How We Set Our Kids Up to Graduate Debt‑Free
I’m not a financial advisor — I’m a planner. And one of the smartest planning decisions we ever made as a family started long before I ever opened my first travel credit card.
When our boys were born, we opened 529 accounts for each of them. Nothing fancy, nothing overwhelming — just $50 a month. That’s it. For years, we kept it simple and consistent. Around second grade, we bumped it to $150 a month, and then we just… kept going.
No big windfalls. No aggressive investing. Just slow, steady, intentional saving.
And now? Both of our kids will graduate debt‑free.
Disclosure
This post shares our family’s personal experience with college planning and travel rewards. I’m not a financial advisor — just a planner and mom sharing what worked for us. Always make sure any financial decision, including credit cards or 529 plans, fits your own budget, goals, and comfort level.
Some links on this site may be affiliate links, which means I may earn a small commission if you make a purchase or apply through them — at no additional cost to you. These commissions help support No Point Left Behind and allow me to keep sharing free, practical travel and planning tips.
🎓 Choosing the Smart School — Not the Flashy One
When it came time to choose colleges, we talked openly about cost, scholarships, and long‑term goals. Both boys made the decision to stay local — and we are incredibly lucky to have a great university less than 30 minutes away.
They earned scholarships. We used the 529s to cover the remaining balance. And because they stayed home, we avoided the biggest college expense of all: housing.
This wasn’t about limiting their dreams — it was about setting them up for success. And they understood that.
And now that we’re nearing the finish line, the payoff is even clearer. My oldest, Finn, is starting his senior year of college — and because we planned early and stayed consistent, he’ll graduate debt‑free. We even have enough left in his 529 that we think most of his graduate school will be covered, too.
It’s one of those moments where you look back and think, “Wow… those $50 contributions really did add up.”
Full disclosure: both of our boys earned strong scholarships, so our out‑of‑pocket costs have been minimal. But even with scholarships, college can get expensive fast — especially once you add housing, meal plans, and fees. By choosing to stay home and attend our local university, we significantly reduced those costs. It wasn’t about limiting their options; it was about making a smart, long‑term decision that set them up for success.
💳 Where Points & Miles Fit In
Here’s the part most people don’t realize:
529 plans reimburse you for qualified expenses — and you can pay those expenses with a credit card first.
So every semester, we:
Pay the tuition balance with a rewards credit card
Earn points toward travel
Reimburse ourselves from the 529
This is exactly how we’ve hit minimum spend on new cards without overspending or changing our lifestyle. If you’re new to this, my 👉Beginner’s Guide to Travel Credit Cardsbreaks down how travel cards work and why they’re so powerful for families.
And if you want to see how we layer offers responsibly, my 👉 Stack & Save Credit Card Hub walks through the exact strategy we use.
🧠 Why This Story Matters for NPLB
People see the cruises, the flights, the hotels… but they don’t always see the foundation underneath it.
Travel hacking works best when your financial house is steady.
We live debt‑free when possible. We have a mortgage and one car payment — that’s it. We plan ahead. We make intentional choices. And we use points to stretch our budget even further.
If you’re curious how we structure our card strategy as a family, my 👉 Player 1 / Player 2 Guide explains how we coordinate cards without overspending.
This is the heart of No Point Left Behind: Travel smarter. Spend less. Make every trip count.
🌱 What I Hope Other Families Take From This
You don’t need to save thousands a month. You don’t need to choose the most expensive school. You don’t need to be perfect.
Small, consistent steps matter. Smart choices matter. And teaching your kids to value financial freedom might be the greatest gift you ever give them.
And if you can earn a few free flights along the way? Even better.
If you want to see how we’ve used points for real trips, check out: 👉 Real Trips We’ve Booked With Points & Miles
🚀 Ready to Start Earning Points for Your Family’s Travel?
If you’re brand‑new to travel hacking, these are the two cards I recommend most often for beginners — they’re flexible, beginner‑friendly, and powerful enough to take you from your first free flight to your first big bucket‑list trip.
Chase Sapphire Preferred® → See current offer (personal referral link, I am not a credit card affiliate)
Capital One Venture® → See current offer (personal referral link, I am not a credit card affiliate)
These are the same types of cards we used to earn points on tuition payments, groceries, and everyday spending — without changing our lifestyle.
💌 Want More Real‑Life, Mom‑Tested Travel Hacks?
Join my newsletter and I’ll send you the strategies we use in real time — from stacking offers to booking cruises on points to planning debt‑free travel for families.
I’m not a financial advisor — just a travel‑hacking mom sharing what worked for our family. Always make sure any credit card fits your own budget, goals, and comfort level.
About the Author
Julie Davis is the creator of No Point Left Behind, a family travel blog that helps beginners and moms turn everyday spending into extraordinary trips. A lifelong planner and travel‑hacking strategist, Julie believes smart money decisions make the best adventures possible.
Her family’s debt‑free college journey began with $50 monthly 529 contributions and intentional choices — proof that small steps can lead to big freedom. Today, she teaches others how to use points and miles responsibly to travel smarter, spend less, and make every trip count.
Join Julie’s Travel Hacking Moms Facebook Group to learn practical strategies, ask questions, and connect with a community of travelers who love saving money without sacrificing experiences.
