college graduations Archives - Mother 2 Mother Blog

10 Money Gift Ideas for Graduates

High school and college graduations are around the corner. There will be BBQs, parties and family gatherings to celebrate the milestone. So, we have rounded up unique money gift ideas for the graduates. Personally, I’m beyond the card idea. I like to give unique gifts for weddings, birthdays, graduations and Christmas. As a result, I’ve rounded up a few ideas to inspire you too:

Graduation Money Cake – This gift will make a statement. It is no longer available on Etsy, but no worries. Click on the link and you will find the instructions to make you own. Get creative. You can find the craft items at any Dollar Store.

Box of Chocolates – Being deceptive is not something that I would normally recommend, but hiding money in this chocolate box is a brilliant idea. Purchase a box of sampler 50% off after Valentines Day. You can freeze the chocolates and treat yourself when you need a chocolate fix. If you want to give a surprise gift, this is an excellent idea.

Liter Bottle Bank – Start saving months before the graduation. Cut a slot in the back of the bottle. Once you have filled it with money cover the opening with scrapbook paper. Better yet, get creative and decorate the bottle in the graduates school colors. The will love the idea and the money stash.

Money Tie – This would be great placed in a shirt gift box with a dress shirt. The shirt can always be used for job interviews, church or another occasion.

Money Fries – Kids love McDonalds French fries. They are so good. Big kids love them too, however, I’m sure they will love these money fries too. Simply slip into McDonalds and ask for a medium fry container and a bag. Tell them that you want to use them for a graduation gift. Roll different dollar amounts and place them into the fry container. The McDonald’s bag can hold a few gift cards.

Graduation Wreath – Head to the craft store and buy a wreath form, glue dots, Baker’s Twine, which can also be purchased at the Dollar Tree, and than start rolling those bills. The printable can be downloaded for free.

Money Flower – This idea can be used for Mother’s Day, birthdays and more. You will need dollar bills, double sided tape and a few embellishments. Place it in a gift box!

Graduation Cap Gift Box – Fill the box with rolled money embellished with a ribbon. You can find the gift box here.

Mixed Greens – I was unable to locate the link to this post. However, I did find instructions on how to make the dollar flowers. You can find the instructions here. Find a fun bowl, wrap it with saran wrap, and finish it with bows and tongs.

Money Pizza – One of the best money gift ideas for graduates is a money pizza. There wasn’t a link for this post. I found it on Pinterest. Score a pizza box and practice shaping dollar bills into slices. Glue coins on for pepperoni and finish it with a bow.

We hope that you enjoyed our money gift ideas for graduates. They are unique gifts that any graduate would love, and so much better than money in a card.

5 Tips To Make Living With Your College Graduate Easier

Today, college graduates are facing several factors that make coming back to the nest an ideal option. Some factors include, student loan debt, job unavailability and sky-high rents. And for the first time in modern history, living with parents is the most common living arrangement for 18-34-year-olds. Today, I’m sharing parenting tips on how to live with a college graduate.

However, before you freak out when your college graduate decides they want to move back home, read these tips on how to make it work:

1. Treat your child like an adult

That means, not doing their laundry for them or giving them money for a movie. Don’t fall back into the same parental role you played when they were little. A college graduate should not expect the babying treatment.

Also, let them grow their independence. If you let them, they will be more prepared for life. And word to the wise; stay out of their personal relationships.

2. Insist that your child get a job

After four or more years of basically job-preparation, your college graduate may be expecting their dream job to land in front of them like it’s complementary of a degree.

But you know the real world doesn’t work like that. So should your child. It isn’t healthy for your child to be dependent on you financially while they search for their “dream job.” They’ll be more prepared and confident for life if they can pay for their own expenses.

If your college graduate is binge-watching Netflix and swiping on Tinder all day, that’s a red flag that the living arrangement is not working.

3. Consider charging rent

Next, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. So, this is something your college graduate needs to know. Most importantly, this strategy works best if you have a plan for why you’re charging rent.

One idea is to collect the money and build a nest egg for your child. They can access the money when they’re ready to move out. Or, you can use the rent money toward your graduate’s student loans.

4. Have your child plan to pay off student debt

So, one of the biggest reasons college graduates fly back to the nest is money. They can save money by living with you. Expect them to live within their means. Encourage them to save their money and pay off their student debt.

5. Set a reasonable goal for when it’s time for your child to move out

Most importantly, don’t allow your college graduate to get stuck in the comforts of home. That’s why they need to set goals. Therefore, helping them set goals will help them spread their wings and fly.

Talk with your child about what will work for both of you. For example, when will the time to leave be? Will it be when loans are paid off, or in one year after they’ve saved x amount of money? Make sure your college graduation understands the plan.

Also, ask yourself how much support you can afford. Therefore, you can’t take care of your child if you aren’t taking care of yourself first.

Finally, it does not have to be a problem when your child wants to live at home after graduation. As a matter of fact, help them get better prepared for their future. Just follow these tips to make living with your college graduate easier.

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Justin Lavelle is Communications Director at BeenVerified (https://www.beenverified.com). BeenVerified is the fast, affordable, and easy way to access public records and search for people. Find out ages, marital status, addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, criminal records, and more