Guest Author - Kris Bigalk

Sending the twins off to the same college? Here are some ways for them (and you) to save some money.

Apply for Twin or Sibling Scholarships
Many colleges have sibling scholarships in place; some even have scholarships designed especially for twins. Even colleges without these scholarships will usually try to work something out for families with more than one child at their college. If both twins are attending the same institution, make an appointment with the college financial aid office, and discuss your situation. Here is a link to a list of colleges with sibling and twin scholarships: http://www.bellaonline.com/articles/art1294.asp

Don't Pay Full Price for Books
Most professors decide on textbooks months before a class begins. To save money on books (which can run over $100 per class per student), your twins can do one or both of the following:
- Sign up for the same classes and instructors, and share books
- Contact the instructor for book titles a month before class starts, and buy them used online. Most textbooks are a fraction of the cost when bought this way.

Share the Cost of Incidentals
Sharing the cost of a load of laundry doesn't seem like a big deal, until you multiply it by the number of weeks in a semester. If your twins room together or near one another, they can save money on laundry, dorm food, and other incidental expenses that add up.

Pay Fair
If one twin wants to join a sorority, for example, and the other doesn't, parents should "pay fair." In other words, if the parent funds an expense for one twin, the other twin should be offered the same amount of money or resources for something that appeals to him or her. If one twin is told she will have to get a job to pay for the extras, then the other twin should have to play by the same rules for the things he wants, as well.

Share the Extras
Twins can share some of those supplies that make college easier—a car, a laptop, a printer, a punchcard for the copy machine, even cell phone minutes. Brainstorm ways that your twins can pool their resources so both can have some perks.