We got a few lucky breaks so our kids will be mostly paid for via savings, and scholarship and grant money.

The best route financially is to start out the first year or 2 at a local junior or county college to get all the basic course work out of the way. Then getting into a state or private school is often easier if you have good grades. The problem is getting a kid to agree, and to forgo the first years of the campus college life experience. Usually they have no idea what they are getting into when they sign up for a $20K loan.

Filling out the FAFSA is important. Schools will often kick in an amount to meet your family contribution threshold. That still doesn't make it cheap, but its the best way we have found, short of quitting your job or doing something unlawful.

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1985 380SE Blue/Blue - 230,000 miles
2012 Subaru Forester 5-speed
2005 Toyota Sienna
2004 Chrysler Sebring convertible
1999 Toyota Tacoma