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Last but certainly not least are the fall drinks that you’ve perhaps never heard of. Foremost among them, for those of drinking age, is hot buttered rum, which is a warming drink that dates back to colonial days. You can make the rich brew at home if you have rum, butter, brown sugar, honey, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and a pinch of salt. For the younger crowd, try hot vanilla, Oatmeal with a Fork’s alternative to hot chocolate. Not only is it something a bit different, but the recipe is dairy-free, vegan, and paleo. Another healthy option is Green Kitchen Stories’ warm, spicy apple and carrot drink, which is an autumn concoction made with fruit and vegetable juices in addition to the usual spice suspects. That said, there’s nothing wrong with striking an indulgent note when it’s cold outside. Try A Spicy Perspective’s drinking caramel or Lick My Spoon’s maple-bacon hot buttered bourbon for an extra-sweet treat.
floating apples carved to look like shrunken heads. If you’re looking for an adult beverage, mulled wine is a fun alternative that tastes similar. To make a batch, just add a bottle of red wine, sliced oranges, cloves, cinnamon sticks, star anise, and honey to a pan and simmer it for half an hour. For more kick, add 1/4 cup of brandy. As for tea, you can gussy up your cup with a splash of orange juice, a hint of lemon, sugar, vanilla, and almond extract to replicate the recipe for Russian tea from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe. In your quest for a soothing hot drink, don’t forget about coffee. There’s no reason to stoop to the over-hyped pumpkin spiced latte from Starbucks when it’s easy to make your own healthier, tastier version at home with a coffee maker, whole milk, spices, and a can of pumpkin puree. For an indulgent upgrade, drizzle on some of Simply Sissom’s homemade salted pumpkin spice syrup. Fall lattes aren’t limited to pumpkin, either. It would be a shame to go the whole season without sipping a chai — whether homemade with Indian spices or from your favorite coffee shop.
College expenses aren’t what they used to be. What used to be affordable to any student with a part-time summer job now can take years to pay off. If your grandkids want to go to college, the cost of education should not be a barrier to their future. Luckily there are ways that you can help ease that financial burden. DON’T LET MONEY GET IN THE WAY Of Your Grandchild’s Education
toward other college expenses like room and board or textbooks.
HELP THEM FIND OPPORTUNITIES TO SAVE.
INVEST IN A 529 SAVINGS PLAN.
plan, which doesn’t count as student income, you lose control over the funds you contribute.
Even if you don’t have thousands of dollars to give, you can still help your grandkids look for other opportunities to save. There are thousands of available scholarships, grants, and programs to help students pay for college, and helping them look online and in your community can go a long way. College could be your grandchild’s first stop on the path to achieving their dreams. You can be a part of that journey by making sure money doesn’t get in the way of that.
There are no limits on age, income, or monetary contributions attached to this college savings account, and contributions are tax-deductible in some states. Just like a Roth IRA, the earnings grow over time and can be used tax-free for qualifying expenses, like tuition and room and board. There are a few downsides, however. Funds from a grandparent’s 529 savings plan are considered student income and could hurt your student’s eligibility for financial aid. If you choose to fund through a parent’s 529 savings
PAY THEIR TUITION.
Not everybody has $20,000 just lying around, but if you do, using it to pay for your grandchild’s tuition isn’t a bad way to spend it. Normally, annual financial gifts that are exempt from the federal gift tax can’t exceed $15,000, but payments toward someone’s tuition, for any amount, are not taxed. Keep in mind, however, that the money can only go toward tuition, not
2 • StanoLaw.com
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