If you're the parent of a child who's involved in extracurricular activities, you know the participation costs can really add up. Classes, lessons, uniforms, equipment, competitions, tournaments...the list goes on. It's easy to join the 46% of parents who spend more than $1,000 annually on one (just one!) extracurricular activity, according to a recent survey by CompareCards.

You may feel emotionally ready to move out on your own, but are you financially prepared? Living independently means much more than not having to be home by curfew; it comes with a great deal of financial responsibilities. Before you take the leap, know how much the big move will cost you, now and in the future.

“It’s going to be hot,” the hiring manager said, testing if I would be willing to take the job.

I was already in hot water. Having just graduated from high school, I was on top of the world and looking forward to working in a marina for the summer on the shores of Lake Erie. College was slated for the fall, and my financial aid required my contribution for living expenses. Alas, the marina’s owner sold the marina in June along with my summer job and planned college expense income. I was feeling desperate.

Though this might really date me, I fondly remember the Cosby Show episode where dad Cliff sits down with his teenage son, Theo, and using play money, shows him how much it will cost to live on his own. Theo’s smile and jaunty attitude quickly turn to a frown and utter dismay when he realizes how quickly money goes. (Check out the clip here!)

I just become the father of three teenagers. My youngest turned 13 on Mother’s Day. Yikes!  Yes, the over sleeping, late for the school bus, and eating me out of house and home issues abound in my house — as they do in many others, I assume. I am far from an expert on teenagers, but I am learning a lot these days about the younger end of the millennial generation.

When I went off to college (a hundred or so years ago), my parents took me into the local bank, set me up with my first checking account and that was it. No sage advice. No spreadsheet. No CliffsNotes version of Personal Finance 101.

Teenagers today: can they manage a household budget? Over 70 JROTC students from Lowell and Bedford high schools were put to the test this week, and the results were impressive.

The other day, I volunteered at Hanscom FCU’s CU4Reality Fair. We hosted over 70 high school students as they accommodated a month’s worth of expenses out of a salary from a career they chose in advance.

Getting into a good college takes a lot of hard work and dedication. One of the last hurdles to admission is the application essay – and it's a great opportunity for you to shine. Here are some tips to help you create an application essay that gives you the best chance at getting into your top school.