http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/24/education-college-costs-idUSL1E8LNFQJ20121024

While college tuition rates continue to rise the 4.8 percent increase from last year is the smallest amount of increase in 12 years. Subsequently a study shows that for the first time in two decades student borrowing has decreased. The article also addresses pay disparity between men and women.

http://www.coloradoan.com/article/20121025/NEWS01/310250017/Fresh-out-college-out-money

Students graduating college with debt is not a new story but this article does a nice job of breaking down how 2/3 of students are graduating with an average $26,600 in debt. The article also shows what the future looks to hold for future students.

http://blogs.ajc.com/get-schooled-blog/2012/10/29/graduating-to-a-pay-gap-female-college-grads-still-earn-less-than-male-counterparts/?cxntfid=blogs_get_schooled_blog

Women’s role in the work force has drastically improved during the last 50 years but according to a recent report the level of pay for women has yet to catch up with men. Despite doing the same work women reportedly make only 83 percent of what men make and this article describes the situation.

Being unprepared for medical emergencies is bad news. This Video sheds some insight to how the University of Kansas is helping students cope with health care costs.

TC: For people with health insurance getting sick means a visit to the doctor, but for those without health insurance unforeseen ailments can be problematic as Lawrence resident Kyle Aller points out.

KA: Really I’m not too concerned with my health as of now, but if anything were to happen to me that’s certainly a concern.

TC: Walking to class one day and being ill the next is part of life, but Associate Director of Watkins Health Center Diana Malott works to make sure students are not caught off guard.

DM: We have a student health insurance plan that is sponsored by the Kansas Board of Regents that’s a very robust plan for a very reasonable premium. I am the KU representative of the Board of Regents to develop this plan and we did it to try to address student needs wherever they are in the age range, wherever they are in their education and we did it so that we could make sure students were protected from unexpected medical expenditures which can really derail an education fast.

TC: For Spend Smart 101 this is Tyler Conover

http://money.cnn.com/2012/10/22/pf/college/colleges-student-debt/

With many college students graduating with some form of debt Syracuse University is starting to do something about it by enabling students to stop barrowing form private lenders.

http://www.vindy.com/news/2012/oct/17/college-access-not-only-about-money/?newswatch

For a lot of families around the country money is getting tight ad for those with kids getting ready for college that can be a scary thing to think about. Luckily Pell Grants are available for those who need assistance, but this article details why those grants are less helpful than is past years.

http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2012/10/colleges_want_louisiana_lawmak.html

Some colleges in Louisiana are fighting to keep the lights on, and in doing so they have had to ask state lawmakers to give up a little bit of control to the four college management boards.

-Tyler Conover

The problem

For people with and without health insurance affording prescription medication can be challenging and that type of problem reaches across all ages. From children to senior citizens, people who cannot afford medication are faced with the decision to go without medication or spend money they don’t have.

One specific demographic, women of child bearing age, is left with a choice that can have serious repercussions. Prescription birth control which can range from as little as $15 a month to upwards of $50, according to plannedparenthood.org, is one such medication that can be expensive and is not necessarily essential which prompts some women to go without.

“I don’t have the money to buy it [prescription birth control], it’s like sixty bucks a month,” said Niki Alaniz, Lawrence Resident. “I would probably take birth control if I had insurance but since I don’t, I don’t.”

Alaniz is aware of the risk associated with not taking birth control pills and would like to be able to afford it. But for now it just makes her more cautious, and being responsible is something she wishes more girls would think about.

Alternative options

Charlene L. Muehlenhard,Professor of clinical psychology at KU agrees with Alaniz on the topic of responsibility saying, via email, “Women and men who are heterosexually active should think about protecting themselves from unwanted pregnancy. There are many types of contraception: condoms; birth control pills, patches, or rings; Depo-shots; Norplant (implants); intrauterine devices (IUDs); diaphragms, sponges, and spermicides; and surgical methods such as vasectomies and tubal ligations.”

There are in fact many alternatives as Muehlenhard points out, but most of those are not necessarily cheap and almost all are less effective than birth control pills. But with pills starting cost at around $15 a month for women without insurance, on top of the health exam required to obtain a prescription for the pills, it is not that hard to see why some women who might normally take birth control are not.

The services provided at local Planned Parenthood health centers is one valuable resource that can help females know their birth control options and help them get the birth control they need.  It can also provide free birth control to those low income individuals who qualify.

Having insurance helps

For those who are able to get birth control it is a relief to not have to worry quite as much about the possibility of an unplanned pregnancy.  Like Krystin Eytchison, junior at KU, whose insurance helps her cope with the cost of birth control.

“For me it’s $40 a month, part of it is covered because it is the generic version not all of it is covered,” Eytchison said.

Insurance helped Eytchison with cost of the prescription and the process to get the pills wasn’t too painstaking either.

“I called [her doctor] and scheduled an appointment, and then they have to do a check-up to test you for AIDS and HIV and all that stuff and then they give you a prescription,” Eytchison said.

There are many serious factors that go in to making such an important decision like whether or not to take birth control pills, but Eytchison would like to leave a parting thought about women who choose not to use some form of prescription birth control.

“I hope they use some other form of protection,” Eytchison said. “A lot of girls I know say ‘well a lot of birth controls make you gain water weight’ but I’m like babies make you fat too.”

Not having access to birth control because of a woman’s current monetary situation is something Harold N. Godwin, Professor of pharmacy practice at KU, is not a fan of.

“I think it is just a matter of the individuals rights, I mean, I think they ought to have the right quite honestly and there shouldn’t be any road blocks in the way of that choice,” Godwin said.

Relief in sight

Fortunately for those currently unable to afford necessary medication a part of the recently passed Affordable Care Act (Obamacare) addresses the monetary burden unique to women of child bearing age.  Starting in January 2013, insurance companies will be required to provide preventative and reproductive health care needs free with no (or very minimal) copay.  The plan will also make it more affordable for everyone to get insurance regardless of any pre-existing conditions and allow more low income people to qualify for Medicaid over the next few years. This will be a step in the right direction in allowing individuals the right to choose their method of contraception without the monetary burden.

Dennis M. Dailey Professor emeritus of social welfare at KU discusses birth control pill alternatives

TC:Do you have any words of advice for students who are on the fence about whether or not to take it?

DD:Well if a women is going to have sexual intercourse,  if she is concerned about becoming pregnant then I would recommend that she look at a variety of alternatives for managing her fertility and birth control is only one.

DD:There are many other options that she can use, there are many other kinds of techniques that can be used that can do the same thing as a pill like an IUD for example.

TC:Ok, well thank you very much that’s really all I had.

DD:Ok.

TC:Alright, you have a good day.

http://www.kansascity.com/2012/10/14/3867403/at-kckcc-a-novel-way-to-save-money.html

This story is about how students at Kansas City Kansas Community College are saving money on textbooks through the My Shelf to Yours textbook scholarship. The program sells donated books in order to fund the scholarships.

http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2012/10/12/171318/pell-grants-boost-college-access.html

This year marks the 40^th anniversary of the Pell Grant. Pell Grants have helped more than 60 million students and have hit the highest payout at $5,500. Since college tuition has risen so steadily during the recent decades the record high payout is now less affective then it has previously.

http://www.newarkadvocate.com/article/20121014/OPINION02/310140019?nclick_check=1

There are still some misconceptions about high school graduates attending college such as is it necessary for all young adults, are there actually job options if one does graduate among others. This article addresses some of these misconceptions and the factors attached with them.

Fall is always accompanied by colder temperatures and the holiday season. Both of which involve spending money on things like coats and costumes.

That is why some people in Lawrence, like resident Mark Hill have been saving money on both while shopping at places such as the Salvation Army Thrift store on W. 23^rd St.

“Basically because I don’t want to look like everyone else and because it is cheap.”

He is not the only one who has been saving money at the store according to thrift store employee Latoyia Cunningham.

“We have a lot of students in here who are shopping for clothes so I guess it could help them out  a lot considering school is expensive.”

And as hill says you can save up to 15 dollars per item.

“Per item I don’t know like anywhere from eight to 20 bucks if you are buying shoes like eight bucks but if you are buying a jacket than like 20 bucks ya know.”

Going to the thrift store for clothes is a year round possibility but Cunningham says she has noticed an increase in customers during the past month

“With in the past month or so more people have been coming in looking for costumes.”

While shopping for a halloween costume at a thrift store might not be the ideal location, but as Hill says, depending on what you are the thrift store might be the spot for you.

“It depends on what the costume is. If I want it to look good, like professional I wouldn’t, but if I am just dressing up like I am from the ‘80s I absolutely would.”

While people like Hill shop at thrift stores year round they increase their shopping during the fall.

“More when it is cold because they have flannels (shirts), but I go there year round still.”

For spend smart 101 this is Tyler Conover

Now that fall is in full swing and the temperatures are down it is the perfect time of year to get around on foot. The timing couldn’t be much better with gas prices getting higher nation wide. Walking around town offers more than just relief on gas prices it is also a great way to get a little exercise during a busy week. With age exercise becomes more important, but walking is a free way to exercise no matter ones age.