Tom - I struggle with this as well. Jim is the one asking the questions, me...I'd go for it, but he's the one with cancer and keeps me grounded, financially..by now, I would have maxed our our credit cards and figured it out later - after the fact...so I can only tell you what he has told me....none of us are guaranteed tomorrow - none of us! Live life RESPONSIBLY!!!

Contrary to popular belief, we do not owe our children an education...we owe them the responsibility of providing them a good foundation, good role models morally and financial (check out Dave Ramsey - he has some really good information on this). Tell the kids, tuition is on them. If they want an education bad enough, they will work for it and the degree will mean more to them in the end, because THEY earned it - money can be a good motivator for good grades...if it means student loans then so be it...if you want to go back and pay on them, the payments make great birthday, Christmas, and "just because" gifts - without breaking YOUR bank! Make your memories now - even if they are day trips or over the weekend....our big trip was to Alaska (on a budget) and now we do weekend jaunts...this past weekend we drove 2 hrs. and went to a drive thru wildlife park - we took 257 pictures! Not all were good, but it was fun and special. In the end, it's the small things that count...

Good questions and appreciate you asking because I struggle with putting these kind of questions out there. I suffer in silence on these issues and appreciate you asking....
Paula