance Program works to ensure Service members, their eligible family members and overseas citizens are aware of their right to vote and have the tools and resources to successfully do so – from anywhere in the world. Go to https://www.fvap.gov/florida for Florida-specific information.

Vote Smart is a non-profit, non-partisan research organization that collects and distributes information on candidates for U.S. public office. It covers candidates and elected officials in six basic areas: background information, issue positions, voting records, campaign finances, interest group ratings, and speeches and public statements. Go to www.votesmart.org or call 888-Vote-Smart (888-868-3762).

Finally, the League of Women Voters of Okaloosa County provides information on www.lwvokaloosa.org, including notices of local candidate events and forums.

So check out all of the above … and come in and vote!

Sandra Dreaden is the Crestview Public Library's reference librarian.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: DREADEN: Where to find Okaloosa voter and election information

GAINESVILLE — Apparently, it’s more convenient to Florida residents to save water while brushing their teeth than to cut back on lawn irrigation, according to a new University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Extension report.

Alexa Lamm, a UF/IFAS assistant professor of agricultural education and communication and Extension specialist, surveyed 932 people deemed to be high-water users in Orlando, Tampa/Sarasota and Miami/Fort Lauderdale.

Respondents were asked how often they engage in water-related behaviors. Among the results, 68 percent saved water when brushing their teeth, but only 29 percent reduced irrigating their lawns in the summer, according to the document, http://bit.ly/2bjQGSm.

To put this data into context, about 50 percent of Floridians’ daily water use is for outdoor purposes, such as landscape irrigation, according to the South Florida Water Management District. The 50 percent figure is 20 percent more than the national average, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

In Lamm’s opinion, homeowners’ association rules – which often require lush landscapes — are part of the reason homeowners won’t reduce their outdoor watering. But she said there’s probably more to it than that.

“It is easier to save water indoors,” Lamm said. “You can turn off the faucet easily when washing dishes or only run your dishwasher and laundry when they are full.”

But when it comes to their sprinkler system, some homeowners are more hesitant and will probably rely on either the installer to have done it correctly or the person that maintains their yard to manage it, she said.

“This puts their decision-making in the hands of others,” Lamm said. “The second reason is because I believe, and the literature says, many move to Florida for the lush, green lifestyle it represents. When homeowners move from another part of the U.S., where they had brown lawns a significant part of the year, they want a lawn that is pretty and green year-round because they can here. They are willing to pay to have it and may not be thinking about the environmental consequences.”

Homeowners can do a lot to become more environmentally friendly, Lamm said. They can:

•Learn more about their irrigation system to ensure it is working properly.

•Manage the amount of fertilizer they use to ensure it is applied appropriately.

•Make their outdoor systems don’t leak.

•Install moisture sensors.

•Get more engaged and be part of the decision-making process.

In addition to the data being useful for homeowners, Lamm hopes it helps UF/IFAS Extension educators.

They can work with water management districts, local governments and utility companies to develop sound policy that will assist in saving water while maintaining the lifestyle we all enjoy in Florida.

“Extension faculty can teach homeowner’s how to manage their technology and tell them it doesn’t have to be a scary, unknown thing that is outside and not thought about,” she said.

“They can also assist in developing incentive programs related to outdoor water use – installing sensors, rain barrels and replacing landscapes so they are Florida Friendly, just like we have done with indoor water use through water conserving appliances – toilets and showerheads.”

For more information, go to http://bit.ly/2bkt68j.

Brad Buck is a University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences science writer.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: In-door vs. outdoor Florida water conservation