Earning a college degree has traditionally been part of the American Dream, and for many years that dream was affordable. But that’s not the case anymore. In 2014, the average college student graduated with over $30,000.00 in debt, and overall in the US, college debt is now over $1 trillion. This leaves parents wondering how their children are going to pay for college, or how they as parents can help them. Some parents are still paying for their own student loans, on top of their mortgages, living expenses and retirement, so saving for their children’s education can be a daunting task. Here with 10 tips parents can use to approach paying for their children’s education is author Marco LeRoc.

Marco, who majored in economics, was heavily in debt after his first year in school. This prompted him to create a tactical budgeting and savings plan, which allowed him to pay off his freshman year debt and ultimately his entire tuition before graduation. He shares these plans for high school and college students as well as parents in his book, Screw College Debt.